MX23RW : Friday, July 5 17:40:35| >> :60:1616:1616:

5 talking points ahead of the FA Cup fifth round

5 talking points ahead of the FA Cup fifth round
© Reuters
League Two Newport entertain Premier League leaders Manchester City.

FA Cup holders Chelsea continue their defence against Manchester United as this season's competition reaches the fifth round stage.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the quest for a place in the last eight this weekend.

1. The magic lives on

Forget clubs fielding weakened teams, semi-finals at Wembley and the loss of the 3pm kick-off for the big one, the magic of the FA Cup is still very much alive in Newport. On Saturday, Michael Flynn's League Two battlers will host Premier League Manchester City, who sit 82 places ahead of them, on a testing pitch at Rodney Parade with neutrals around the world dreaming of a major giant-killing act. It is a game which embodies the very essence of the competition.

2. Who's Sarri now?

Maurizio Sarri and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will head for the dug-outs at Stamford Bridge on Monday evening with their respective futures a topic for intense debate. Chelsea boss Sarri was at a loss to explain the Blues' capitulation in a 6-0 Premier League drubbing by Manchester City last weekend which was only partially soothed by Thursday night's 2-1 Europa League win in Malmo. Solskjaer's audition for the role of permanent Manchester United manager was going swimmingly until Paris St Germain handed out a Champions League lesson on Tuesday evening, but victory over an old foe in a repeat of last season's final might just redress the balance.

3. Wandering to Wembley?

As it stands...#PL

Posted by Premier League on Monday, February 11, 2019

The last of Wolves' four FA Cup wins came at the end of the 1959-60 season as a decade which also saw them claim three league titles drew to a close. With manager Nuno Espirito Santo having guided Wanderers, who face Bristol City in the fifth round, to 39 points from their first 26 games back in the Premier League, top-flight status for the 2019-20 campaign is all but guaranteed and a club who have played with a refreshing freedom may never have a better chance of adding to their tally in the oldest domestic cup competition.

4. Memory lane

Wimbledon celebrate their 1988 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool
Wimbledon celebrate their 1988 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool (PA)

It is almost 31 years since the Crazy Gang stormed Wembley's Twin Towers to lift the FA Cup with the most unlikely of victories over red-hot favourites Liverpool. Much has happened to Wimbledon since Lawrie Sanchez headed them to their most famous win in 1988, not least the schism which saw the original club decamp to Milton Keynes, but memories will be rekindled for the traditionalists as the one which replaced it heads into battle with Championship side Millwall.

5. Familiar territory for Frank

Derby boss Frank Lampard knows everything there is to know about the FA Cup. He won it four times as a player with Chelsea – in 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12 – having ended up on the losing side against Arsenal in 2001-02, and taking his Championship promotion hopefuls to the last eight in his first season as a manager with victory over Premier League Brighton would represent a significant achievement.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Damian Spellman, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '95fa02b8-a0a9-4e7e-8f9f-2e06aa1b37d7');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': '5 talking points ahead of the FA Cup fifth round'});

ID:350428: cacheID:350428:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:16455:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Maurizio Sarri during a Chelsea press conference on February 13, 2019
Read Next:
Chelsea injury, suspension list vs. Man United
>
rhs 2.0
Euro 2024 fixtures header
Friday, July 5
 
8pm
Quarter-Finals
Portugal
vs.
France
Saturday, July 6
 
5pm
 
8pm
Tuesday, July 9
Wednesday, July 10
Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!