Arsenal v Sunderland
Venue Emirates Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Martin Atkinson
Odds Arsenal 2-9 Sunderland 12-1 Draw 5-1
For Arsenal history is at hand: a chance to become the first straight three-times Cup winners since Blackburn in 1886. For Sam Allardyce a massive fixture headache is at hand: the start of three away trips in seven days means players will be rested. Mikel Arteta, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Alex Iwobi are all in line to feature for Arsène Wenger.
Match pointer Arsenal have not been knocked out at this stage since losing a replay to Sheffield United in 1996
Birmingham City v Bournemouth
Venue St Andrew’s, Saturday 3pm
Ref Michael Jones
Odds Birmingham City 3-1 Bournemouth 10-11 Draw 5-2
New signing Juan Iturbe will not be able to make his debut for Bournemouth as he is still awaiting a work permit and Eddie Howe will also be without the suspended Simon Francis. Birmingham have everybody except Koby Arthur fit but will need to replace Demarai Gray after the winger joined Leicester on Monday.
Match pointer Bournemouth won both meetings in the league last season, including an 8-0 victory at St Andrew’s
Brentford v Walsall
Venue Griffin Park, Saturday 3pm
Ref Andy Davies
Odds Brentford 5-6 Walsall 3-1 Draw 11-4
Sean O’Driscoll says his players are eager to face their former manager Dean Smith at Brentford. But the Walsall manager has admitted he is already thinking about Tuesday’s league meeting with Coventry, describing it as a “more important game”. The hosts are without injured trio Andreas Bjelland, Scott Hogan and Jota.
Match pointer Walsall have managed to score only one goal in their past four FA Cup meetings with Brentford
Bury v Bradford City
Venue Gigg Lane, Saturday 3pm
Ref Rob Lewis
Odds Bury 7-4 Bradford City 8-5 Draw 9-4
Although Bradford’s manager, Phil Parkinson, said this “probably wasn’t the tie that either side wanted”, Bury have had to allocate extra space for away fans due to demand for tickets. With both clubs mid-table in League One, the chance of a Cup run and a big draw in the next round appears to have galvanised supporters.
Match pointer Bradford have won the past three meetings in all competitions, including 2-1 in the league last October
Cardiff City v Shrewsbury Town
Venue Cardiff City Stadium, Sunday 6pm S4C
Ref Peter Bankes
Odds Cardiff City 4-5 Shrewsbury Town 4-1 Draw 5-2
Russell Slade has quietly guided Cardiff to the fringes of the Championship play-off places and while a Premier League return will remain their priority this looks an eminently winnable tie for the 2008 finalists. Micky Mellon’s Shrewsbury are struggling in League One after their promotion last season.
Match pointer This is Cardiff’s fourth successive FA Cup game at home, the previous four were all away
Carlisle United v Yeovil Town
Venue Bloomfield Road, Sunday 2pm
Ref Andrew Madley
Odds Carlisle United 10-11 Yeovil Town 11-4 Draw 5-2
The flooding of Brunton Park may come as a relief for Yeovil fans – switching the match to Bloomfield Road reduces a round trip of over 650 miles to around 520. Carlisle, on the fringes of the League Two play-offs and with four wins from their past six games in all competitions, will be undoubted favourites on Sunday.
Match pointer Yeovil have won four matches in knockout competitions this season but only three times in the league
Chelsea v Scunthorpe United
Venue Stamford Bridge, Sunday 2pm BT Sport 2
Ref Craig Pawson
Odds Chelsea 2-9 Scunthorpe United 16-1 Draw 6-1
When Guus Hiddink was last in charge at Chelsea, he carried off the FA Cup and, given how he has stabilised the team after recent traumas, it might be worth a flutter on him repeating the feat. League One Scunthorpe will pose few problems if Chelsea can play like they did at Crystal Palace last Sunday.
Match pointer Scunthorpe have not won against a top-flight side in the Cup since beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in 1970
Colchester United v Charlton Athletic
Venue Weston Homes Community Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Christopher Kavanagh
Odds Colchester United 6-4 Charlton Athletic 8-5 Draw 12-5
Jake Kean, newly signed on loan from Norwich, is likely to go straight into Kevin Keen’s Colchester lineup. George Elokobi and Matthew Briggs are doubtful for the hosts but Charlton have injury problems too with Ademola Lookman, Patrick Bauer, Alou Diarra, Igor Vetokele and Ahmed Kashi all ruled out.
Match pointer Colchester have lost their past five third-round ties while Charlton have won only one of their past five
Doncaster Rovers v Stoke City
Venue Keepmoat Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Keith Stroud
Odds Doncaster Rovers 10-3 Stoke City 9-10 Draw 5-2
Stoke are set to rest several players after naming the same team in four consecutive games. But Mark Hughes’s rotation plans may be scuppered by injury doubts over potential replacements Phil Bardsley, Geoff Cameron and Stephen Ireland. Curtis Main could make his first Doncaster appearance since October after recovering from a back problem.
Match pointer Stoke’s defeat at Blackburn last season was their first loss to a lower league side in their past 10 Cup ties
Eastleigh v Bolton Wanderers
Venue Silverlake Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Iain Williamson
Odds Eastleigh 2-1 Bolton Wanderers 5-4 Draw 5-2
The only non-league club left in the competition have a real chance of causing an upset. Eastleigh are in excellent form in the National League while Bolton travel to Hampshire bottom of the Championship amid grave financial worries. Neil Lennon’s men could do with the respite of a Cup win.
Match pointer Bolton are unbeaten in 19 FA Cup ties against non-league opposition since losing to Chesterfield in 1911
Everton v Dagenham & Redbridge
Venue Goodison Park, Saturday 3pm
Ref Paul Tierney
Odds Everton 1-5 Dagenham & Redbridge 14-1 Draw 15-2
John Still’s side lie 22nd in League Two having won only four league games all season, although 50% have arrived in their past two outings. They will hope Everton’s midweek exertions against Manchester City in the Capital One Cup – and the likely absence of 19-goal Romelu Lukaku – take an unexpected toll.
Match pointer The visitors have not reached this stage since 2012, when they were knocked out by Millwall after a replay
Hartlepool United v Derby County
Venue Victoria Park, Saturday 3pm
Ref Darren Bond
Odds Hartlepool United 6-1 Derby County 1-2 Draw 3-1
Two of Brian Clough’s old clubs meet in a tie which pits the team 21st in League Two against that second in the Championship. Darren Bent, the former Sunderland and England striker, could make a rare start for Paul Clement’s side but Ronnie Moore remains undeterred. “Shocks happen,” said the Hartlepool manager. “The pressure’s all on Derby. Let’s enjoy it.”
Match pointer The only previous FA Cup game between these sides (in 1984) ended in a 2-1 win for Hartlepool
Huddersfield Town v Reading
Venue John Smith’s Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Jeremy Simpson
Odds Huddersfield Town 11-8 Reading 2-1 Draw 9-4
For the second season in a row Reading travel to Huddersfield for a third-round tie. Nick Blackman, scorer of the only goal of the game for the visitors in 2015, has recently joined Derby, hampering Reading’s chances of a repeat. Jason Davidson is set to start for Huddersfield after loanee Ben Chilwell returned to Leicester.
Match pointer Huddersfield have been knocked out of the FA Cup at home in five of the past seven seasons
Hull City v Brighton & Hove Albion
Venue KC Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Geoff Eltringham
Odds Hull 10-11 Brighton 3-1 Draw 9-4
Steve Bruce has said he will use those players who have been “on the fringes” against Brighton, arguing that it is an ideal opportunity to see what they can do. With both sides in the mix for promotion from the Championship, they can perhaps be forgiven for wanting to avoid risking important players.
Match pointer Brighton have failed to score in only one of their previous 13 FA Cup matches away from home
Ipswich Town v Portsmouth
Venue Portman Road, Saturday 3pm
Ref David Coote
Odds Ipswich Town 7-8 Portsmouth 7-2 Draw 11-4
Ipswich have confirmed their lineup in advance for the tie against Portsmouth and it features seven changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Burnley last week. Portsmouth will also make changes – captain Michael Doyle will be rested and Matt Clarke is ineligible against his parent club but Matt Tubbs could start.
Match pointer Ipswich have not lost at home in the Cup to a lower-league side since Manchester City beat them 4-1 in 2002
Leeds United v Rotherham United
Venue Elland Road, Saturday 3pm
Ref Andy Woolmer
Odds Leeds United 10-11 Rotherham United 3-1 Draw 12-5
Steve Evans will face the club he steered from League Two to the Championship during his three seasons as manager. Mustapha Carayol could make his debut for Leeds after joining from Middlesbrough while Rotherham have been boosted by loanees Grant Ward and Shay Facey being granted permission to play.
Match pointer Rotherham have gone beyond the third round of the FA Cup only once since January 1993
Manchester United v Sheffield United
Venue Old Trafford, Saturday 5.30pm BT Sport 2
Ref Andre Marriner
Odds Manchester United 1-3 Sheffield United 10-1 Draw 9-2
If Louis van Gaal were to end the season with a trophy it would go some way to restoring his damaged credibility as Manchester United manager. The Premier League appears unlikely so what better than the cup his side have failed to capture since 2004? Yet despite Sheffield United being eighth in League One there would be no great surprise if the Blades turned the Red Devils over before their own crowd. Do so, and the sizeable constituency who want Van Gaal out will be vocal again.
Match pointer This is the fifth time these sides have met in the FA Cup but the first occasion at Old Trafford
Middlesbrough v Burnley
Venue Riverside Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Simon Hooper
Odds Middlesbrough 10-11 Burnley 3-1 Draw 9-4
Aitor Karanka has admitted he would prefer his Championship-topping Middlesbrough side to be facing a lower-league team rather than a “tough” encounter with fifth-placed Burnley. With an important league game against Brentford to come on Tuesday, it is perhaps a little surprising that Karanka has vowed to put out his strongest possible side on Saturday.
Match pointer Burnley have lost their past six FA Cup games away from home, conceding 19 goals in the process
Newport County v Blackburn Rovers
Venue Rodney Parade, Saturday 3pm
Ref Charles Breakspear
Odds Newport County 9-2 Blackburn Rovers 7-9 Draw 5-2
This is Newport’s first appearance in the third round since the club was reformed in 1989 and they will be confident of springing a surprise. The Crystal Palace midfielder Connor Dymond and Preston defender Ben Davies have arrived on loan in time to help their cause against a Blackburn side that have not scored in their last four games. Paul Lambert’s job is complicated further by the fact that his main striker, Jordan Rhodes, is an injury doubt.
Match pointer Newport County have failed to progress beyond the third round of the FA Cup since 1979
Northampton Town v Milton Keynes Dons
Venue Sixfields Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Darren Drysdale
Odds Northampton Town 7-4 Milton Keynes Dons 9-5 Draw 12-5
Karl Robinson is expected to make numerous changes to his MK Dons side but David Martin is injured, while Daniel Powell and Carl Baker are doubtful and Sam Gallagher has returned to Southampton. Northampton are missing only Paul Corry, although new loan signing James Collins is Cup-tied.
Match pointer MK Dons have won five of their previous six meetings with Northampton in all competitions
Norwich City v Manchester City
Venue Carrow Road, Saturday 3pm
Ref Mike Dean
Odds Norwich City 4-1 Manchester City 3-4 Draw 3-1
Norwich are unlikely to field their new arrival, Ivo Pinto, as although the full-back was registered in time, he has had only one training session with his new team-mates. Manuel Pellegrini will stick with Willy Caballero in goal ahead of Joe Hart but has his hands tied at centre-back as only Martín Demichelis and Nicolás Otamendi are fit.
Match pointer Manchester City have failed to reach the fourth round only once in the past six season – in 2012 when they lost 3-2 at home to Manchester United
Nottingham Forest v Queens Park Rangers
Venue City Ground, Saturday 3pm
Ref Oliver Langford
Odds Nottingham Forest 5-4 Queens Park Rangers 2-1 Draw 9-4
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, without a win in his six games in charge of QPR, says he will field a competitive team but is still without the injured Charlie Austin. History is not on his side as Rangers have never won at the City Ground and have only tasted victory in the FA Cup twice in the last 15 years.
Match pointer Forest have won only one of their past six FA Cup games at home – 5-0 against West Ham in January 2014
Oxford United v Swansea City
Venue Kassam Stadium, Sunday midday BBC2 Wales
Ref Kevin Friend
Odds Oxford United 3-1 Swansea City 10-11 Draw 11-4
The failure to find anyone other than a reluctant Alan Curtis to replace Garry Monk this season notwithstanding, Oxford see Swansea as a model club and aspire to ascend through the leagues by playing a similar slick passing style. This tie is a chance for the League Two team to show they are not so far off their Premier League visitors and promises to be a interesting spectacle, with clear upset potential.
Match pointer Swansea have failed to keep a clean sheet in their past 10 away games in the FA Cup, dating back to 2009
Peterborough United v Preston North End
Venue Abax Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Tony Harrington
Odds Peterborough United 8-5 Preston North End 2-1 Draw 12-5
Peterborough manager Graham Westley’s colourful 13-month tenure at Deepdale which turned many Preston fans against him and ended ignominiously in early 2013 adds extra spice to this encounter. Peterborough have West Ham loanee Martin Samuelsen available while Preston’s Villa loanee Callum Robinson, who rejoined this week, will be on the bench.
Match pointer This is only the fifth time in 22 fixtures that Preston have been drawn away from home in the third round
Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham
Venue Hillsborough, Saturday 3pm
Ref Gavin Ward
Odds Sheffield Wednesday 5-6 Fulham 3-1 Draw 5-2
Fulham will be eager to avenge a 1-0 home defeat by Wednesday last weekend but they will have to do it without long-term absentees Marcus Bettinelli and Ryan Tunnicliffe. The hosts have Marco Matias and Sergiu Bus back from injury but are still missing Tom Lees and Michael Turner.
Match pointer Sheffield Wednesday have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup only three times since 2001
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Venue St Mary’s Stadium, Saturday 3pm
Ref Lee Mason
Odds Southampton 4-5 Crystal Palace 7-2 Draw 5-2
Crystal Palace welcome back their creative fulcrum, Yohan Cabaye, after a one-match ban and also Bakary Sako, who has been out injured since late November. Alan Pardew described this as a difficult game for his side but still believes Palace can go far in the Cup as other teams are distracted by thoughts of top-flight survival.
Match pointer Palace have knocked Southampton out of the Cup on four previous occasions, including last season
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
Venue White Hart Lane, Sunday 4pm BBC1
Ref Robert Madley
Odds Tottenham Hotspur 4-6 Leicester City 4-1 Draw 3-1
Tottenham and Leicester play the first of two games at the same place in four days – they meet again in the league on Wednesday – with both managers likely to prioritise the second fixture. There will certainly be no Jamie Vardy, which may give Leonardo Ulloa a chance to extend his 100% goalscoring record when starting FA Cup ties.
Match pointer Tottenham have lost only once in the third round since 2003 – a 3-2 defeat by Leicester in 2006
Watford v Newcastle United
Venue Vicarage Road, Saturday 3pm
Ref Roger East
Odds Watford 4-5 Newcastle United 3-1 Draw 5-2
Neither of these sides have performed well in the Cup in recent years, but Quique Sánchez Flores makes his managerial debut in the competition for Watford. Odion Ighalo scored two when Watford beat Newcastle in the league, with Steve McClaren’s side having lost their past three. Neither team has won yet in 2016.
Match pointer Newcastle have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup only three times in the past nine seasons
West Bromwich Albion v Bristol City
Venue The Hawthorns, Saturday 3pm
Ref Graham Scott
Odds West Bromwich Albion 4-6 Bristol City 5-1 Draw 5-2
Ben Foster could return in goal for Albion after almost 10 months out with a knee injury. Salomón Rondón and James McClean are also available for Tony Pulis after suspension and are expected to feature, as is unsettled striker Saido Berahino. Steve Cotterill has called City’s fans “amazing” and “fantastic” after they sold out their allocation of 5,300 tickets for The Hawthorns.
Match pointer City have scored only one goal in their past five FA Cup matches against sides from a higher division
West Ham United v Wolverhampton W
Venue Upton Park, Saturday 3pm
Ref Anthony Taylor
Odds West Ham United 3-4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 Draw 5-2
Could this be the final FA Cup game to be played at the Boleyn Ground? West Ham were impressive against Liverpool in the league last weekend but Wolves arrive in high spirits having won their last three without conceding. Kenny Jackett’s side have not won in eight games in this competition though.
Match pointer West Ham have won only one of their past nine FA Cup matches, losing five and drawing the rest
Wycombe Wanderers v Aston Villa
Venue Adams Park, Saturday 12.45pm BT Sport 2
Ref Michael Oliver
Odds Wycombe Wanderers 5-2 Aston Villa 6-5 Draw 9-4
For Aston Villa, it must feel like a long time since they were being fitted out for their FA Cup final suits last May. Villa have won only two of their 23 fixtures this season and none since Rémi Garde replaced Tim Sherwood. Wycombe, sixth in League Two, will be trying to add another ordeal to an already traumatic season.
Match pointer Aston Villa came from 3-1 down to win 8-3 the last time these sides met, in the 2005-06 League Cup
More to follow …
