FA Cup Preview: Top-flight showdowns highlight star-studded fifth round

The wheat will start to be separated from the chaff when the 2024-25 FA Cup resumes this weekend. 

Sixteen teams remain in one of the world’s oldest sporting competitions. By the time Monday rolls around, we’ll be down to the final eight teams — seven of which could be from the Premier League, English soccer’s topflight. 

Here’s what you need to know about the fifth round of the FA Cup, which kicks off on Friday.  

Single-elimination format

The eight matches that make up the fifth round are all single elimination contests, and not two-legged, home-and-away affairs. If a team loses, it's eliminated.   

The 2024-25 FA Cup features a significant change with no match replays in the proper rounds. That means if a game is tied after 90 minutes of regulation time, 30 minutes of extra time will be added. If the match is still tied after that, a penalty shootout will determine the winner.    

The field of remaining teams

The fifth round features 16 teams across the top two levels of English soccer.  

Of those 16 teams, 11 are from the Premier League, or 69 per cent. The fifth round will be highlighted by four all-Premier League matchups. 

The Championship (England’s second division) boasts five clubs. Preston North End faces Burnley on Saturday, which means at least one Championship side will advance to the quarter-finals. 

The other Championship teams involved in the fifth round include Cardiff City (vs. Aston Villa) on Friday, and Millwall (vs. Crystal Palace) and Plymouth Argyle (vs. Manchester City) on Saturday. 

Bournemouth vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers 

The first of four Premier League battles kicks off on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET when Bournemouth hosts Wolves at Vitality Stadium. It’s the third meeting of the season between the clubs, having each earned a road win in Premier League play. These teams have only faced off twice in the FA Cup, with the last time occurring in the fourth round of the 1956-57 competition. 

Bournemouth sits seventh in the Premier League table, 10 spots and 21 points above their FA Cup opponent. But Wolves have won five of their last six FA Cup games and are on the verge of qualifying for the quarter-finals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993-92 and 1994-95. 

One player to watch is forward Daniel Jebbison, who could make his Canadian national team debut at next month’s Concacaf Nations League after previously representing England at youth level. Jebbison, a 21-year-old from Oakville, Ont., has scored a pair of goals in this season’s FA Cup, including in Bournemouth’s 2-0 win away to Everton on Feb. 8. The Cherries are attempting to reach the quarter-finals for only the third time in team history. 

Newcastle United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion 

Two of the Premier League’s best outfits will square off on Sunday at 8:45 a.m. ET when Newcastle welcomes Brighton to St. James’ Park. The Magpies occupy sixth place in the table, just one point above Brighton — the Seagulls are tied on points for seventh with Bournemouth. 

Brighton has already earned a Premier League victory at Newcastle’s home ground in the Premier League, with Danny Welbeck’s 35th-minute goal standing up as the winner on Oct. 19. The Seagulls have lost just two of their previous 15 encounters against Newcastle in all competitions, and are coming off an impressive 2-1 win over Chelsea in the fourth round of the FA Cup. They’ve also registered four consecutive shutout wins over the Magpies in the FA Cup. 

But don’t discount Newcastle. Manager Eddie Howe’s side has 46 goals to its credit, one of the best attacking records in the Premier League this season. Danish forward William Osula has historically been a dangerous threat over the years with seven goals and three assists in just 10 FA Cup appearances. 

Manchester United vs. Fulham 

Manchester United continues in its bid to defend its FA Cup title when it takes on visitors Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday at 11:30. It’s been another disappointing season for Man United, who currently toil in 14th place in the Premier League and are 14 points out of a Champions League spot. 

At the same time, the Red Devils have progressed to the round of 16 in the Europa League and are coming off back-to-back wins in the FA Cup, including an upset victory over Arsenal in the third round. Another win over Fulham on Sunday would move them one step closer to repeating as FA Cup champions, something that hasn’t been done since Arsenal in 2013-14 and 2014-15. 

Fulham have already suffered two Premier League defeats to Man United this season and are winless in their previous nine FA Cup encounters against the Red Devils, a streak of futility that dates back to 1908. The Cottagers are vying to reach the quarterfinals for the second time in three years after beating Leeds United at this stage of the tournament in 2022-23. 

Nottingham Forest vs. Ipswich Town 

The fifth round of the FA Cup concludes when Ipswich Town visits Nottingham Forest at the City Ground Stadium on Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET. The finale of the round is a tale of teams going in opposite directions. Nottingham Forest sits third in the Premier League table and could qualify for the Champions League next season. Ipswich is in 18th place and could be relegated if they don’t start picking up points on a regular basis. 

Making matters worse for Ipswich is that they are winless in their last 15 road games in all competition vs. Forrest, including a 1-0 loss at the City Ground earlier in the Premier League season. On the positive side, English winger Jack Clarke has three FA Cup goals, including a brace in a win over Coventry City in the fourth round. 

Forest will be hoping that forward Chris Wood can open his FA Cup account in this game. The New Zealand international ranks third in the Premier League scoring race with 18 goals. But he has yet to score in his two FA Cup appearances this term.