The third round proper of the Emirates FA Cup gets underway this week, with a total of 64 teams involved in the next stage of the competition.
From record breakers to history makers, we take a game-by-game look at this week’s action and a standout stat ahead of each of the upcoming ties.
Sheffield United v Cardiff City
- This will be the fifth FA Cup meeting between Sheffield United and Cardiff City, with the Blades winning three of the prior four clashes between the pair including a 1-0 victory during the 1925 final.
Everton v Peterborough United
- Everton have progressed from 14 of their last 15 FA Cup ties against lower league opposition, with the exception coming in a 3-2 defeat to Millwall in 2019.
There were SEVEN goals in @theposh's thrilling #EmiratesFACup comeback 🎩 pic.twitter.com/r9SU7XcY2R
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 30, 2024
Fulham v Watford
- This will be the fourth FA Cup tie between Watford and Fulham, with each of the prior three meetings in 1932, 1983 and 2005 needing a replay to determine a winner. Both sides have won one of the two prior meetings to come at the third round stage.
Wycombe Wanderers v Portsmouth
- Wycombe Wanderers and Portsmouth have met once before in the FA Cup, during a first round match in November 2016 with the Chairboys winning 2-1.
Aston Villa v West Ham United
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between Aston Villa and West Ham since March 1980, with the Hammers winning a quarter-final tie 1-0 en route to winning the trophy.
Birmingham City v Lincoln City
- Birmingham are unbeaten in their last 18 meetings with Lincoln in all competitions (W12 D6) since a 1-0 loss in April 1911. It’s their longest unbeaten run against any opponent in their history.
Bristol City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
- This will be just the second time in the last 10 seasons than Wolves’ FA Cup third round tie has come against a team from outside the Premier League, beating Sheffield United 3-0 in 2021-22 in the other.
Middlesbrough v Blackburn Rovers
- Blackburn have reached at least the fifth round of the FA Cup in both of the last two seasons – they had gone out at the third round stage in five consecutive campaigns before this.
Liverpool v Accrington Stanley
- This is the first meeting between Liverpool and Accrington Stanley in all competitions, though the Reds did beat the original Accrington Stanley side 2-0 in the 1955-56 FA Cup third round.
Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between Bournemouth and West Brom since January 1999, with the Cherries winning a third round tie 1-0 thanks to an Eddie Howe goal.
Brentford v Plymouth Argyle
- Brentford have never beaten Plymouth in the FA Cup in nine previous meetings (D3 L6), most recently a 2-1 defeat in a first round replay in 1998-99.
Chelsea v Morecambe
- In the current format of the FA Cup (since 1925-26), Chelsea have the highest progression rate from third round ties among sides to have been at this stage at least 10 times (80% - progressed from 74/93).
STOP IT 😮💨@MorecambeFC's Jordan Slew pulled off a sensational acrobatic finish late on to send the Shrimps into the #EmiratesFACup third round!🤸♂️ pic.twitter.com/nVVqEgW0ym
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 30, 2024
Exeter City v Oxford United
- No player has scored more FA Cup goals this season than Exeter’s Josh Magennis (4, first round onwards). The last player to score more for the Grecians in a single campaign in the competition proper was Jayden Stockley in 2017-18 (5).
Leicester City v Queens Park Rangers
- Leicester have won 18 of their last 24 FA Cup matches (L6), winning the trophy for the first time in the 2020-21 campaign. Indeed, since the start of 2017-18, only Manchester City (31), Chelsea (26) and Manchester United (25) have won more matches in the competition proper than the Foxes (18).
Norwich City v Brighton & Hove Albion
- Brighton have progressed from seven of their last eight FA Cup third round ties, failing only against Sheffield Wednesday in 2019-20 in this run.
Nottingham Forest v Luton Town
- Nottingham Forest and Luton have been drawn together three times before in the FA Cup, the first of which saw the Tricky Trees win 2-1 during the 1959 cup final at Wembley.
Preston North End v Charlton Athletic
- Charlton have scored at least four goals in three of their last four away matches in the FA Cup, including both so far this season. It’s as many times as they’d scored 4+ in their previous 73 on the road in the competition.
Reading v Burnley
- Burnley were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham in the FA Cup third round last season – they’ve not fallen at the first available hurdle in the competition in consecutive years since a run of four between 2012 and 2015.
Sunderland v Stoke City
- Sunderland have won their last two home games against Stoke, including a 2-1 Championship victory last month. They last won three consecutive home games against the Potters in all competitions in September 1986.
Leeds United v Harrogate Town
- Harrogate have kept a clean sheet in each of their FA Cup games this season winning both 1-0 against Wrexham in round one and Gainsborough Trinity in round two. The Sulphurites have never kept three clean sheets in succession in the competition proper.
Manchester City v Salford City
- This is Salford City’s first ever appearance in the FA Cup third round. The last team whose first such game came against the reigning English top-flight champions was Scunthorpe in 1951-52 (lost 0-3 to Tottenham).
Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday
- Coventry have progressed from five of their six FA Cup ties against Sheffield Wednesday, including a round four victory last season en route to the semi-final.
Leyton Orient v Derby County
- Leyton Orient are looking to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2010-11, going out at this stage of the competition three times since then.
Mansfield Town v Wigan Athletic
- This is the first FA Cup meeting between Mansfield and Wigan since November 1989, with the Latics winning a first round tie 2-0.
Hull City v Doncaster Rovers
- Billy Sharp scored both of Doncaster’s goals in their 2-1 win against Kettering in the second round. The veteran striker has never scored three goals in a single FA Cup campaign before.
Bagging goals in the FA Cup since 2007.@billysharp10's brace in the #EmiratesFACup second round took his career goal tally to 281 ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/RuSpVBLeev
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) December 2, 2024
Tamworth v Tottenham Hotspur
- Tamworth’s only previous FA Cup game against a top-flight side came in the third round in 2011-12, losing 2-0 against David Moyes’ Everton.
Arsenal v Manchester United
- Manchester United have eliminated Arsenal from the FA Cup more than any other side in the competition’s history (8), while the Gunners have knocked out the Red Devils more than any other team (7).
Crystal Palace v Stockport County
- Stockport County and Crystal Palace have only ever met once before in the FA Cup, a 2-1 win for the London side in the second round in December 1933.
Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers
- Ipswich Town have progressed from each of their prior four FA Cup ties against Bristol Rovers with the latest seeing the Tractor Boys win 1-0 during a third round replay in 1998.
Newcastle United v Bromley
- With two goals and two assists so far, no player has been involved in more FA Cup goals this season than Bromley’s Corey Whitely (first round onwards).
Southampton v Swansea City
- This is just the second FA Cup meeting between Southampton and Swansea, with Saints winning a third round tie 3-2 in 2021-22.
Millwall v Dagenham & Redbridge
- Millwall have progressed from their last 10 FA Cup ties against non-league opponents, since a 1-0 home loss to Woking in 1996-97 (first round replay).
