THE FA CUP takes centre stage again this weekend as the competition enters the business end of proceedings with eight fifth round ties. Here are five things to keep an eye out for over the next three days.
1. Tottenham on the double
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham are arguably the most in form team in the country having won their last seven outings before Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina.
But we’ll soon discover the strength of their squad when they host Crystal Palace in a London derby at White Hart Lane on Saturday.
Spurs arrived home from their European travels late on Thursday evening and preparation time for their cup tie is limited.
They are still in contention in three competitions and as the season enters its final stages, Pochettino will need to utilise all his playing resources.
Their opponents on Sunday will be fully refreshed after a week away in Barcelona as Alan Pardew looks to reverse his side’s slump in form.
While Tottenham have gone from strength to strength as the weeks have progressed, Palace have gone the opposite way.
A season which once promised great things has quickly turned sour and their last win came in the last round against Stoke.
The game could also see Emmanuel Adebayor return to White Hart Lane after his recent move to Palace.
The striker was on target for the Eagles for the first time last time out and he’ll be keen to prove a point to his former employers.
2. Cup relief for Everton
It’s been a difficult season for Roberto Martinez and Everton.
The Toffees have been nothing if not inconsistent in the league and are currently languishing in 11th position in the standings.
Their recent upturn in fortunes ended last week with another home defeat, this time to West Brom, but the cup weekend can bring some welcome respite for Martinez’s men.
Everton were denied a spot in the Capital One Cup final by a controversial goal in their semi-final defeat to Man City but they will be desperate to go one step further in the FA Cup and try and salvage something from the season.
A trip to Bournemouth isn’t the easiest tie, and will bring back memories of November’s meeting when they threw away a two goal lead at the Vitality Stadium.
There’s still a long way to go in the competition but Everton can now concentrate their efforts on the cup, starting tomorrow evening on the south coast.
3. Chance for Man City’s next gen to shine
There are several teams in action this weekend whose priorities lie elsewhere and it appears Manchester City are one of them.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side face a busy, and crucial, period with fixtures coming thick and fast.
The Chilean boss has criticised the FA for its insistence that Sunday’s game against Chelsea must go ahead just 24 hours before City fly to Kiev for their Champions League tie.
He underlined his frustration at Friday’s press conference and confirmed he will rest many of his regulars and will instead field some of the club’s academy starlets for the headline tie of the fifth round.
But is it a wise move to play a weakened team in a competition they have a great chance of winning?
The Champions League is clearly a priority but for a club with the financial muscle of City, they should be able to compete on all fronts without compromising their chances in one competition.
4. Can things get any worse for Man United?
Thursday’s defeat in Denmark was labeled as a new low for Man United and Louis van Gaal but things could get an awful lot worse if they were to slip-up against League One side Shrewsbury on Monday evening.
Winning the FA Cup might not be enough to salvage another abject season but the Premier League giants can barely afford to go another year without silverware.
Van Gaal has spoken of his wish to win a trophy in England and if, as expected, he is to leave the club at the end of the season, the FA Cup represents his last chance.
United’s hopes of finishing inside the top four are quickly fading and their season in danger of unraveling completely. Put simply, defeat at New Meadow is unthinkable.
That said, van Gaal’s side have dispatched lower league opposition fairly comfortably in previous rounds and you would expect them to have too much for the hosts in the final tie of the weekend.
Anything other than a win and van Gaal’s position surely becomes untenable, if it isn’t already.
5. Plenty of Irish interest
There is plenty of Irish interest in this weekend’s eight ties, starting with the opening game of the round as holders Arsenal host Hull.
The Championship side don’t have the large contingent of Irish international they once had but David Meyler remains central to Steve Bruce’s plans.
With the promotion race hotting up, Bruce will no doubt have one eye on the next league outing but Saturday is a great chance for his players to prove their worth and just maybe cause an upset.
Paul McShane, Simon Cox and Stephen Quinn will be hoping to help Reading to upset the odds when they host Premier League outfit West Brom and James McClean, while Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy could feature for Everton at Bournemouth.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has already confirmed Darren Randolph will continue in goal for the trip to Blackburn, who could have Shane Duffy and Darragh Lenihan in their ranks.
FA Cup fixtures:
Saturday:
- Arsenal v Hull City 12.45pm
- Reading v West Brom 3pm
- Watford v Leeds United 3pm
- Bournemouth v Everton 5.15pm
Sunday:
- Blackburn v West Ham 2pm
- Tottenham v Crystal Palace 3pm
- Chelsea v Man City 4pm
Monday:
- Shrewsbury v Man United 7.45pm
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