Key events
Some transfer news featuring one of the teams in action today:
Not jamming a load of fixtures either side of the FA Cup third round has definitely helped the competition’s cause in terms of strong team selections. We’re actually getting a winter break this season too, after not having one for all sorts of reasons (Covid, the World Cup) in recent years.
The fact Pep Guardiola can name a City side as strong as the one today with Ederson, Kyle Walker, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne on the bench – and Erling Haaland not in the squad at all – is, frankly, ridiculous.
It’s interesting that the only major change Premier League clubs are seemingly willing to make is in goal. Luton, Forest and West Ham have all done it while picking otherwise fairly strong sides. The FA Cup is seemingly a chance for second string shotstoppers but they all want to go through.
My best pick for an upset today? I’m plumping for Kenilworth Road. Bolton will be bang up for it and they might some joy if they can shackle the irresistible Ross Barkley.
Some more team news for you:
Nottingham Forest: Odysseas; Worrall, Murillo, Dominguez; Montiel, Yates, Danilo, Toffolo; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Wood.
Blackpool:
Luton: Krul; Mengi, Osho, Bell; Chong, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Ogbene, Adebayo, Morris.
Bolton: Baxter; Dacres-Cogley, Forrester, Santos, Toal; Williams, Sheehan, Maghoma, Dempsey; Adeboyejo, Charles.
Team news
West Ham have gone strong v Bristol City: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Fornals, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Bowen.
And here’s how the Robins line up:
Patrick Bamford starts for Leeds against Peteborough. Posh versus The Posh.
A few changes for Manchester City at home to Huddersfield – but still a very strong side: Ortega; Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol Gomez; Lewis, Kovacic; Bobb, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez
Here’s the Terriers’ XI:
Preamble
Hello and happy Sunday to you all. It’s another thrilling day in the FA Cup third round… except it hasn’t been full of thrills so far has it really? (Unless you’re a Maidstone United fan, in which case lap it all up and enjoy.) A few too many tight and tepid games between non-plussed Premier League and Championship opponents have dulled the magic of the cup for me, Clive.
Anyhow, today is a new day and there’s a veritable smorgasbord of 2pm kick-offs to keep us sated this afternoon. The chances of a Cupset at Manchester City v Huddersfield may be slim to nothing, but West Ham v Bristol City, Luton v Bolton, Nottingham Forest v Blackpool and Peterborough v Leeds are all pregnant with possibility; while non-league Aldershot go to West Brom looking to join Maidstone and Eastleigh in the hat for the fourth round draw and the Hollywood tie is of course Wrexham at local(ish) rivals(ish) Shrewsbury.
Strap yourselves in. Team news is up next.
