The oldest national football competition in the world, the FA Cup, gets underway on Friday night, with Premier League and Championship sides both joining in the third round.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the famous old tournament, and there has been plenty of upsets in its history. The third round is usually the one that creates headlines with the FA boasting a rich history of upsets, from Bob Stokoe and his Sunderland side against Leeds, to Wigan’s stunning run to lift the trophy in 2013.
Here, 101 Great Goals takes a look at potential banana skins facing several Premier League teams in 2022…
Hull City vs Everton
Rafa Benitez’s side have struggled in the Premier League this season (Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Everton head north to the MKM Stadium looking to return to winning ways, following a lacklustre 3-2 defeat at home to Graham Potter’s Brighton.
The Toffees, however, have won just once in their last 12 matches and are not helping themselves as they have conceded the first goal 14 times in 20 matches this season. It will be the first time since 1964 that the Tigers have faced Everton in the prestigious competition.
Under fire boss Rafael Benitez is likely to make several changes to the side that faced the Seagulls last weekend, with new signing Vitaliy Mykolenko, who joined the club from Dynamo Kiev, expected to start at left-back replacing Seamus Coleman.
Championship strugglers Hull City are looking to impose an upset, despite having not won in their last four matches. Liverpool-born manager Grant McCann will be aiming to pour more misery on the Blues when the sides lock horns on Saturday. He will be hoping top scorer, 20-year-old forward Keane Lewis-Potter can add to his tally of six goals in all competitions so far this campaign, in front of a packed stadium and the television cameras.
A defeat in Yorkshire could spell the end for Benitez following what has been a hugely unpopular second spell on Merseyside, and bet365 have Hull 3/1 to compound the misery.
Newcastle United vs Cambridge United
Eddie Howe is looking to kick-start Newcastle’s season in January (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
It will be Newcastle United’s 400th FA Cup tie – but their first ever against Cambridge.
The Magpies are enduring their worst ever Premier League season thus far, and after 19 games, have picked up a lowly 11 points, with their only victory coming on December 4 in a 1-0 win against fellow strugglers and Eddie Howe’s former club Burnley.
Added to their one victory, are eight draws and 10 defeats, so the squad’s confidence is at an all-time low. Howe is unlikely to field a full strength line-up as he aims to prioritise staying in the English top flight.
Cambridge secure their place in the draw after wins over Northampton Town and Exeter City. The U’s were tested to the limit in their League One home encounter with Portsmouth previously, when they were forced to battle with 10 men after a red card for Sam Smith. Mark Bonner’s men held on for a point, and travel to Tyneside in good spirits.
They have nothing to lose, and if they show the same resilience and determination as they showed last time out in the league, they stand a good chance of creating a memorable upset against a no doubt weakened Magpies.
Minnows Cambridge United are 12/1 to progress to the fourth round with bet365.
West Bromwich Albion vs Brighton
Just 14 places split West Brom and Brighton between two divisions (Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
Brighton travel to the Midlands not expecting to win the FA Cup, but could go far in the competition should they field a strong line-up.
The Seagulls go into the match on the back of an impressive 3-2 win away to Everton in the Premier League, and will look to continue their fine run of form. Graham Potter will hoping to count on in-form striker Neal Maupay, who has netted seven goals in 18 appearances so far this season.
West Brom, however, are fourth in the Championship, and have lost just two of their last 15 games against the Seagulls, picking up a 1-0 win at the Hawthorns when these two sides last met back in February.
The Baggies have only lost one of their last six matches and have proven very hard to beat this season, but are winless in their last three games, having scored just a single goal. But could Valerian Ismael’s side pull off a shock this Saturday given they have home advantage, and no doubt a raucous crowd to support them?
West Brom are 6/5 to progress to the fourth round with bet365.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
Nottingham Forest have picked up three wins in five under Steve Cooper (Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
High-flying Arsenal, who have secured 14 triumphs in the FA Cup, more than any other team, and head to the City Ground in fourth place in the Premier League.
It is likely that manager Mikel Arteta will field several youngsters so as to not risk his star men, as he will want to consolidate the fourth place as they are only one point and two points ahead of their London rivals, West Ham and Tottenham, respectively.
The Gunners also have a two-leg Carabao Cup semi-final to consider against Liverpool in the next two weeks. Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is expected to make way for Bernd Leno, and Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli and Charlie Patino are likely to be given starting births.
Forest go into the clash ninth in the Championship, six points off the play-offs and have secured three victories from their last five matches. Forward Lewis Grabban has netted 10 goals and contributed four assists in 24 games in all competitions so far this season, and will be looking to continue his fine goal-scoring form.
Steve Cooper will likely hand a debut to the experienced ex-Bournemouth captain Steve Cook, who recently joined the club, with former Arsenal player Carl Jenkinson also looking to get one over his former employers.
The last time the two sides battled it out was in the FA Cup in January 2018 in the same round, when Forest secured a 4-2 victory over Arsene Wenger’s men. Can history repeat itself?
Arsenal are 12/1 to win this years FA Cup with bet365.
Charlton vs Norwich City
Jonathan Leko will be hoping to lead Charlton to glory against struggling Norwich (Photo by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
Norwich head to the Valley bottom of the Premier League, having picked up just 10 points including two victories so far. Dean Smith’s side fell at the first hurdle in January 2019, suffering a 1-0 defeat at home to League One side Portsmouth.
The Canaries will be put under considerable pressure by the hosts, who are likely to push bodies forward at every opportunity, in a bid to capitalise on what has proven a seriously leaky Norwich defence, having conceded a staggering 42 goals so far this season.
Smith’s side have suffered 13 defeats to date in the league, with their last victory way back in November last year, came in a 2-1 win over Southampton, suggesting confidence is at an all time low in the Canaries camp.
Sunday’s third-round tie brings a Premier League team to the Valley in the FA Cup for the first time since Charlton were relegated from the top flight in 2007. Johnnie Jackson’s side recently progressed to the EFL Trophy quarter-finals, which proves the Addicks are up for cup upsets.
The home side are 7/4 to progress to the fourth round with bet365.
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