Forest & Man United hope to bounce back from disappointing defeats
Two teams seeking to bounce back from disappointing defeats in the Premier League last weekend will lock horns in an FA Cup fifth-round tie on Wednesday night, as Nottingham Forest play host to Manchester United at the City Ground.
The Red Devils, losing finalists in last season’s FA Cup, will be seeking revenge against the Tricky Trees after they were beaten 2-1 by Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side in the top flight at the end of December.
Nuno’s men remain in the relegation picture as they hover just four points above the drop zone, and without even kicking a ball they have slipped to 17th in the Premier League table this week after Everton’s 10-point deduction for financial breaches was reduced to six following an appeal.
Although Forest enter Wednesday’s clash as underdogs, the Tricky Trees have advanced from four of their previous five FA Cup ties with Man United, while their aforementioned 2-1 home win over the Red Devils in the Premier League almost two months ago should provide Nuno’s camp with a boost.
Although Premier League survival remains the priority for Nottingham Forest, success on Wednesday against a Man United outfit, whom they have already beaten this season, could act as a springboard for a much-needed positive run of form in the coming weeks.
A closely-fought contest may be on the cards at the City Ground, one that could even go beyond the 90 minutes now that replays have been scrapped from this stage onwards, but if the Red Devils can rediscover their spark in attack, they may just do enough to secure their spot in the quarter-finals.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Chelsea seek redemption as they host Leeds United
Reeling from their gut-wrenching EFL Cup final failure, a disconsolate Chelsea seek redemption in the FA Cup, as Leeds United head to Stamford Bridge for Wednesday’s fifth-round showdown.
While the Blues were bested 1-0 by Liverpool in front of the Wembley crowds on Sunday, Daniel Farke‘s troops rejoiced in a 3-1 beating of Championship leaders Leicester City on Friday night.
Still building up a head of steam in their quest for an immediate return to the big time, Leeds’ second-tier record in 2024 remains unblemished – nine wins from nine games have arrived since the turn of the year – and the only contest that the Whites have not won since January 1 was their initial FA Cup fourth-round showdown with Plymouth Argyle.
However, Farke’s men rectified their Elland Road errors with a 4-1 extra-time crushing in torrid conditions at Home Park, thus reaching the fifth round for the second year running, but they have failed to progress further since reaching the quarter-finals of the 2002-03 edition.
As well as finding the back of the net for fun, Leeds have also prided themselves on a rigid defensive structure in 2024; Faes’s opener for Leicester on Friday was just the fourth goal that they have conceded in their 12-game unbeaten run.
A jelly-legged and confidence-depleted Chelsea may have their work cut out for them as a result, but Pochettino is blessed with a few options for change up front, and we still expect the Blues to restore a small sense of pride with a slender win to reach the quarter-finals.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Liverpool welcome Southampton to Anfield
With the quadruple progress bar 25% complete, EFL Cup winners Liverpool switch focus back to the FA Cup on Wednesday night, when Southampton arrive at Anfield for a fifth-round showdown.The Reds return to their Merseyside base on the back of an enthralling 1-0 extra-time success over Chelsea in the EFL Cup final, while the Saints were beaten 2-1 by Millwall in Saturday’s Championship affair.
Seven pieces of silverware had already been carefully placed into the Liverpool cabinet since Jurgen Klopp inked his first Reds contract, including a sixth Champions League crown and inaugural Premier League title, but the departing German hailed Sunday’s EFL Cup beating of a timid Chelsea the most “special” honour he has won in his managerial career so far.
Arsenal and Norwich City have already succumbed to Liverpool’s FA Cup excellence this year, and the beating of Chelsea also represented a fourth win on the bounce across all tournaments for the Premier League leaders.
The handful of Under-21s players who ended the EFL Cup final will likely be called upon to start Wednesday’s game for Liverpool, who will be far from their scintillating best owing to injuries and fatigue, which the Saints would do well to capitalise on.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Wolves, Brighton inall-Premier League FA Cup tie
Molineux is the venue for an all-Premier League FA Cup fifth-round tie on Wednesday evening, as Wolverhampton Wanderers welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to their West Midlands base.
Gary O’Neil‘s men enter the midweek battle on the back of a 1-0 success over Sheffield United in the top flight, while the Seagulls left it late to snatch a point off of Everton in a 1-1 draw.
Now on the brink of breaking into the European places – occupying eighth spot in the table with just a single point separating them from Wednesday’s opponents – Wolves also have the opportunity to return to the continent via the FA Cup, in which they have already sent Brentford and West Bromwich Albion packing in 2024.
Three of the last six editions of the FA Cup have seen Brighton advance beyond round five – including their run to the semi-finals in the 2022-23 campaign – and if their unorthodox goalscoring pattern is to be followed, De Zerbi’s men will rack up multiple goals at Wolves’ Molineux base.
No fifth-round replays means that the tie must be settled via extra time and penalties if required, and with Brighton now well-versed in handling the additional pressure of Europa League football, we give De Zerbi’s men the edge from 12 yards.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
