[ad_1]
| Dates: 7-10 January Coverage: Hull City v Everton (17:30 GMT) live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app on Saturday, 8 January, and Manchester United v Aston Villa (19:55) live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app on Monday, 10 January. |
The FA Cup third round, one of the most eagerly awaited weekends of the football calendar, got under way on Friday when six-time winners Manchester City beat League Two Swindon Town.
There are 32 ties over the course of four days including non-league Kidderminster Harriers, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, at home to Championship Reading, while holders Leicester City start their defence by hosting Watford in one of three all-Premier League ties.
Non-league Chesterfield are at European champions Chelsea – which is live on the BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, app and the Red Button – and record 14-time winners Arsenal are at Championship club Nottingham Forest.
The BBC is showing five live games across its platforms, including 12-time winners Manchester United against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday (19:55 GMT) on BBC One.
As the world’s longest-running knockout football competition, the FA Cup is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
Here, BBC Sport explains what is different about this season’s third round, which is taking place against the backdrop of Covid-19 once again, and what to look out for.
No replays, behind closed doors in Wales, five subs
This time last year no supporters were present at any of the third-round ties because of a ‘stay at home’ order for millions in the UK.
While fans will be allowed to attend ties in England, sport in Wales is currently limited to 50 spectators as the Welsh government continues its fight against Covid-19’s Omicron variant.
Saturday’s tie between Swansea City and Southampton (17:30) is being shown live on BBC One Wales and Sunday’s match between Cardiff City and Preston North End (14:00) is live on S4C.
Third- and fourth-round replays have been scrapped this season to help with the fixture backlog caused by Covid postponements.
Ties will be played to a finish on the day, with 30 minutes of extra time and penalties to decide the winners if required.
Clubs can name nine substitutes and use five.
If a club has a Covid outbreak and concerns over a sufficient numbers of players then they are expected to inform the FA as soon as possible.
The case would be referred to the Professional Game Board for consideration but the FA, unlike the Premier League and EFL, does not insist on selecting players from a set registered list.
Instead, the criterion is 14 available players and they can effectively be anyone from the club who is listed as a player, whether that be from the under-23s or under-19s.
The FA expects all clubs to field their strongest possible side.
As for testing, it will be lateral flow tests and they must be taken within 24 hours of the match and no later than five hours before kick-off.
Who are the non-league clubs left?
This season’s FA Cup started on 6 August 2021 with the extra preliminary round.
Four non-league teams have made it through to the third round – when clubs from the Premier League and Championship enter the competition.
On Saturday, Chesterfield, top of the National League, will be taking 5,800 fans to eight-time winners Chelsea, who were crowned Champions League winners eight months ago.
Kidderminster, who play in the sixth tier of English football, entered the competition at the second qualifying round stage on 18 September.
The National League North club have won five matches to get to this stage and host a Reading side on Saturday (15:00) who sit 21st in the Championship and were semi-finalists in 2015.
Chesterfield’s National League rivals Boreham Wood and Yeovil Town have home ties.
Yeovil host Championship leaders Bournemouth, who reached the quarter-finals last season, on Saturday (17:45).
On the same day, Boreham Wood, fourth in the fifth tier of English football, host AFC Wimbledon – 19th in League One – at 15:00. Boreham Wood are looking to reach the fourth round for the first time in their history.
Where could the shocks be?
Third-round weekend always throws up a surprise or two.
Last season non-league Chorley overcame Derby County, League Two Crawley Town beat Leeds United and League One Blackpool knocked out Premier League West Brom.
There are several League Two clubs hosting Premier League and Championship sides this weekend.
Port Vale, sixth in the fourth tier of English football, host Brentford on Saturday (15:00), while Mansfield Town entertain Championship side Middlesbrough on the same day (12:15).
Also on Saturday, Blackpool – 12th in the Championship – travel to Hartlepool United, 15th in League Two (12:30).
League Two Barrow, Bristol Rovers, Harrogate Town and Leyton Orient are at Championship clubs Barnsley, Peterborough United, Luton Town and Stoke City respectively.
Charlton Athletic, 13th in League One, host the Premier League’s bottom side Norwich City on Sunday (14:00) and Cambridge United, 16th in League One, are at top-flight strugglers Newcastle United on Saturday (15:00).
Fans of League One clubs Morecambe and Shrewsbury Town will be hoping their teams can cause major upsets against Premier League teams on Sunday.
Shrewsbury are at Liverpool, who have won the cup seven times, and Morecambe are at eight-time winners Tottenham – both ties kick off at 14:00.
BBC One to show five live games
Fans will be able to watch five of the 32 ties lives across the BBC’s platforms.
On Saturday, BBC One is showing the tie between Championship club Hull City and Premier League Everton (17:30) as well as Manchester United against Aston Villa on Monday.
Non-League Chesterfield’s first game with Chelsea since 1950 is on Saturday at 17:30 on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website, app and Red Button.
Yeovil’s tie with Bournemouth on Saturday (17:45) is on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app.
BBC One Wales is showing Swansea’s match with Southampton on Saturday (17:30). That tie can also be watched on the BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app.
Football Focus on BBC One at 12:00 on Saturday looks ahead to the third round and, later that day, there is an FA Cup Final Score on BBC One at 16:00.
There is an FA Cup third-round highlights show on BBC One at 22:30 on Saturday and the same time on Sunday.
BBC Radio 5 Live has three live commentaries on Saturday – Millwall-Crystal Palace (12:45), Newcastle v Cambridge (15:00) and Hull v Everton (17:30).
On Sunday, 5 Live will have commentary of Tottenham-Morecambe (14:00) and Nottingham Forest-Arsenal (17:10).
BBC 5 Live Sports Extra will have commentary of Liverpool’s home tie with Shrewsbury Town on Sunday (14:00).
When is the FA Cup fourth-round draw?
The draw will take place on Sunday following ITV’s coverage of West Ham v Leeds, which kicks off at 14:00.
It will be conducted by David James, who won the trophy with Portsmouth in 2008, and Leah Williamson, a two-time Women’s FA Cup winner with Arsenal, at Wembley Stadium.
FA Cup third-round televised games
Saturday, 8 January
Millwall v Crystal Palace, 12:45 – live on ITV1
Hull City v Everton, 17:30 – live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
Chelsea v Chesterfield, 17:30 – live on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
Swansea v Southampton, 17:30 – live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
Yeovil Town v Bournemouth, 17:30 – live on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
Sunday, 9 January
Cardiff City v Preston North End, 14:00 – live on S4C
West Ham United v Leeds United, 14:15 – live on ITV1
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal, 17:10 – live on ITV1
Monday, 10 January
Manchester United v Aston Villa, 19:55 – live on BBC One , BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website
[ad_2]
Source link
