Biggest games: Preview for the FA Cup's third round

English football gets even more competitive with the FA Cup’s third round. Watch every best-performing squad in England, even clubs outside of the Premier League, and get ready to bet on these matches at Sportsbet.io.

Featuring top Premier League clubs like Arsenal, Newcastle United, Manchester City, and more, this stage of the competition will kick off 2024 with a bang. The FA Cup starts on the first weekend of January, with a Crystal Palace and Everton faceoff to officially start the 3rd round matches. Find out the most-awaited matchups below:

Newcastle United vs Sunderland

The Tyne-Wear Derby between Newcastle United and Sunderland has been a historic fixture in North East England for more than a century. The rivalry dates back to the 19th century when they faced each other in an FA Cup tie in November 1887 where Sunderland won.

Through the years, there have been heated fixtures between the two clubs. That abruptly stopped in 2016 when Sunderland got relegated to the Championship and two years later, down to League One. They have since gained promotion to the Championship but haven’t faced their rivals until this 2024 FA Cup tie.

A rivalry reborn

The dynamic between both clubs has changed with Newcastle securing new ownership while Sunderland plays in the lower tier. This likely means Newcastle is the favourite to win this fixture due to the gulf in talent on the squad.

The FA Cup is no doubt the best competition for upsets. Considering this is a derby, anything can happen with Sunderland possibly getting a victory. The Black Cats have a promising talent with Jobe Bellingham who has shown he’s ready for high-pressure situations like this game.

However, the Magpies’ abundance of talent might be too much for this fixture. Nevertheless, this will be an exciting fixture at the Stadium of Light with a raucous crowd desperate for a win over their fierce rivals.

Arsenal vs Liverpool

Two weeks after their Premier League match, title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool will face each other again in the FA Cup. This is arguably the biggest match of the third round given the quality of both sides. Arsenal and Liverpool are the two clubs that are challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title but they also want more shots at a trophy with the FA Cup.

Arsenal is fresh off a 2022/23 campaign when they pushed Man City to the limit in the Premier League title race. On the other side, Liverpool wants to bounce back after a lacklustre 2022/23 campaign when they missed out on trophies and a Champions League berth.

Clash of the title challengers

While they’ve already faced each other in the Prem by the time this FA Cup tie takes place, it will still be an all-important fixture for both teams. They want to make it far in the FA Cup because it gives them a shot at winning a major trophy. At the same time, this helps build momentum for future matches across all competitions.

For Arsenal, they are relying on Mikel Arteta to command his team to play intense defence. They will look to push the tempo for their midfielders and forwards like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli to go on the counter-attack.

On the other side, Liverpool will look to do the same as they want to prevent Arsenal from scoring. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker will be key to that with their combination of centre-back and goalkeeper brilliance.

Southampton vs Walsall

As arguably the biggest underdog of the third round, Walsall is a mid-table club in League Two or the fourth division of English football. They will be playing against Championship club Southampton, a top team in the second division with years of experience in the Premier League before their relegation in the 2022/23 campaign.

A chance for Walsall to pull off an upset

The FA Cup is the home for big moments and this matchup between the Saints and the Saddlers is a good candidate for those moments. For Walsall to win, they need to score goals and thankfully, the Saddlers have superb offensive players.

Walsall’s best player is 19-year-old Freddie Draper who already has eight goals this season. Oisin McEntee leads the way for Walsall with his seven assists. Isaac Hutchinson and Ryan Stirk follow suit with four assists of his own.

Southampton is the favourite ahead of this match, especially with the way Adam Armstrong is playing. He has 12 goals and six assists this season, making him such a tough matchup due to his strength and how he can overpower his defenders.

Manchester United vs Wigan Athletic

Despite their struggles in the Premier League this season, Man United will likely be the favourite in this match against Wigan Athletic. The latter is playing in League One, the third level in the English football pyramid.

Wigan has a strong history in this competition as they won this tournament a decade ago. That history will be a driving force for the team as they want to replicate that achievement in the FA Cup. They will be met with a monumental matchup but will do their best to compete at the highest level.

An opportunity to get back on track for Man United

The 2023/24 season has been a rough campaign for Man United due to inconsistencies. They had a strong November 2023 when Erik ten Hag and Harry Maguire won Manager and Player of the Month, respectively. However, they continue to struggle afterwards as they can’t find a way into the top four.

Man United is the favourite but they should never look past Wigan. They might be a League One side but they have some legit ballers like Charlie Wyke, Stephen Humphrys, and Jordan Jones who could pull off surprises against the Red Devils.

Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town

As the defending winners, Manchester City is the toughest matchup for any club and unfortunately for Huddersfield Town, they will be their first matchup. This will be an almighty challenge for the Terriers as they play against a hungry Man City squad that has a returning Kevin De Bruyne leading the team.

Continued dominance

Huddersfield is struggling in the Championship this season and that kind of form will be harmful in a clash against the Premier League champions. Man City has world-class talent in every position while Huddersfield is a decent team but they don’t have that talent.

Erling Haaland is the biggest name in this match as he remains the best goal-scorer playing in England. The Norwegian wants to dominate Huddersfield’s back line who will devise a plan to prevent him from having space.

The rest of the Man City squad will need to contribute as a legitimate supporting cast. Players like Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, and Jack Grealish are crucial for manager Pep Guardiola as the playmakers to help Haaland score more.

Chelsea vs Preston North End

Chelsea has struggled with being an underperforming team in the Premier League but in Cup competitions, they were superb. Their campaign in the Carabao Cup is impressive with their win over Newcastle and now, they move on to the FA Cup where they play against Championship club Preston North End.

The Premier League side is the favourite in this matchup but do not count out Preston because they are having a good season in the English second division. They showed that they can compete with the best teams in the Championship.

Chelsea will be motivated to perform well here since they’ve been lacklustre in the top-flight. They need to compete for trophies outside the Prem and with their campaign in the Carabao Cup continuing, the FA Cup will be their chance to salvage the season.

Players to watch out for this round of matches

Ahead of this round of matches in the FA Cup, take note of some players whom you should be excited about. These are:

• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): A superb winger, Saka is a creative outlet for his club and he shines in clutch-time situations with his goal-scoring and impressive strength to get past defenders.

• Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton): The Argentinian is a creative midfielder who can progress the ball well into the frontlines. His eye for the pass helps him maximise his teammates’ ability to score.

• Alexander Isak (Newcastle): Isak is a talented centre-forward with amazing dribbling skills to help him against his defenders. His versatility is also a big-time asset against a low block since he can drift off wide to play as a winger.

• Kobbie Mainoo (Man United): The young midfielder cemented his amazing potential due to his ability to dribble while also showing strength and stability as a midfielder.

• Cole Palmer (Chelsea): Palmer is fearless as he embraces his role as a creative outlet for Chelsea and he bangs in the goals when needed.

Enjoy the FA Cup third round with Sportsbet.io

Heading into this FA Cup third round, there are fantastic matches you can look forward to. At the same time, that hype can coincide with placing wagers on some of the matches. Get the most out of your time at Sportsbet.io and place bets using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Tether (USDT).

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