The schedule for football clubs in the top tier of English football is the most hectic, compared to most other big leagues in Europe. The domestic league and the Champions League/ Europa League, are always there to entertain but English clubs are also busy in two other cup competitions in the League Cup and the FA Cup.
The League Cup just has provided its share of entertainment this season and it is now the turn of the FA Cup.
The FA Cup is currently in its 5th round but has already produced some incredible games, since the turn of the year.
Always known for upsets, the competition saw clubs from the lower levels in the country put one over clubs in the top tier, setting up a superb finish to the season.
In 8 games in the 5th round, clubs around the country have managed to score 15 goals, with still a game to play. Burnley, Leicester City, Oxford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers have all been eliminated while Manchester City could only take their tie to a replay.
The Quarter-final draws are already out and here are the draws in full:
Tottenham Hotspur vs Millwall:
The Premier League outfit Tottenham beat local rivals Fulham in the previous round and have setup a home tie against Millwall, a third tie English club in the competition. Millwall had a fairytale story against Leicester City as they managed to snatch a victory late in the game, after being reduced to 10 men early in the game. This tie gives the Spurs a great chance to get into the next round.
Middlesbrough vs Manchester City/ Huddersfield Town:
Pep Guardiola’s trip to the Kirklees stadium in the 5th round of the competition did not go according to plan as his side only managed to take the tie to the replay, but at the Emirates. The Citizens will face Huddersfield next week and will face Premier League rivals Middlesbrough, if they manage to get past David Wagner’s side in the replay.
Arsenal/ Sutton United vs Lincoln City:
The Gunners, who were thumped at the Allianz Arena not so long ago, will face Sutton United in the 5th round of the tie on Monday and they will hope to get into the next round without much fuzz as they were drawn yet another easy game, this time against Lincoln City in the quarter-finals. The fifth-tier club Lincoln, beat Burnley in the previous round and became the first non-league team in 103 years to reach the last eight with the biggest shock of the competition so far.
Chelsea vs Manchester United:
By far the most interesting tie of the competition so far will take place at the Stamford Bridge when Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United travel to London for the FA Cup quarter-final. Chelsea put 2 past Wolves in the previous round and will be full of confidence while Manchester United, who won 2-1 against Blackburn will hope Mourinho’s return to the Bridge will be better than it was in the Premier League.
All games are scheduled to be played in the 2nd week of March ending on Sunday, the 12th, with the timings yet to be announced.