Burnley seem ready to have a real crack at FA Cup glory this season and are fancied to get the better of Bournemouth at Turf Moor. The Clarets were convincing 3-0 victors at Fulham in round four and have performed with credit in the Premier League since that tie.
Sheff Utd have used the FA Cup to try and build much-needed confidence this season and are expected to do the same when they host Bristol City. The Blades remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League but have again been handed a kind cup draw, having squeezed past two League One opponents.
Swansea gave Manchester City a scare in the FA Cup two years ago and will hope to have their moments in this season’s fifth-round tie at Liberty Stadium. The Swans led 2-0 with just over 20 minutes left on the clock on that occasion, before a late turnaround saw them slip to a heart-breaking 3-2 defeat.
Championship basement dwellers Wycombe are expected to find Tottenham too hot to handle in Monday night’s FA Cup fourth-round tie. However, Wanderers are in good form going forward at present, drawing a blank up front in only one of their last nine matches in all competitions.
Everton are enjoying an impressive season in the Premier League and a favourable draw could also have them dreaming of FA Cup success. The Toffees are again at home to Championship opposition from South Yorkshire and are expected to put out a strong side as they return to action after a 12-day break.
Cheltenham face the unenviable task of trying to prevent Manchester City from rattling off a 10th straight victory in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round clash. The visitors lifted this trophy two years ago and reached the semis last term, so it is safe to assume Pep Guardiola will be taking the tie seriously.
Chorley stunned a Covid-hit Derby in round three of the FA Cup but are now expected to be brought back down to earth by Wolves at Victory Park. Wanderers boss Nuno Espirito Santo has shown plenty of respect for this competition and will be keen to advance after a poor run of Premier League results.
Frank Lampard’s job could be on the line when Chelsea host Luton in the FA Cup and we’re backing the Blues to fight for their manager’s future. The Hatters are a likeable outfit who have done better than expected since moving up to the Championship, but they were beaten 3-0 by Man Utd in the EFL Cup.
West Ham are well placed to have a good crack at the FA Cup this season following some solid Premier League results and should brush aside Stockport. Hammers boss David Moyes reached the final of this competition back in 2009 with Everton and three other cup semis, so he does take knockout events seriously.
Tottenham cruised through to the EFL Cup final this week and should make light work of Merseyside minnows Marine in round three of the FA Cup. Jose Mourinho is not the type of manager to get caught up in the romance of this tie and a clinical performance is expected from Spurs.
Crawley are in fine form in League Two and will not be short of confidence as they look to cause an FA Cup upset by beating Leeds. The Red Devils have climbed into the play-off places thanks to an eight-match unbeaten run but we’re not convinced they have the quality to get past Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
Newport have a proud history of FA Cup upsets in recent years and are backed to give Brighton a tough work-out at Rodney Parade. In the last few seasons, County have beaten Leeds and Leicester in Wales in this competition, as well as earning a replay against Tottenham.
Chorley may be missing out on a meeting with Wayne Rooney but now have a realistic shot at reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup. A Covid-19 outbreak at Derby this week means the entire first-team squad and coaching staff are self-isolating, with their squad set to feature Under-23 and Under-18 players.
Norwich put their fight for Premier League survival to one side as they aim to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1992. The Canaries finally landed a home tie after three away trips while Manchester United will be seeking to equal Arsenal’s record of 13 FA Cup victories.