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The FA Cup fifth round continues on Sunday and Monday. Chelsea and Leicester have already booked their place in the last eight of the competition with victories on Friday. Chelsea recorded a comfortable 4-0 win over Hull, while Leicester scraped past Reading 1-0 at the King Power Stadium. More fifth round ties take place on Saturday.
Here are the teams looking to progress on Sunday and Monday night:
Rochdale v Tottenham (Sunday, 4 PM)
Premier League Tottenham needed a replay to see off Welsh side Newport County in the last round. The north London side now face another potential banana skin on Sunday, as they face a tricky trip to League One strugglers Rochdale.
The FA Cup has been a high point for Dale this season, as the team from the north west are currently bottom of the third tier table and look to be heading back to League Two. The home side have seen off Bromley, Slough Town, Doncaster and Millwall to get this far. However, Tottenham are in a completely different league, literally.
Keith Hill’s side have been solid defensively in the FA Cup so far, keeping clean sheets in four of their last five games in the competition this season. Dale have endured mixed fortunes on home soil of late, but have won just one of their last five home games in all competitions.
Tottenham heads into this game on the back of a 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Last time out, Mauricio Pochettino’s side recorded a 2-2 draw at Italian giants Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League.
The game saw the north Londoners score two or more goals for the fourth time in their last five games in all competitions. Spurs are unbeaten in their last six away games in all competitions. However, they have drawn their last four games on their travels. Pochettino’s side heads into this clash as heavy favourites to progress to the next round.
Wigan Athletic v Manchester City (Monday, 7:55 PM)
High-flying League One outfit Wigan host Premier League runaway leaders Manchester City at the DW Stadium on Monday night in a potentially intriguing clash.
The home side’s promotion push has been hampered by consecutive league defeats. However, Paul Cook’s team are still in the automatic promotion spots in the third tier and will be confident of securing a return to the Championship. The Latics attention will temporarily turn away from the chase for promotion and to the FA Cup. So far this season, the home side have beaten Crawley Town, Fylde, Bournemouth and West Ham in the competition. The Latics are up against it to record a third victory over a Premier League side in this year’s competition.
Manchester City are still in line to win the quadruple. The Citizens are runaway leaders in the Premier League, with one foot into the Champions League quarter-finals and also in the final of the Capital One Cup final. A victory in this tie would keep the Citizens hopes of the quadruple alive.
Pep Guardiola’s side heads into this clash on the back of a 4-0 win at Basel in the Champions League last 16 first leg. The win means the visitors have won six of their last seven games in all competitions. Guardiola’s side have also scored two or more goals in ten of their last 11 games in all competitions. The City boss is likely to rotate his squad but has immense resources available to him, so will be confident of progressing to the next round of the competition.
Will Rochdale or Wigan pull off a giant killing in the FA Cup fifth round?
