The fourth round of the FA Cup is taking place this weekend and, as was the case in the third round, there will be no replays.
Instead, any ties that finish in a draw will be settled on the day, with a half-hour period of extra time and, if required, a penalty shoot-out.
The FA‘s decision will be welcomed by Premier League clubs, particularly those in Europe, who can avoid the unwelcome prospect of a tricky midweek trip to a fired-up lower league outfit.
However, some clubs in the lower echelons of English football will now miss out on memorable and potentially lucrative replays at bigger clubs – here’s why the decision was made.
Why are there no FA Cup replays?
The FA made the decision to cancel replays in the third and fourth round of the FA Cup in mid-December as the disruption brought by Covid-19 to English football was beginning to increase. A similar measure was implemented for last year’s competition.
The emergence of the Omicron variant has seen matches postponed across the pyramid as players and staff have been forced to self-isolate.
These fixtures will eventually have to be replayed and it is feared that the combination of these re-arrangements with FA Cup replays could lead to unmanageable fixture congestion, potentially threatening the fulfilment of the season.
In a statement, the FA said: “This exceptional decision was approved by the FA Board on Friday 17 December and has been taken in the wider interest of English football to alleviate the possibility of fixture congestion, following several postponements in recent days and continued uncertainty ahead due to Covid-19.
“Ties in the third and fourth rounds of this season’s competition will be played to a finish on the day, with extra-time and penalty shootouts if required.”
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'I thought the world had ended when I left Chelsea but now I realise how lucky I am'04 February, 2022What does it mean for the competition?
While purists may take a dim view of any changes to the long-established traditions of the FA Cup, it is clear that the FA took the entirety of the English football calendar – rather than just one competition – when making its decision.
However, the move will be less welcome for lower-league and non-league clubs. Just as the benefits and meaning of the FA Cup are much more pronounced for these clubs, so are the drawbacks of missing out.
The FA has stressed that its “exceptional” decision is not permanent and it plans to reintroduce replays next season.
But Covid-19 is anything but predictable and there is no guarantee that the emergence of a new variant as, or more, transmissible than Omicron might necessitate similar restrictions being introduced in the future.
FA Cup fourth round fixtures – and the matches on TV
Friday 4 February
8pm
- Man Utd vs Middlesbrough, live on ITV
Saturday 5 February
12.30pm
- Chelsea vs Plymouth, live on BBC red button
- Kidderminster Harriers vs West Ham, live on BBC One
3pm
- Crystal Palace vs Hartlepool
- Everton vs Brentford
- Huddersfield vs Barnsley
- Peterborough vs QPR
- Southampton vs Coventry
- Stoke vs Wigan
- Man City vs Fulham
- Wolves vs Norwich
5.30pm
- Cambridge United vs Luton Town, live on BBC red button
8pm
- Tottenham vs Brighton, live on ITV4
Sunday 6 November
12pm
- Liverpool vs Cardiff, live on ITV
4pm
- Nottingham Forest vs Leicester, live on BBC One
6.30pm
- Bournemouth vs Boreham Wood, live on ITV4
When will the FA Cup 5th round be played?
The FA Cup fifth round will be played in the week commencing Monday 28 February.
This will be followed by the quarter-finals on the weekend of Saturday 19 March, and the semis on the weekend of Saturday 16 April.
The FA Cup final will then be played at Wembley on Saturday 14 May.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/Fn1xIYb
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