It is all the time one of many highlights of the soccer calendar and the FA Cup third spherical weekend is now upon us as league motion takes a again seat.
Boreham Wooden, Chesterfield, Yeovil City and Kidderminster Harriers will fly the flag for the non-League because the Premier League and Championship golf equipment enter the fray on the highway to Wembley.
The draw has definitely thrown up some mouth-watering ties and this is 10 issues it's best to look out for over the third-round weekend.
CHESTERFIELD'S BIG DAY OUT
An exquisite draw for Nationwide League leaders Chesterfield, who journey to Premier League giants and reigning European champions Chelsea on Saturday night.
The Spireites can be backed by 6,000 travelling followers at Stamford Bridge and are at the moment on the longest unbeaten run (14 matches) in England's prime 5 divisions.
Be careful for his or her lethal frontman Kabongo Tshimanga, who has 19 targets already this season, whereas there are some inspiring tales amongst their gamers.
Saidou Khan, who hails from Gambia, was working at a Lidl grocery store in London a number of years again as he chased his footballing dream.
Manny Oyeleke, in the meantime, was sat in a Job Centre signing as much as Common Credit score in 2016 after struggling a severe ACL harm earlier than rebuilding his profession.
This fixture is the FA Cup closing we so almost had in 1997 when Chesterfield, then a 3rd tier membership, misplaced their semi-final towards Middlesbrough in controversial circumstances.
That they had a purpose dominated out regardless of replays exhibiting it clearly crossed the road throughout a tie at Previous Trafford that ended up 3-3. Chesterfield misplaced the replay 3-0, which means Boro superior to play Chelsea at Wembley.
GERRARD SET FOR SPICY OLD TRAFFORD RETURN
There's loads of earlier between Steven Gerrard and Manchester United. A brand new chapter in that rivalry begins on Monday when he manages Aston Villa at Previous Trafford.
Who can overlook Gerrard kissing the TV digital camera - and the badge on his shirt - after scoring in Liverpool's 4-1 win there having scored from the penalty spot?
He really scored 5 instances in all towards United at Previous Trafford, 4 of them coming from the penalty spot.
And whereas Villa's preliminary revival in fortunes when Gerrard took over in November has properly and actually ended, he'll nonetheless fancy their probabilities of dumping United out given the multitude of issues Ralf Rangnick is at the moment contending with.
One factor is for certain, Gerrard can anticipate to be the pantomime villain of the event.
ANFIELD REUNION FOR THE SHREWS
Fortunately, this sport on Sunday can be going forward after Liverpool re-opened their coaching centre following a Covid-19 outbreak that swept by way of the squad.
Supervisor Jurgen Klopp and his assistant Pep Lijnders will nonetheless be isolating after they examined optimistic with assistant supervisor Peter Krawietz getting ready the group for the go to of League One Shrewsbury.
With so lots of Liverpool's recognised first-teamers both isolating with Covid, injured or away on the Africa Cup of Nations, will probably be a shadow facet that takes the sector.
Likelihood is it will have been anyway on condition that when the groups met a few years in the past, Liverpool fielded their youngest-ever group and scraped by way of a replay 1-0.
That got here after they'd chucked away a two-goal lead on the Montgomery Waters Meadow in one among Shrewsbury's most memorable cup exploits.
They are going to hope to summon that spirit once more and make the most of a weakened opponent to conjure up one of many FA Cup's nice shocks this weekend.
VINTAGE CUP FIGHTERS YEOVIL HOPE TO PLUCK CHERRIES
Yeovil City have been chargeable for their justifiable share of Cup giant-killings again within the day and whereas their ambition is to return to the Soccer League, they'd fortunately chalk up one other after they entertain Championship high-fliers Bournemouth on Saturday teatime.
The Glovers have twice hosted Manchester United lately, so aren't any strangers to huge FA Cup events and with the Cherries nearly sure to relaxation gamers as they chase a Premier League return, an upset may very well be on the playing cards.
Yeovil ahead Joe Quigley and midfield Matt Worthington each started their careers at Bournemouth.
If Yeovil progress, they are going to be within the fourth spherical for the fifth time of their historical past.
BOREHAM WOOD OUT TO PROVE THEY BELONG IN EFL
Historical past beckons for Hertfordshire membership Boreham Wooden as they try to succeed in the FA Cup fourth spherical for the primary time of their historical past.
12 months in the past, they misplaced 2-0 to Millwall at this stage however will definitely fancy their probabilities on Saturday towards one other London facet.
AFC Wimbledon are 18th in League One and definitely weak to a giant-killing by a Wooden facet pushing onerous to make the EFL themselves.
Luke Garrard, the Boreham Wooden supervisor, revamped 100 appearances for AFC Wimbledon as a participant, serving to them up by way of the non-League divisions.
KIDDERMINSTER OUT TO CREATE A RIGHT ROYAL SHOCK
The fourth non-league facet left are additionally the bottom ranked. Kidderminster Harriers sit fifth in Nationwide League North, the sixth tier, however have Soccer League pedigree.
They tackle Championship strugglers Studying at Aggborough on Saturday afternoon in one of many eye-catching ties of the spherical that someway wasn't chosen for reside TV protection.
Harriers have already performed six ties to succeed in this level, having began within the second qualifying spherical, and can sneakily fancy their probabilities towards a Royals facet who've gained only one in six.
The non-League membership reached the fourth spherical again in 2014, dropping 1-0 at Premier League Sunderland and can be backed right here by a sell-out 5,000-strong crowd.
Can the massive boys beat Boyes?
MILLWALL, HULL AND SWANSEA AMONG THOSE OUT TO CAUSE UPSETS
Apart from the non-League golf equipment, there are many ties with upset potential, particularly these which pit Championship golf equipment towards Premier League opposition.
Millwall have despatched a number of top-flight golf equipment packing at The Den lately and can look so as to add south London rivals Crystal Palace to that record on Saturday.
League Two Port Vale entertain Brentford, whereas West Brom host Brighton, Swansea play Southampton and Hull tackle Everton in ties the place there might not be an enormous gulf in high quality.
On Sunday, League One Charlton Athletic will look to take the scalp of the Premier League's basement membership Norwich.
YOUNGSTERS GIVEN CHANCE TO SHINE
With Premier League and Championship managers eager to offer their stars a break following the hectic festive interval, the FA Cup third spherical weekend has change into a great one for recognizing the celebs of the long run.
Given the added complication of Covid-19 and accidents piling up, that's very true this time round.
Liverpool's Kaide Gordon, Arsenal's Charlie Patino and Manchester United's Shola Shoretire are amongst these hoping for some motion, as defined in our 10 to look at HERE.
FOREST REVISIT A MEASURE OF ARSENAL'S PROGRESS
One of many stand-out ties of the third spherical is available in entrance of the ITV cameras on Sunday afternoon as resurgent Arsenal journey to the Metropolis Floor to tackle a, properly, resurgent Nottingham Forest.
Mikel Arteta is lastly making some progress together with his group and the Gunners may properly obtain a prime 4 end this season. They can even fancy profitable the FA Cup as they did in 2020.
However Forest are additionally a lot revived underneath Steve Cooper and are eyeing up a push for the Premier League within the second-half of the season as soon as they get a disappointing set of Christmas outcomes out their system.
In 2018, throughout Arsene Wenger's closing season, a weakened Arsenal facet misplaced 4-2 to Forest, then with out a supervisor, at this exact stage of the competitors.
It was Arsenal's first exit within the third spherical underneath Wenger and little question hastened his exit. As Arsenal go to once more, their power appears to be rising as soon as extra.
WELCH SET TO MAKE CUP HISTORY
Rebecca Welch will ink her title within the annals of the FA Cup when she turns into the primary feminine referee to take cost of a 3rd spherical tie on Saturday.
Birmingham Metropolis vs Plymouth Argyle is the tie chosen for the officers from Washington in Tyne and Put on.
Welch, 37, grew to become the primary girl to referee an EFL sport in April and ticks off one other landmark this weekend.
Third spherical fixtures and TV information
Barnsley vs Barrow
Boreham Wooden vs AFC Wimbledon
Leicester Metropolis vs Watford
Port Vale vs Brentford
Wigan Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Liverpool vs Shrewsbury City (2pm)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Morecambe (2pm)
