- Oldest soccer cup competition reaches 3rd round in January
- This is the stage that Premier League and Championship clubs enter
- One of only two non-league sides left face Premier League opposition
One of the biggest games in English soccer – Arsenal v Manchester United leads the ties in a stellar line up of FA Cup third round ties in January.
The third round of the FA Cup is, for many fans, one of the biggest days (or weekends) in the footballing calendar. It often pitches lower league clubs against Premier League giants, with the tantalising prospect of a cup upset. Also, for lower league clubs it can be a vital source of revenue.
Here is our pick of the third round ties.
Arsenal v Manchester United
Arguably the biggest tie of the round sees holders Manchester United travel south to traditional foes Arsenal.
While Arsenal are flying high in the Premier League in second place, Manchester United are mired in mid-table after an inconsistent start to the season that ultimately cost manager Erik Ten Hag his job.
Manchester United are now under the stewardship of Ruben Amorin and he has won his first two games in charge. But will they have enough to stop Arsenal, who are also back in form after a stutter?
Manchester City v Salford
This is a Manchester derby with a difference. It will be the first time reigning four-time Premier League champions City will have come up against the League Two club situated just a few miles away.
Salford are famously co-owned by several members of the legendary ‘Class of 92’ players from Manchester United, including Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and David Beckham – so that adds an extra edge to the tie.
Ordinarily, this would be expected to be a comfortable win for City. But given their recent slump in form – no wins in seven matches in all competitions at the time of writing – who knows?
Tamworth v Tottenham Hotspur
Tamworth, from the National League – the tier below the Football League – are one of two non-league sides remaining in the competition. After a famous victory over Midland rivals Burton Albion in round two, their reward is to welcome Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur to their The Lamb ground.
While the odds are overwhelmingly in Spurs’ favor, it is not unknown for a non-league club to beat top-flight opposition. But on home turf and if Spurs manager Ange Postecoglu decides to rest some of his first team stars, then just perhaps a shock could be on the cards.
The other non-league side left in the competition, Dagenham & Redbridge from the National League, face a difficult trip to The New Den to play Millwall.
Everton v Peterborough United
While this fixture could provide an upset – a struggling Premier League club up against a side chasing promotion from League One – there is another potential storyline that grabs the attention.
We could see – in a first in the more than 150-year history of the FA Cup – a father and son play against each other on the pitch. Ashley Young, 39, is a regular in the Everton side, and he could come up against his 18-year-old son Tyler, who signed for Peterborough last summer.
Speaking to the BBC, Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson – the son of Manchester United legend Sir Alex – said there is “pressure” on him to ensure Tyler plays.
All ties will be played over the weekend on January 11, 2025.
Want to know about the biggest matches coming up this month in the Champions League? Click here.
