Emirates FA Cup fourth round previews: Opta stats

Thursday 24 Jan 2019

Riyad Mahrez (right) in action against Burnley

The Emirates FA Cup fourth round gets under way on Friday night when Bolton Wanderers travel to Bristol City.

Record 13-time winners Arsenal then entertain 12-time victors Manchester United in the weekend’s stand-out clash.

The remaining 14 ties will take place across the weekend with seven being broadcast live on either BBC or BT Sport.

And here are some key facts from each tie ahead of what promises to be a thrilling four days of action.

Friday 25 January

Bristol City v Bolton Wanderers

This is the third FA Cup meeting between Bristol City and Bolton – the Robins have won each of the previous two, winning 5-0 in 1903 and 3-1 in 1979.
Bolton haven’t reached the FA Cup fifth round since 2011-12 – they haven’t done so outside the top-flight sine 2000-01 under Sam Allardyce.
Bristol City haven’t won any of their last three FA Cup fourth round ties, last reaching the fifth round in the 2000-01 season after eliminating Kingstonian.
Bolton manager Phil Parkinson’s last FA Cup fourth round tie was in 2014-15 as Bradford City manager – a 4-2 away win at Chelsea.

Arsenal v Manchester United

There have been 14 previous FA Cup ties between Arsenal and Manchester United, eliminating each other seven times apiece (including Finals). Neither side have been knocked out by another team more often in the competition’s history.
This is only the third time Arsenal have hosted United in The FA Cup – they’ve won the previous two ties, winning 5-0 in January 1937 and 2-1 in February 1988.
Arsenal have gone on to win The FA Cup in the previous three seasons they’ve knocked out Manchester United – 2002-03 in the fifth round, 2004-05 in the Final and 2014-15 in the quarter final.
Manchester United have only lost one of their last 14 fourth round ties, losing to Liverpool in 2011-12.
Arsenal have won 12 of their last 13 FA Cup ties against fellow Premier League sides, with their only defeat in that time coming at home against Watford in 2015-16.
Manchester United’s Juan Mata has been involved in 11 goals in 10 FA Cup starts against Premier League opposition (three goals, eight assists).
There has been a red card awarded in five of the last eight FA Cup ties between Arsenal and Man Utd – three for Arsenal (Nelson Vivas in April 1999, Jose Reyes in May 2005, Emmanuel Eboue in February 2008) and two for Man Utd (Roy Keane in April 1999, Angel Di Maria in March 2015).

Saturday 26 January

Swansea City v Gillingham

Swansea and Gillingham haven’t faced in any competition since April 2008, when the Swans won 2-1 in a League One encounter at the Priestfield Stadium.
Gillingham have been eliminated on all three occasions they’ve faced Swansea in The FA Cup, losing in the third round in 1946-47, 1959-60 and 1971-72.
Swansea City haven’t reached the fifth round of The FA Cup in consecutive seasons since 1964-65.
Gillingham could become just the second team in FA Cup history to eliminate both Cardiff and Swansea in a single campaign, after Southend United in 1975-76.
Nathan Dyer has scored four goals in his last four FA Cup starts for Swansea, netting in their 3-0 win at Aston Villa in the third round.

AFC Wimbledon v West Ham United

West Ham are looking to eliminate an opponent from both The FA Cup and the League Cup in the same season for the first time since 2000-01, when they did so against Walsall.
This is AFC Wimbledon’s first FA Cup fourth round tie since their reformation in 2002 – they lost their previous two FA Cup meetings with Premier League opposition (2014-15 against Liverpool and 2017-18 against Tottenham).
West Ham have been eliminated from two of their last four FA Cup ties against League One teams, losing 0-2 at Wigan Athletic in the fourth round last season.
West Ham winger Robert Snodgrass has been involved in 24 goals in 18 appearances (10 goals, 14 assists) in FA Cup and League Cup matches against non-Premier League sides combined.

Shrewsbury Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves have only faced Shrewsbury in The FA Cup once before, winning a quarter-final replay in the 1978-79 season.
Shrewsbury have been eliminated in five of their last six FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition, winning the other 2-1 against Everton in January 2003.
Wolves have only progressed from three of their last 13 FA Cup fourth round ties, though they did win their most recent tie at this stage in 2016-17 against Liverpool.
This is Wolves’ first FA Cup tie against a side from a lower division since January 2013, when they faced non-League Luton Town and lost 0-1.

Millwall v Everton

Millwall and Everton haven’t faced in any competition since their meeting in the 2005-06 FA Cup third round, with the Toffees progressing after a replay.
Millwall have won their last four home FA Cup ties against Premier League sides, with two of those in the fourth round (2012-13 against Aston Villa, 2016-17 against Watford).
Everton have progressed from their last 10 FA Cup ties against non-Premier League opposition, last losing in March 2011 against Reading.

Brighton & Hove Albion v West Bromwich Albion

This is the first-ever FA Cup meeting between Brighton and West Brom.
Brighton are unbeaten in their last 10 home FA Cup ties against sides from outside the Premier League (W6 D4) since losing 1-2 to Mansfield Town in January 2008.
West Brom have been eliminated from nine of their last 11 FA Cup ties against Premier League sides, though they did beat Liverpool in the fourth round last season.
Brighton manager Chris Hughton faced West Brom in The FA Cup fourth round in 2009-10 as Newcastle boss, losing 2-4 at the Hawthorns.

Accrington Stanley v Derby County

Accrington Stanley and Derby County have never met previously in any competition.
Derby have progressed from each of their last four FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, last losing in January 2011 against Crawley Town.
Accrington Stanley have not reached the FA Cup fifth round in their current form, losing at the fourth round stage twice previously (in 2009-10 against Fulham and 2016-17 against Middlesbrough).
Derby have only reached the FA Cup fifth round in four of the previous 19 seasons and haven’t done so since the 2014-15 campaign.
Accrington striker Billy Kee has been involved in six goals in his last eight FA Cup ties (4 goals, 2 assists), scoring in each of the last two rounds, against Cheltenham Town and Ipswich Town.

Doncaster Rovers v Oldham Athletic

This is the fourth FA Cup meeting in the last seven seasons between Doncaster and Oldham, with the Latics winning most recently in 2016-17 in the first round.
Oldham have eliminated Doncaster from The FA Cup on three occasions (2007-08, 2012-13 and 2016-17) – they’ve only knocked out Mansfield Town (five times) more often.
Doncaster haven’t reached The FA Cup fifth round since the 1955-56 season, losing four fourth round ties since then, most recently in 2009-10 against Derby.
Oldham Athletic haven’t played in The FA Cup fourth round since 2012-13 – they won 3-2 against Liverpool; they’ve never qualified for the fifth round as a fourth-tier side.
Doncaster striker John Marquis has scored in all three rounds of this season’s FA Cup and scored in his only other appearance in The FA Cup fourth round in January 2013 for Millwall against Aston Villa.

Newcastle United v Watford

The last two FA Cup meetings between Newcastle and Watford at St. James’ Park have ended goalless – both during the 1988-89 campaign (third round and a second replay at the same stage).
Watford have reached The FA Cup fifth round in just one of the last nine seasons, doing so in 2015-16 with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the fourth round.
Newcastle have been eliminated from eight of their last nine FA Cup ties with Premier League opposition and haven’t reached The FA Cup fifth round since the 2005-06 season.
Watford striker Troy Deeney has five goals and four assists in his last 11 FA Cup appearances, scoring in the Hornets’ third round victory over Woking.

Middlesbrough v Newport County

Newport have been eliminated from their last six FA Cup fourth round ties, progressing to the fifth round only once – in the 1948-49 campaign.
Middlesbrough have progressed from 22 of their last 24 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, with one of those eliminations coming at the Riverside against Welsh opposition (0-2 vs Cardiff City in March 2008).
Newport manager Michael Flynn has progressed from three of his four FA Cup ties against sides from a higher division, beating Walsall and Leeds last season and Leicester City this season.
Middlesbrough striker Britt Assombalonga has scored seven goals in his seven starts in The FA Cup, netting a brace in their 5-0 win over Peterborough in the third round.

Manchester City v Burnley

Manchester City faced Burnley in last season’s Emirates FA Cup, winning 4-1 at the Etihad in the third round.
Burnley have been knocked out of The FA Cup by Manchester City on three occasions (in 1932-33, 1990-91, 2017-18), last beating them in the competition in January 1931.
City have won their three home Emirates FA Cup ties under Pep Guardiola by an aggregate score of 16-2.
Burnley are winless in 13 away FA Cup ties against Premier League sides (D3 L10) since a 1-0 win at Derby County in December 1999.
Raheem Sterling has been involved in at least one goal in nine of his last 10 FA Cup starts (4 goals, 7 assists), with the only game he failed to score or assist coming against Burnley last season.

Portsmouth v Queens Park Rangers

This is the first ever meeting between Portsmouth and QPR in The FA Cup; the most recent encounter between the sides ended 2-0 to the Hoops in the Championship in February 2011.
Portsmouth haven’t reached The FA Cup fifth round since the 2009-10 season, when they went all the way to the Final.
QPR have lost their last four FA Cup fourth round ties, last progressing from this stage in the 1996-97 campaign with a 3-2 win over Barnsley.

Sunday 27 January

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur

Crystal Palace and Spurs last met in The FA Cup in the fifth round in 2015-16, with Palace winning 1-0 at White Hart Lane on their way to reaching the Final.
The last six matches between Crystal Palace and Spurs in all competitions have all ended 1-0 (five Spurs wins, one Palace win).
Since eliminating four Premier League teams on their way to the 2016 Final, Crystal Palace have lost their last three FA Cup ties of this kind.
Spurs are looking to reach The FA Cup fifth round for a fourth consecutive season for the first time since doing so in five seasons in a row between 1978-79 and 1982-83, during which period they won the competition twice (in 1981 and 1982).
Since winning the competition in 1991, 25 of the 27 teams to knock Spurs out of The FA Cup have been in the top-flight, with the exceptions Leicester City in 2005-06 and Leeds United in 2012-13.

Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday have been eliminated from eight of their 10 FA Cup ties against Chelsea, last knocking them out in the 1966 semi-final.
Chelsea have progressed from 47 of their last 49 FA Cup ties against non-Premier League sides, losing in March 2008 against Barnsley and January 2015 against Bradford City.
Sheffield Wednesday are facing the holders of The FA Cup for the first time since the 1955-56 campaign, when they lost 1-3 against Newcastle in the third round.
Olivier Giroud has had a hand in seven goals in his last four FA Cup appearances against sides from outside the top-flight (5 goals, 2 assists), scoring in each of his last four appearances, including one for Chelsea against Hull.

Monday 28 January

Barnet v Brentford

Barnet and Brentford haven’t faced in The FA Cup since the 1925-26 season, when Brentford won 3-1 in the first round.
Barnet have never reached The FA Cup fifth round, losing in the fourth round on two previous occasions (2006-07 against Plymouth and 2007-08 against Bristol Rovers).
Brentford have won their last three FA Cup ties against non-League opponents by an aggregate score of 12-1 since losing 0-1 to Wrexham in the second round in 2011-12.
Barnet are looking to become only the fifth non-League side in the last 25 seasons to qualify for the fifth round, following Crawley Town (2010-11), Luton Town (2012-13) and Lincoln City and Sutton United (both 2016-17).

By FA Staff