FA Cup 4th round

No Premier League this weekend due to the 4th round of the FA Cup. This is too long to wait between Liverpool games.

In coping, here are some random predictions (honestly, the best part about the FA Cup is the fact it’s impossible to predict for the first few rounds and guarantees some upsets and replays) to try and hold me over.

Outside of the big names, I’m most interested in Fulham v Stoke and Bristol City (playing very well of late in League One) v Boro. Both feel as if they could be upsets, but Boro has been on a goal-scoring streak of late with Downing’s resurgence and Fulham’s fortunate to being playing at home.

Saturday
Luton v Blackburn, 7:30am, FSC: Blackburn 2-0
Tottenham v Southend, 10:00am, FSC: Tottenham 2-0
Barnet v Plymouth, 10:00am: Plymouth 2-1
Birmingham v Reading, 10:00am: Brum 2-1
Blackpool v Norwich, 10:00am: Norwich 1-0
Bristol City v Middlesbrough, 10:00am: 0-0
Crystal Palace v Preston, 10:00am: Preston 2-1
Derby v Bristol Rovers, 10:00am: Derby 3-0
Fulham v Stoke, 10:00am: Fulham 1-0
Ipswich v Swansea, 10:00am: Swansea 3-2
West Ham v Watford, 10:00am: West Ham 1-0
Manchester United v Portsmouth, 12:15pm, Setanta PPV: United 2-0

Sunday
Wolverhampton v West Brom, 7:00am: 0-0
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest, 9:00am, FSC: Chelsea 3-1
Manchester City v Southampton, 10:00am: City 1-0
Arsenal v Bolton, 11:00am, Setanta PPV: Arse 2-0

Someone outside of the big four really has to win the FA Cup this year. I can’t see Chelsea, United or Arsenal losing at this stage, but there’s always hope. Since 2000, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Arsenal, United, Arsenal, and Liverpool have lifted the trophy. So long have we heard about the magic of the cup, for the sake of the mythology, I’m really hoping someone else gets a shot this year. By the way, the last time an FA Cup final took place without any of those four teams was 1991.