FA Cup Round 4: Potential shockers in upcoming matches

The FA Cup is England's ultimate knockout competition where underdogs can become legends! Each match is a battle, creating unforgettable moments that spark endless debate. We'll analyse key Round 4 clashes like Man U vs Leicester and Leyton Orient vs Man City - get ready for the unexpected!

As we head into Round 4 of the FA Cup from 7 February, 2025, there’s plenty to look back on and look forward to. The competition has seen historic upsets, giant killings, historical plays, and unforgettable performances. The upcoming fixtures in February have plenty of excitement in store. Will we witness more shocking results and memorable moments? Stay tuned for all the action as the FA Cup unfolds.

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Biggest upsets in the FA Cup

For new football fans getting into the FA Cup, it’s worth taking a look back at some of the most shocking moments in the tournament’s history. This will set your expectations of what’s to come.

Upsets refer to matches when the underdog wins against the favourites. However, some matchups are so one-sided that it would take a miracle for the less-favoured clubs to win. These events are called ‘giant killings’ and there have been such cases in the FA Cup 2024/25. Here are some examples:

A Miracle: Ipswich Town vs Maidstone United (2024), 2-0

In a stunning FA Cup upset on January 27, 2024, Maidstone United shocked Ipswich Town with a 2-0 victory at Portman Road. Everything was in the home team’s favour leading up to that moment.

First, Ipswich Town is a Premier League club and Maidstone United is in the National League. Second, they have a better lineup including Leif Davis and Omari Hutchinson in the team. They dominated possession with 79% of the ball and fired 38 shots on goal. Maidstone United attempted two shots by Lamar Reynolds and Sam Corne, both of which found the back of the net and secured a famous win for the National League side.

A 90th-minute victory: Leicester City vs Wycombe Wanderers (2001), 1-2

What was originally expected to be an easy win for Leicester City became a historical giant killing that Wycombe fans still remember fondly today. It happened on March 10, 2001, in the FA Cup quarterfinals at the King Power Stadium. Nobody scored in the first half and Paul McCarthy opened the second half with a goal in the first 10 minutes.

Leicester City couldn’t secure a net until Muzzy Izzet did to even the scores. After that, it was an intense back-and-forth between the two teams and plenty of substitutions were made. The match was about to end until Roy Essandoh scored a goal in the 90th minute, winning the game for the Wanderers.

Late goals seal the deal: Wrexham vs Arsenal (1992), 2-1

Throughout the Premier League (EPL) and FA Club history, Arsenal has always been among the top clubs. They are not expected to lose unless they face fellow Big Six members like Chelsea and Tottenham. However, in Round 3 of the 1991/92 FA Cup at the Racecourse Ground, Arsenal suffered a major shock from the home team in a 2-1 upset.

Arsenal had a squad featuring legends like Jimmy Carter, Paul Merson, and David O’Leary. Alan Smith gave the favourites a good lead after scoring at the 43rd-minute mark. For most of the game, they’ve kept a good defence but ultimately lost from late scores at 82’ and 84’. Those were courtesy of Mickey Thomas and Steve Watkin respectively.

FA Cup Round 4 2025 most anticipated matchups

The FA Cup Round 4 kicks off on the 7th of February and there are plenty of opportunities for giant slayings. Here’s a look at the most exciting matchups and the chances of upsets:

Manchester United vs Leicester City

Leicester City enters as the underdog against Manchester United, the most successful club in the Premier League (EPL). They still have a considerable fighting chance because the home team is still in a sensitive stage after changing managers in the middle of the season. That said, the home team still has a better lineup than the visitors.

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To make matters worse, Leicester is missing their top right winger Isssahaku Fatawu and defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi. The big question is whether young stars like Bilal El Khannouss and Facundo Buonanotte can handle the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hejlund this February. If they somehow manage to, it’ll be a remarkable upset.

Leyton Orient vs Manchester City

Premier League vs non-Premier League matchups are the most exciting matches for giant killings. Unfortunately for Leyton Orient, they are up against 4-time back-to-back EPL champions, Manchester City, so an upset is going to take a miracle. The visiting team has some of the sport's best players currently.

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Despite missing key players Rodri and Rúben Dias due to injury, the visiting team boasts some of the fiercest talents including Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. Jamie Donley and Sonny Perkins are Leyton’s top-billing players but it’s yet to see if they can make it past Man City’s defensive wall led by Josko Gbardiol and Manuel Akanji.

Wigan Athletic vs Fulham

Wigan is currently struggling in League One and now faces an uphill battle against Fulham who is in the top ten of the 2024/25 EPL standings. It is not a good picture for the home team, especially with centre-back Luke Chambers sidelined by a back injury.

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Sam Tickle, Jason Kerr, and Toby Sibbick are among the best defenders in League One. However, they need to be at their best to contain the visiting team’s attacking threats including Emile Rowe, Andreas Pereira, and Alex Iwobi. Wigan also doesn’t have an impressive forward save for Baba Adeeko and Tyrese Francois, both of whom are injured. It’s not looking good for Wigan but if they pull it off, it will be legendary.

Birmingham vs Newcastle United

Birmingham leads the charge in League One so it’s no surprise they’ve made it far in the FA Cup. It’s also not a stretch to think they may be a finalist this year. However, they have a big hurdle ahead—Newcastle United, who is currently in the EPL top 5 and riding a wave of momentum.

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Newcastle is missing key players like Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson. However, they still have Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, and Joelinton to man their frontlines. Birmingham’s Christoph Klarer and Ben Davies should prepare for an aggressive first half. It’s also unlikely for Jay Stansfield to match their gusto, even in tandem with Willum Willumsson.

Plymouth Argyle vs Liverpool

Plymouth is having a tough time in the Champions League this season and now they are up against the current standing leader of the EPL. This is one of the most one-sided matchups in this year’s FA Cup, but it could also set the stage for one of the biggest giant killings of all time.

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The catch is that the visiting team isn’t missing many players besides Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, and Joe Gomez. They still have Luis Díaz, Alexis Mac Allister, and Darwin Núñez in the attacking lineup. Therefore, they will be aggressive and prepared to take an early game lead. Meanwhile, Plymouth’s scorer against Brentford, Morgan Whittaker, just left the team.

Plymouth has Michael Baidoo and Michael Obafemi at the front. Bali Mumba, Adam Randell, and Darko Gyabi were also impressive in the FA Cup thus far. The question remains: will it be enough to stop the onslaught from one of the EPL’s most offensive clubs? That is hard to say and exciting to see this February.

Look forward to the FA Cup Round 4 with Sportsbet.io

The matchups in Round 4 may look predictable but it is important to recognise that these underdogs made it through five rounds of the FA Cup 2024/25. They didn’t reach this far all because of luck alone. Every football player in this competition is ready to take on giants and have their eyes set on the trophy to bring home.

The beauty of a competition as intense as the FA Cup is that you are never certain how a match is going to end. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves among their peers, no matter the difference in feats. That’s why you bet on them, and with Sportsbet.io, you can explore thrilling markets and enjoy promotions and bonuses to give you the ultimate football betting experience.

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