FA Cup Fourth Round Preview: Giants, Underdogs And High-Stakes Clashes

‎The magic of the FA Cup rolls into another dramatic weekend as Premier League heavyweights, struggling giants, historic cup specialists, and hopeful underdogs all step into the spotlight. The fourth round presents a remarkably diverse set of storylines, from Arsenal’s push to rediscover domestic cup identity to Salford City’s dream trip to the Etihad. Here is a detailed look at four of the most compelling ties.

‎Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic

‎The Emirates Stadium hosts a nostalgic FA Cup rematch as Arsenal welcome Wigan Athletic, rekindling memories of their 2013–14 semi-final thriller where Arsenal required Lukasz Fabianski’s penalty heroics to reach the final.

‎Arsenal Seeking to Rewrite Recent FA Cup History

‎Despite being the competition’s most successful team with fourteen titles, Arsenal have not passed the fourth round since winning the trophy in 2020.

‎Mikel Arteta’s men began this year’s campaign convincingly with a 4–1 win over Portsmouth, powered by a Gabriel Martinelli hat-trick and a series of expertly executed set-piece goals.

‎However, the Gunners enter the weekend with unresolved frustration after being held to a 1–1 Premier League draw with Brentford. Their form at the Emirates remains strong, with three straight home wins following their earlier shock defeat to Manchester United.

‎Arteta is likely to rotate heavily, granting starts to Martinelli, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Christian Norgaard. Injuries to Max Dowman, Kai Havertz, and Mikel Merino, combined with caution surrounding William Saliba and Martin Ødegaard, will force deeper squad involvement.

‎Wigan’s Rollercoaster Cup Season

‎Wigan arrive in North London with a cup story marked by unpredictability. After needing penalties to beat Barrow and Hemel Hempstead earlier in the competition, they pulled off a superb 1–0 win away at Preston North End behind a Harrison Bettoni strike.

‎Yet their league form has collapsed, leading to Ryan Lowe’s dismissal and the appointment of Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow as interim bosses.

‎The Latics remain in the League One relegation zone and enter this tie without several players including Luke Robinson and Baba Adeeko.

‎Jason Kerr, now fit again, is expected to captain the side while Sam Tickle, once monitored by Arsenal, starts in goal.

‎This match marks the clubs’ first meeting since their famous 2013–14 showdown, adding an emotional layer to a matchup that already pits desperation against ambition.

‎Aston Villa vs Newcastle United

‎Villa Park takes centre stage on Saturday in another all-Premier League clash as Aston Villa host Newcastle United. The two sides met just three weeks ago, with Villa taking a confident 2–0 win at St James’ Park.

‎Villa Balancing League Momentum with Cup Aspirations

‎Unai Emery’s side enter the tie buoyed by a late 1–0 victory over Brighton midweek, capitalising on dropped points from Chelsea and Manchester United to tighten their grip on a top-four Premier League place.

‎FA Cup success remains a realistic ambition for the seven-time winners, who eliminated Tottenham in the third round.

‎Villa’s squad continues to manage injury setbacks, with Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, and John McGinn all unavailable. Alysson’s return provides depth, while Morgan Rogers, influential throughout this competition, is expected to operate centrally behind Ollie Watkins or Tammy Abraham.

‎Defensive rotation is also likely, with Bogarde, Lindelof, and Digne all pushing for starting roles.

‎Newcastle in Search of Consistency

‎Newcastle arrive from a 2–1 midweek victory at Tottenham, a win that ultimately cost Thomas Frank his job. Eddie Howe’s side had been in a rut of eight games with just one victory, but the spirited display in London provides encouragement.

‎Yet the Magpies face a brutal upcoming run of fixtures with league games against Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Sunderland, plus a long-haul Champions League trip to Azerbaijan.

‎Howe must manage a growing injury list, with Joelinton, Fabian Schär, and Tino Livramento out, and doubts over Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Miley.

‎Jacob Ramsey scored the winner against Spurs and is poised to retain his place, while the front line may be reshaped if Howe opts for a more natural centre-forward.

‎Newcastle have progressed beyond the fourth round in each of the last two seasons and aim to continue that trend against a Villa side brimming with confidence.

‎A Clash of Contrasting Form at Anfield

‎Anfield welcomes a familiar visitor as Liverpool take on Brighton & Hove Albion in a tie loaded with recent FA Cup history. Brighton eliminated Liverpool in the fourth round in 2023, but the Reds won 2–0 in the Premier League at Anfield just two months ago.

‎Liverpool Looking to Stabilise Their Momentum

‎Arne Slot’s men returned to form with a narrow 1–0 win over Sunderland after a painful defeat to Manchester City.

‎Virgil van Dijk’s towering header earned three crucial points in a season where Liverpool is fighting fiercely for Champions League qualification.

‎At Anfield, Liverpool have not lost to Brighton in over forty years, winning eight and drawing three of their last eleven home encounters.

‎Yet the club’s recent FA Cup history is turbulent, as they have crashed out at the fourth round six times in their last nine appearances.

‎Liverpool face injury concerns, with Wataru Endo joining Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, and Conor Bradley on the sidelines.

‎Joe Gomez is available again, and Mohamed Salah’s outstanding record against Brighton may compel Slot to keep him in the starting XI.

‎Brighton Fighting to Halt Their Decline

‎Brighton has plunged into poor form, losing two straight matches and winning just one of their last thirteen Premier League games.

‎Manager Fabian Hürzeler is under increasing pressure as the club slips closer to the relegation zone.

‎The FA Cup presents a welcome distraction. Brighton have advanced beyond the fourth round six times since their promotion in 2017, more than nearly every top-flight side except Manchester City and Manchester United.

‎They also possess an outstanding recent away record in the competition with seven wins from their last eight FA Cup games on the road.

‎Hürzeler continues to navigate injuries to Solly March, Adam Webster, and Yasin Ayari. Rotation is expected, with Jason Steele, Maxim De Cuyper, Georginio Rutter, and Jack Hinshelwood pushing for recalls.

‎Brighton’s most optimistic hopes rest on their strong FA Cup away form and their victory over Liverpool in this round just two seasons ago.

‎A David vs Goliath Story at the Etihad

‎The largest gulf in this year’s fourth round features Manchester City hosting Salford City, a meeting between the reigning Premier League champions and a League Two promotion contender.

‎Manchester City Eye Yet Another Deep Cup Run

‎Pep Guardiola’s side have re-entered peak form with decisive Premier League wins over Liverpool and Fulham.

‎Chasing Arsenal closely in the title race, City are also targeting a fourth consecutive FA Cup final. Their demolition of Exeter City, a 10–1 win, was one of the competition’s most astonishing modern scorelines.

‎City are overwhelming favourites and boast an extraordinary record of twenty consecutive FA Cup wins against non-Premier League opposition.

‎Even with injuries to Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, and with Erling Haaland expected to be rested, Guardiola can call upon Omar Marmoush, James Trafford, Rico Lewis, Rayan Cherki, and several other rotation options to maintain their momentum.

‎Salford Chasing History

‎Salford enter this tie as massive underdogs but also as a team full of belief after reaching the fourth round for the first time in their history.

‎Their dramatic 3–2 win over Swindon in round three keeps alive the dream of becoming one of the FA Cup’s great modern Cinderella stories.

‎Karl Robinson’s side have lost only two of their last thirteen matches, though both defeats came recently.

‎Against Premier League opponents, however, Salford have suffered three heavy defeats, including last season’s 8–0 loss to Manchester City.

‎Squad availability remains mixed, with Jay Bird and Tom Edwards out and several others still recovering.

‎Defensive loanee Alfie Dorrington, along with Prince Ehibhatiomhan and Ryan Graydon, should play key roles. Former Liverpool and Sunderland forward Fabio Borini is also pushing to feature in what would be a special moment in his long career.