FA Cup Fifth Round Draw: Plymouth Faces Man City Test, Manchester Utd Host Fulham

Plymouth Argyle’s reward for beating Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round is a lucrative tie away at Manchester City.

The Championship’s struggling team secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Arne Slot’s Reds at Home Park, thanks to a decisive second-half penalty converted by Ryan Hardie. With this hard-fought win, they will now head to the Etihad Stadium to take on Pep Guardiola’s reigning Premier League champions.

Manchester United have been handed another all-Premier League home tie, with Fulham the visitors to Old Trafford, while Newcastle United will entertain Brighton & Hove Albion in another mouth-watering clash.

In-form Bournemouth welcomes Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Vitality Stadium for an eagerly anticipated clash. Fresh off their impressive victory against Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa aims to maintain momentum as they host Cardiff City.

Meanwhile, Preston North End prepares for a challenging matchup against Burnley. In another exciting encounter, either Doncaster or Crystal Palace will battle against Millwall.

Finally, Exeter or Nottingham Forest will face off against the struggling Premier League team, Ipswich Town, in the final game of the fourth round, set to take place on Tuesday night.

FA Cup 2024/25 fifth round draw in full:

Preston North End vs Burnley

Aston Villa vs Cardiff City

Doncaster Rovers or Crystal Palace vs Millwall

Manchester United vs Fulham

Newcastle United vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Bournemouth vs Wolves

Manchester City vs Plymouth Argyle

Exeter or Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town

When is the FA Cup fifth round?

The eight FA Cup fifth-round matches are scheduled to take place over the weekend starting Saturday, March 1. With replays eliminated, all games will be resolved on the day of play, and if required, matches will proceed to penalties.

The quarter-finals take place at the end of March before the semi-finals take place in late April. The final, staged a week before the end of the Premier League season for the first time, will be contested on May 17.

Will VAR be used in the FA Cup fifth round?

The short answer is yes: VAR will be in operation at all FA Cup fifth-round ties, including those that are not being played at Premier League stadiums.

“Video Assistant Referees (VAR) will only be used in the 2024-25 from the Fifth Round onwards,” an FA statement confirmed earlier in the season.

“It has been agreed that VAR will be utilized for every match in the Fifth Round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium and will not be in operation for the Third and Fourth Rounds.

“VAR has only been used in the Emirates FA Cup previously for matches at Wembley Stadium and Premier League grounds due to the infrastructure, workforce, and costs that are required for its operation.

“This decision ensures that there is a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs taking part in the same stage of the competition.”