The 2016-17 FA Cup season continues with the third round this weekend. We’ll be taking part with the aim of continuing our progress in this world famous competition.
But what will happen in this one though – cast your vote so we know if you think it’ll be all smiles or disappointment come the full time whistle!
Fixtures
Friday 6th January 2017 – FA CUP – THIRD ROUND
West Ham United v Manchester City 19:55
Saturday 7th January 2017 – FA CUP – THIRD ROUND
Manchester United v Reading 12:30
Accrington Stanley v Luton Town 15:00
Barrow v Rochdale 15:00
Birmingham City v Newcastle United 15:00
Blackpool v Barnsley 15:00
Bolton Wanderers v Crystal Palace 15:00
Brentford v Eastleigh 15:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v Milton Keynes Dons 15:00
Bristol City v Fleetwood Town 15:00
Everton v Leicester City 15:00
Huddersfield Town v Port Vale 15:00
Hull City v Swansea City 15:00
Ipswich Town v Lincoln City 15:00
Millwall v Bournemouth 15:00
Norwich City v Southampton 15:00
Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers 15:00
Rotherham United v Oxford United 15:00
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 15:00
Sunderland v Burnley 15:00
Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon 15:00
Watford v Burton Albion 15:00
West Bromwich Albion v Derby County 15:00
Wigan Athletic v Nottingham Forest 15:00
Wycombe Wanderers v Stourbridge 15:00
Preston North End v Arsenal 17:30
Sunday 8th January 2017 – FA CUP – THIRD ROUND
Cardiff City v Fulham 11:30
Liverpool v Plymouth Argyle 13:30
Chelsea v Peterborough United 15:00
Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa 16:00
Monday 9th January 2017 – FA CUP – THIRD ROUND
Cambridge United v Leeds United 19:45
It all gets underway on Friday night with an all-Premier League meeting between West Ham and Manchester City – this is a competition both will want to win but will also have one eye on the league so might not be at complete full strength.
Saturday’s plentiful schedule will get underway with Jaap Stam returning to Old Trafford with Reading hoping his Championship promotion chasing Royals can cause an upset against in-form Manchester United in the lunchtime kick off.
The only all-League 2 meeting will mean a club from the bottom tier of the Football League will be assured of a place in round four. Accrington having home advance Stanley will hope it is they and not promotion chasing Luton that advance to a potential money-spinner.
We see a few non-league sides left in the competition and they’ll all be looking for upsets – some would be bigger than others!
Barrow host League 1 promotion chasing Rochdale – who saw boss Keith Hill named as Manager of the Month on Friday. Struggling Championship side Ipswich will look to avoid an upset at Portman Road against Lincoln. It wasn’t too long ago that Wimbledon were in non-league but now they’re comfortably midtable in League 1 when they head to Sutton United. Wycombe take a break from their League 2 promotion push when they welcome Stourbridge to Adams Park.
However, arguably the upset of the round would come at Griffin Park if Championship side Blackburn were beating by Eastleigh – under the guidance of former Bees boss Martin Allen.
Aside from the game on Friday to kick things off we’ll see another three all-Premier League ties on Saturday with Everton hosting champions Leicester and relegation strugglers Hull and Swansea battle at the KCOM Stadium – a game that will see both clubs under a new boss for the first time. Sunderland will welcome Burnley to the Stadium of Light.
The all-Championship meetings will see Gianfranco Zola – an FA Cup winner with Chelsea – look for a first win with Birmingham when Newcastle go to St Andrew’s. QPR have won successive league games and they’ll look for another win against Blackburn – who beat Newcastle in the league recently. Wigan are in the bottom three at the moment with Nottingham Forest not much better off – both can put those worries aside for the afternoon at the DW Stadium.
A number of Premier League sides will also look to avoid upset defeats – once again some will be bigger giantkillers than others – when they face various Championship and League 1 sides.
Bolton against Crystal Palace has often been a Premier League – at least Championship – meeting in recent years but the Trotters are in League 1 now with Sam Allardyce seeking a first Palace win against a former club. Millwall look to upset AFC Bournemouth at the Den with Norwich’s bid to get back into promotion contention seeing them hosts out of sorts Southampton.
A winless run came to an end in the league for Stoke – under multi-time cup winner Mark Hughes – in their last game with them welcoming Wolves to the Bet365 Stadium. The Potters had beaten Watford in the last Premier League game with the Hornets hosting struggling Championship side Burton. West Brom face a tough challenge from Steve McClaren’s Derby at the Hawthorns with the late kick off on Saturday seeing Preston hosting Arsenal – the Gunners will look to regain the cup they’ve won twice in the past three seasons.
Championship sides looking to avoid defeats at League 1 and 2 clubs are Barnsley when they head to Blackpool and league leaders Brighton – fresh from Chris Hughton’s Manager of the Month win – welcoming MK Dons to the Amex Stadium.
Bristol City and Rotherham – more so the Millers – are struggling at the moment so will hope for a change of fortunes. They are hosting League 1 Fleetwood and League 2 Oxford, respectively. The main aim for Huddersfield will be promotion but a game at the John Smith’s Stadium against Port Vale represents a chance to advance for Town.
Sunday’s games will kick off with the early all-Championship meeting between Cardiff and Fulham at the Cardiff City Stadium. Following this will be the lunchtime meeting between Premier League title chasing Liverpool and Plymouth – pushing for the title in League 2 – at Anfield.
It would be a major upset if Premier League leaders Chelsea lost at Stamford Bridge but you never know with the FA Cup with promotion chasing League 1 side Peterborough the visitors. Another topflight club seeking to avoid an upset – albeit not a major one – are Middlesbrough when they host Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
The action on Sunday will be concluded by a game that was a permanent fixture in the Premier League until the relegation of Aston Villa last season. Tottenham will welcome Steve Bruce’s side to White Hart Lane as Spurs look to continue their winning momentum – having beaten Chelsea in the league last time out.
No doubt we’ll require several replies to determine the sides in round four but the original ties in this one are ended when Cambridge – in great form in League 2 and pushing for promotion – welcome Championship promotion chasing Leeds to the Abbey Stadium for the Monday night game.
It goes without saying the expectation; most definitely the hope at least, will be for a positive result. But will this happen? We’ll find out soon enough.
Ahead of the game we’re looking for your views on what way you think it will go, which requires you to vote in the latest poll in one of the options you have been given.
However don’t just look also have a say. We don’t just want your vote, which you can do to the right, we also want some thoughts and views ahead of the game as well so share these below.
