FA Cup 2024/25 Predictions: Third Round

For many, the third round of the FA Cup is the most exciting weekend in the English football calendar.

This is the scene of the oldest football competition in the world in which the first two divisions of the pyramid enter. A breeding ground for disturbances, fans perched in trees overlooking the stadium and a relentless reminder of the FA Cupits magical qualities.

For the first time in the competition’s 153-year history, all 32 matches will be completed on the same day they start after replays were ruled out.

With the unpredictability of penalty kicks added to the mix in a tournament that prides itself on unexpected results, here 90 minutes better guess the results of the third round this year.

championship rivals Sheffield United i City of Cardiff they meet at Bramall Lane just weeks after the Blades won 2-0 in the Welsh capital. Kieffer Moore scored twice in that December triumph that sent Cardiff into the relegation zone. The Bluebirds remain below the points line, 20 places below promotion-chasing Sheffield United, who are home favorites again.

Sean Dyche has a reputation for prioritizing league football over domestic cup duties, but he usually helps his team progress beyond the third round. everton They were certainly eliminated in the fourth round last year, but are expected to make it past the third tier Peterborough United on Thursday night.

Fulham they are the favorites going into their third round tie at home against the second Watfordbut the Cottagers have not beaten their next opponents since they met at this stage of the same competition in 2005. Edwin van der Sar was in goal for the west London club that day.

Wycombe Wanderers“The red-form race may have started to cool off in recent weeks, but the third-tier outfit could get the best of the championship. Portsmouth on Friday night. Pompey may be in a higher division (this season), but they have won just one of their 13 away games in 2024/25.

Aston Villa host West Ham United in a Primera Liga affair, all claret-and-blue. Even after a change of manager for the east London outfit, Villa must be expected to advance.

On Saturday afternoon there are 19 sandwich machines in a six-hour window. While Liverpool i Chelsea he’ll probably make light work of fourth-tier fighters Accrington Stanley i Morecambe respectively, there could be some disorders.

Premier League fighters Wolverhampton Wanderers have a rough ride home from a City of Bristol team unbeaten since Christmas and relegation rivals Leicester City host an in-form game Queens Park Rangers.

City of Salford they will be looking for glory in the highlight match of the day as they travel Manchester City‘s Etihad Stadium at 17:45 GMT. The League Two promotion chasers, co-owned by a group of former Manchester United players, have won their last six games without conceding a goal, a far more impressive record than their hosts.

Pep Guardiola’s side have failed to impress in any of their back-to-back wins and could concede chances in transition on Saturday night. Whether Salford maintains its parsimonious stretch in neighboring Manchester is another matter entirely.

arsenalThe first level rematch with cup holders Manchester United may draw more attention, however Tottenham Hotspurthe trip outside the league Tamworth it has the makings of an FA Cup classic for the ages. Spurs seem to emerge from each game with fewer fit defenders and more pressure on manager Ange Postecoglou.

Success in the cup competitions is imperative for the Australian manager, whose side are naturally favorites against the National League strugglers. However, the intangible glitter of the FA Cup inevitably claims an almighty scalp every year. Could the 4,000-capacity Lamb Ground be the scene of this season’s shock result? Probably not.

Newcastle United they are – apparently – in little danger of falling into this ignominious fate. Eddie Howe’s Royal Shaped Suit hosts the fourth level Bromley fresh from an efficient 2-0 win at Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, their seventh win on the tour.

It’s not just the Gunners who will have to do it tackle the FA Cup ballbut they host a Manchester United team that is no longer paralyzed by fear and anxiety. If United muster the same spirited performance that held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw at Anfield last weekend, Ruben Amorim’s side could be able to avoid a second defeat at the Emirates in the space of a month .

In the event of a draw, 30 minutes of extra time will be played before the last resort of penalties, which may have to be deployed to separate these two Premier League giants.

Mid-table championship suit Millwall concludes the third round hosting the fifth level Dagenham and Redbridge on Monday night. Alex Neil is yet to win a game since taking over at the Lions at the end of 2024, but will have the luxury of a ten-day break to prepare for the visit of a side who also changed their manager during the period holiday

Ben Strevens has been succeeded by his assistant Lewis Young who, at 35 years old, lives up to his name. However, Young will be aware of Millwall’s strong FA Cup record. The London side have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup twice in the 21st century, losing the final to one Cristiano Ronaldo– inspired Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in 2004.

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