Friday 07 / February / 2025
LONDON: The majority of the matches from the third round of the FA Cup will be played over the weekend with one standout tie between Arsenal and Liverpool.
Arsenal vs Liverpool is the biggest game of the round, as the Premier League leader travels to play the team they recently knocked off top-spot.
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah, who is with Egypt in the African Cup of Nations, and Wataru Endo, who is jetting off to the Asian Cup, while Arsenal has lost Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny to the two international tournaments.
The two sides drew in the Premier League at Anfield earlier this season, and Arsenal will see this game as a great chance to bounce back after recent setbacks.
Traditionalists will also be anticipating the Tyne-Wear derby as Sunderland entertains local rival Newcastle United in a return of one of the bitterest rivalries in the game after several years.
Sunderland is currently sixth in the Championship while Newcastle's efforts in three competitions before Christmas have left them looking tired and perhaps vulnerable in what will be a packed Stadium of Light.
Brighton has impressed this season, but will have a physical battle in their visit to play Championship side Stoke City, while second-tier Queens Park Rangers entertains Premier League's in-form Bournemouth at Loftus Road.
Aston Villa also has a potential banana skin away to Championship opposition as they travel to the northeast to play Middlesbrough, who is coached by former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola will probably make several changes to his starting 11 as the Cup holder starts the defense of its title with a home game against Huddersfield Town, who stands fourth from bottom of the Championship.
Erling Haaland is likely to miss out again for City, but winger Jeremy Doku could return after his muscle problems.
West Ham will be optimistic of an easier afternoon at home to Bristol City, while Nottingham Forest is clear favorites to progress at home to League One (third division) Blackpool.
Luton Town also entertains League One rivals, but could have a tougher afternoon against Bolton Wanderers, who is eyeing promotion back to the Championship.
Manchester United will have a short away visit on Monday to play Wigan Athletic, and anything other than an easy win against their third-tier rivals who nevertheless won the FA Cup in 2013, would be a catastrophe.
There might be attention on the game between Maidstone United from the sixth-tier National League South and Stevenage from League One, while Eastleigh (also National League South) visits Newport County from League Two.
