Arsenal beneath stress, Man Utd thrive as underdogs, ‘cup hell’ for Spurs -round speaking factors

• Arsenal face Man Utd in FA Cup third spherical as Tamworth host Tottenham
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Slot has luxurious of injury-free squad – ought to Liverpool rotate?

Liverpool vs Accrington, Saturday, 12.15pm

Saturday marks the primary assembly between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley (of their present guise) in any competitors. Accrington journey to Anfield nineteenth in League Two – with a whopping 86 locations between them and the Premier League leaders within the soccer pyramid.

That ought to matter to not the fourth-tier crew, as a result of it is a uncommon free hit. Arne Slot has proven in current days how reluctant he’s to utterly rotate his crew choice – many of the ordinary suspects lined as much as face Tottenham within the Carabao Cup in midweek – and so Accrington ought to relish the chance to play a powerful Liverpool XI with zero stress.

Slot has spoken many instances about favouring consistency to keep up momentum.

A very busy January would possibly necessitate a number of extra modifications than have been seen on Wednesday, although, and the expectation is for Harvey Elliott (the topic of switch debate), Darwin Nunez and perhaps even Federico Chiesa to get a full run out. Diogo Jota was quiet towards Spurs and should effectively get one other likelihood to construct up his match sharpness. Mohamed Salah was barely muted too.

Slot is blessed with a full complement of gamers at this significant stage of the season – one thing he calls “fairly particular” – and conserving all in peak situation might be of elementary significance if Liverpool are going to proceed to combat successfully on all fronts.
Laura Hunter

Are Chelsea’s children up for the cup?

Chelsea vs Morecambe, Saturday, 3pm

If there may be one factor Chelsea aren’t wanting, it’s a soccer participant. With a squad of 33 first-team gamers to selected from, Enzo Maresca is probably going to make use of this huge expanse to face Morecambe.

He’s prone to observe the identical sample as Chelsea’s Convention League marketing campaign, however that doesn’t imply there won’t be objectives and leisure – fairly the alternative.

Thrilling teenager Marc Guiu scored six objectives in six league-phase video games in Europe, topping the goalscoring charts for the competitors.

Academy product Josh Acheampong has additionally been attracting consideration just lately. Towards Crystal Palace, Maresca known as him Chelsea’s ‘greatest participant’ – well timed given the damage points affecting the Blues’ defence.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor – a switch goal for West Ham – may get some much-needed minutes. He has performed simply over an hour’s value of Premier League soccer to date this season, although he has made eight appearances within the Convention League, together with qualifiers.

Given Chelsea’s dip in type just lately, some could even do sufficient to earn themselves a beginning place within the Premier League. However beating Morecambe and making it to the fourth spherical would be the place to begin.
Charlotte Marsh

Class of ’92 return to hang-out rivals

Manchester Metropolis vs Salford Metropolis, Saturday, 5.45pm

When the Class of ’92 took over Salford Metropolis in March 2014, they most likely didn’t count on to be enjoying their rivals and champions of England little greater than 10 years later.

4 promotions in 5 seasons powered them into League Two in 2019 however their progress has stalled.

Manchester United legends and Salford co-owners Gary Neville, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes have sacked 4 managers within the 5 seasons since.

However their newest appointment, scouser Karl Robinson, has reignited their promotion hopes. The 44-year-old, former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford supervisor, has Salford sat inside the automated promotion locations with seven wins of their final eight.

Manchester Metropolis haven’t been eradicated at this stage of the competitors since 2012, after they misplaced 3-2 at house to Manchester United, who began Giggs and named Scholes on the bench after he got here out of retirement. Their outdated foes are again once more.
David Richardson

Can Harrogate take their likelihood at Leeds?

Leeds vs Harrogate, Saturday, 5.45pm

Harrogate really prepare in Leeds, utilizing the services of Rothwell Juniors within the south east of the town. With Leeds United’s coaching floor at Thorp Arch in Wetherby, it signifies that Elland Street is definitely nearer to Harrogate’s coaching base than the house membership.

Leeds United versus Harrogate City doesn’t have a storied historical past. The golf equipment have by no means met earlier than previous to this FA Cup third-round tie however it’s definitely a derby of kinds, as proven by the response of Simon Weaver and his crew when the draw was made.

Any likelihood of an upset? Properly, Daniel Farke is about to relaxation lots of his gamers following a busy festive interval, with Leeds’ precedence very clearly successful promotion again to the Premier League. It presents a slither of a possibility however can Harrogate take it?

The shape has not been good, a run of 5 defeats in December even placing Weaver, who has been in cost for over 15 years, beneath some stress from supporters. However they did beat Barrow on the weekend. A win over Leeds can be one other matter totally.
Adam Bate

FA Cup hell awaits Spurs at Tamworth

Tamworth vs Tottenham, Sunday, 12.30pm

Overlook Galatasaray away, Tottenham will enter FA Cup hell after they go to Nationwide League aspect Tamworth.

A Portakabin dressing room, a synthetic pitch, Tom Tonks’ lengthy throw and an unbreakable successful spirit await Ange Postecoglou’s injury-hit squad.

Andy Peaks, the Tamworth boss since February 2022 who has led the membership to back-to-back promotions, guarantees his aspect will even be “horrible and nasty and of their faces”.

Tamworth have already dumped out League One’s Huddersfield and Burton Albion with goalkeeper Jas Singh persevering with his impressed type, that noticed him concede simply 27 objectives in 44 video games final season, by saving two penalties in a second-round shoot-out.

Singh stated he had 65 ticket requests inside 48 hours of the draw being made and a spot contained in the 4,963-capacity Lamb Floor has since turn into a controversial matter.

Tamworth got here beneath fireplace for his or her ticket costs with a seated grownup ticket costing £42, twice the standard matchday price, because the membership look to money in on the largest sport of their 92-year historical past and with out the prospect of a replay.
David Richardson

Arsenal’s Carabao Cup loss provides FA Cup stress

Arsenal vs Man Utd, Sunday, 3pm

The Carabao Cup regarded like Arsenal’s probably path to silverware this season. That’s till the semi-final first-leg defeat to Newcastle on the Emirates Stadium. The 2-goal deficit for subsequent month’s second leg at St James’ Park places them up towards it to make the ultimate.

Mikel Arteta accepts his Arsenal mission has reached some extent the place trophies are mandatory. Six factors behind Liverpool within the Premier League and with the Champions League knockouts nonetheless to navigate, the FA Cup has now taken on added significance.

Arteta pressured after Tuesday’s sport that he has not given up on the Carabao Cup. “I’ve full perception,” he stated of the second leg. However he is aware of the dimensions of the duty they face at St James’ Park. An early FA Cup exit to Manchester United would take one other trophy off the desk.

Such an final result would check the endurance of Arsenal supporters too.

Their dissatisfaction was clear on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night time, the place many may very well be seen heading for the exits lengthy earlier than the ultimate whistle sounded. Victory is required on Sunday to revitalise their hunt for trophies. It’s also wanted to stave off apathy and angst.
Nick Wright

Underdog tag permits Man Utd to thrive

If the Liverpool sport taught us something, it’s that this Manchester United aspect can compete. A visit to the Emirates is among the hardest away days any aspect can have this season however so was Anfield and United rose to the event with a convincing show in a 2-2 draw that left many feeling Ruben Amorim’s aspect merited extra.

Amorim was disenchanted after the sport, left befuddled by what he had witnessed throughout 90 minutes contemplating the dismal shows he had seen prior.

Whether or not it was a quickness throughout the bottom, composure within the last third or defensive organisation, United proved Amorim’s teachings come to the fray when there may be nothing to lose. As soon as once more, United will journey to the Emirates because the underdogs and it’s a function the United gamers appear to thrive in.

Whether or not they can rise to the duty towards among the so-called minnows stays the query however, fortunately for the enjoying squad, it’s one other ‘mismatch’ within the offing for United.
William Bitibiri

Newcastle’s squad depth examined towards Bromley

Newcastle vs Bromley, Sunday, 3pm

Newcastle ought to be assured heading into Sunday’s sport. Not solely as a result of they face League Two aspect Bromley and might be favourites, however the Magpies have additionally gained their final seven video games.

That features a 2-0 win towards Arsenal in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with a crew that has discovered its ft having at instances been criticised for underperforming.

You’ll count on Eddie Howe to closely rotate for the go to of the Ravens, who themselves have been unbeaten in 10 video games earlier than a 4-1 defeat to Crawley final weekend. The check for Newcastle might be to keep up their efficiency ranges whereas utilising their squad and safely seeing themselves into the fourth spherical.

It’ll give us a sign on Newcastle’s squad depth heading into the second half of the season, and whether or not they have what it takes to lastly win the home cup silverware that has eluded them since 1955.

It’ll even be a really private journey for Bromley supervisor Andy Woodman.

Even earlier than the draw, he was eager on a return to St James’ Park, the place he was goalkeeping coach beneath Alan Pardew. His son, Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, additionally got here by the membership’s academy and made 4 first-team appearances.

As destiny would have it, the draw dropped kindly for Woodman and his crew, giving them the prospect to knock out one of many Premier League huge boys. Not an unimaginable job within the FA Cup.
Charlotte Marsh