It’s the new year, which can mean only one thing: the 3rd round of the FA Cup is once again upon us. More than 700 clubs typically enter the competition each season, and it is in the 3rd round – in which the top 2 tiers of the English football pyramid, the Premier League and the Championship, join in – that we begin to reach the business end. With a mix of Premier League teams all the way down to non-league outfits still in the draw, the potential for giant-killings and dramatic upsets that make up the quintessential magic of cup football are rife.
The draw, which was made in December, has thrown up some truly mouth-watering fixtures for football fans to sink their teeth into, with the games played from 4-8 January. The draw is as follows:
- Luton Town vs Bolton Wanderers
- Shrewsbury Town vs Wrexham
- Arsenal vs Liverpool
- Stoke City vs Brighton & Hove Albion
- Norwich City vs Bristol Rovers
- West Ham United vs Bristol City
- Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley
- Fulham vs Rotherham United
- West Bromwich Albion vs Aldershot Town
- Southampton vs Walsall
- AFC Wimbledon vs Ipswich Town
- Peterborough United vs Leeds United
- Millwall vs Leicester City
- Watford vs Chesterfield
- Sunderland vs Newcastle United
- Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City
- Crystal Palace vs Everton
- Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa
- Nottingham Forest vs Blackpool or Forest Green Rovers
- Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United
- Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town
- Blackburn Rovers vs Cambridge United
- Gillingham vs Sheffield United
- Swansea City vs Morecambe
- Chelsea vs Preston North End
- Queens Park Rangers vs Bournemouth
- Coventry City vs Oxford United
- Brentford vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Plymouth Argyle vs Sutton United
- Maidstone United vs Stevenage or Port Vale
- Newport County vs Eastleigh
- Hull City vs Birmingham City
Among the standout ties are Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool, and Sunderland’s Wear-Tyne derby against bitter rivals Newcastle United.
The Gunners and the Reds are among the frontrunners for the Premier League title this season. They met just before Christmas, playing out a tense 1-1 draw at Anfield. The pair have a penchant for producing thrilling encounters and they’ve played out some high-scoring contests in recent memory, including a remarkable 5-5 draw in the League Cup back in 2019.
Meanwhile, Sunderland’s meeting with Newcastle is the first match between the north east rivals since 2016, with the pair separated by the divisions in recent years. The Black Cats, who are gunning for promotion in the Championship this season, have had the better of their most recent head-to-heads with 6 wins and 3 draws from their last 9 encounters, so Newcastle are aiming for their first win against their biggest rivals since 2011.
To find out more information about all the FA Cup 3rd round fixtures, including ticket and schedule information, click here.