{"id":1372117,"date":"2025-01-10T16:54:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T16:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1372117"},"modified":"2026-02-17T17:27:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:27:45","slug":"fa-cup-third-round-predictions","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/fa-cup-third-round-predictions\/","title":{"rendered":"FA Cup predictions: Five things we think will happen this weekend in the third round"},"content":{"rendered":"

The FA Cup<\/a> third round weekend is here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This round brings Premier League<\/a> and Championship<\/a> sides into the fray, all dreaming of a trip to Wembley come the end of the season.<\/p>\n

The marquee match for the third round is Arsenal<\/a> hosting Manchester United<\/a> at the Emirates, with one of the Premier League giants guaranteed to bow out. Elsewhere, there will be a number of lower-league sides looking to claim Premier League scalps, including Accrington Stanley who travel to face Liverpool<\/a> at Anfield.<\/p>\n

So, what do we think will happen this weekend? We’ve made five predictions below.<\/p>\n

Arsenal to end Premier League curse to reach fourth round<\/h2>\n

Arsenal haven’t enjoyed themselves in the FA Cup of late. Since lifting the trophy in Mikel Arteta’s first season in 2019-20, Arsenal have only made it past the third round twice in the past four years.<\/p>\n

During that time, Arsenal have played six games, losing four and winning two. In all four of the defeats, Arsenal failed to find the net. And three of those four of those defeats came against Premier League opposition.<\/p>\n

Even one of the wins, against Premier League side Newcastle United<\/a>, saw Arsenal need extra-time. So, looking at 90 minutes only, Arsenal have failed to score in five of their past six FA Cup games. The only exception there was a 0-3 away win over Oxford United in the third round in 2022-23.<\/p>\n