2016/17 Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round – Where to Watch the Tournament’s Action
With six FA Cup fourth round ties being shown live on UK television this weekend, you won’t even have to leave the house to enjoy some fantastic football. Here’s a guide to what’s in store – and which matches you can watch without braving the chilly terraces.
The FA Cup Fourth Round – The Big Boys and the Minnows
The FA Cup is still one of football’s best-known competitions, and every club in the English league system would love to add this glittering sterling silver cup to the list of football trophies that it’s won.
Following the 4th round draw, some fans voiced their disappointment that many of the Premiership clubs had “easy” ties. The tournament is famous for producing exciting results, however, and many “giant-killing” lower league and “non-league” clubs have dispatched big-name teams from the title race over the course of its history.
So far, the 2016/17 competition hasn’t produced many shock results, but there are plenty of teams in the mix who could cause an upset. Two National League teams (Sutton United and Lincoln City) and three League Two clubs (Wycombe Wanderers, Blackpool and Accrington Stanley) have made it into the last 32, for example.
The Emirates FA Cup – Which Matches Will Be Broadcast Live?
Six of the round’s sixteen matches will be broadcast live in the UK, the first of which is tonight’s battle between Derby County and Leicester City. The first tie of the round, it kicks off at 19:55 at Pride Park Stadium and will be shown on BBC One.
On Saturday, BT Sport subscribers can watch Liverpool, who were forced into a replay in the third round by League Two club Plymouth Argyle, take on Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield at 12:30. They’ll also be able to see Premiership clubs Southampton and Arsenal clash at St. Mary’s Stadium at 17:30.
The first of Sunday’s matches to be broadcast in the UK is Millwall vs Watford at the Den. The match, which kicks off at 12:00 and will be shown on BBC One, will see League One’s Millwall try to repeat the feat they achieved in the third round against Bournemouth, and dispatch another Premiership club from the tournament.
At 14:00, National League side Sutton United’s attempt to knock Leeds United out of the competition at Gander Green Lane will be broadcast on BT Sport 2. Sutton, who have already beaten League Two’s Cheltenham Town and League One’s AFC Wimbledon, will be hoping to go one further and defeat the Championship side.
The final FA Cup fourth round match to be shown on UK television this weekend kicks off at 16:00 at Old Trafford, where defending tournament champions, Manchester United will take on Championship side Wigan Athletic. The tie will be shown on BBC One – and it’s the 56th consecutive Reds’ FA Cup match to be broadcast live.
The BBC is also showing extended highlights of Tottenham Hotspur’s tie against Wycombe Wanderers, Lincoln City’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Chelsea vs Brentford match, all of which take place on Saturday.
The rest of Saturday’s tournament ties are Blackburn Rovers vs Blackpool, Burnley vs Bristol City, Crystal Palace vs Manchester City, Middlesbrough vs Accrington Stanley, Oxford United vs Newcastle United and Rochdale vs Huddersfield Town. Fulham take on Hull City on Sunday.
Will you be watching any of the 4th Round matches? Who do you think will win the trophy? Leave a comment below.