3 potential upsets in the fifth round of the FA Cup this weekend

Action Images via Reuters / Andrew Couldridge

National League duo Sutton United and Lincoln City face Arsenal and Burnley respectively in the fifth round of the FA Cup this weekend looking to make English football history.

Not since the FA Cup adopted its current structure in 1925 has a non-league side reached the quarter-finals, but both Sutton and Lincoln are just 90 minutes away from etching themselves into the history books.

Paul Doswell’s Sutton, currently 17th in the National League, host an Arsenal side that were thumped 5-1 by Bayern Munich in midweek, with many feeling that defeat for manager Arsene Wenger at Gander Green Lane on Monday night could spell the end of his 21-year spell in charge of the Gunners.

Danny Cowley’s Lincoln, who have knocked out Championship duo Ipswich Town and Brighton en route to the last 16, face a testing trip to Turf Moor to face a Burnley side who have won nine of their 14 Premier League matches at home this season.

Elsewhere, holders Manchester United visit six-times winners Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, while Premier League leaders Chelsea go to giant-killers Wolves, who knocked Liverpool out in round four, on Saturday evening.

With a whole host of other ties to look forward to, it should be an exciting weekend of cup football up and down the country, and here are THREE potential upsets from the next few days of FA Cup fifth round action…

Millwall vs Leicester City

Premier League champions Leicester City face a very tricky fifth round clash with League One promotion hopefuls Millwall at the Den on Saturday.

Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes have only won two of their nine games in all competitions in 2017, and both were in the FA Cup, beating Everton in the third round, and then overcoming Derby in a fourth round replay last week.

However, their disastrous Premier League form, which has seen them lose five on the bounce, has plunged them closer to relegation, as they find themselves just a point and a place above the bottom three.

And it doesn’t get much easier for Leicester, as Neil Harris’ Millwall have already knocked Premier League opposition out of this season’s FA Cup.

The Lions beat Watford 1-0 in round four and Bournemouth 3-0 in round three, and when you factor in their excellent league form, which has seen them win three in a row and not lose since December 17, they will provide a stern test to the Foxes on Saturday.

With the form of both of these sides, it promises to be an intriguing clash at the Den on Saturday.

Huddersfield Town vs Manchester City

With the way Manchester City have been playing in recent weeks, it’s difficult to see anything other than a victory for Pep Guardiola’s men on Saturday.

However, with Monaco coming up in the Champions League on Tuesday night, several first teamers are likely to be rested, which could be a huge risk against a Huddersfield side in tremendous form in the Championship.

David Wagner’s men have won their last five league games to move up to third in the division, just four points behind second place Brighton.

The Terriers have also won five of their last six matches at the John Smith’s Stadium, and have lost just once in all competitions since the end of November.

Clearly, Huddersfield are a very good side, so anything less than 100% application from City could see them on the end of a big cup upset on Saturday.

Sutton United vs Arsenal

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Non-league Sutton United must be relishing the prospect of facing Arsenal on Monday night, especially after the Gunners’ horror show in Munich on Wednesday night.

Arsene Wenger’s men were thumped 5-1 by Bayern in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash, with their total capitulation in the second half surely giving Paul Doswell’s Sutton some hope going into Monday’s FA Cup encounter.

Sutton are 17th in the National League having lost three of their last four league games, and they haven’t actually won a game since knocking out Championship side Leeds in the fourth round back on January 29.

Nonetheless, wins over Garry Monk’s men and AFC Wimbledon will give Sutton genuine hope of getting a result against Arsenal, especially as the Gunners have hardly been in great form in recent weeks, winning just one of their last four games, and conceding ten goals in the process.

Gander Green Lane will be absolutely rocking on Monday night, but can it inspire Sutton to arguably one of the biggest FA Cup upsets the competition has ever seen?

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