The FA Cup has reached its crucial fifth-round stage, with 16 teams vying for a place in the quarter-finals. Over the next four days, eight exciting fixtures will determine which clubs keep their dreams of Wembley glory alive. (More Football News)
Aston Villa๐ช and Cardiff City will kick off the round on Saturday night as the Premier League side looks to end its long wait for silverware, having last lifted a major trophy in 1996. Meanwhile, Cardiff, struggling in the Championship, will aim to pull off a shock and keep their cup run alive.
๐Saturday will see five matches, including Manchester City hosting Championship side Plymouth Argyle. Plymouth, fresh off their stunning victory over Liverpool in the previous round, will be hoping to pull off another giant-killing against the reigning Premier League champions.
๐On Sunday, defending FA Cup winners Manchester United will welcome Fulham to Old Trafford. The final tie of the round will take place on Tuesday night with Nottingham Forest facing Ipswich Town at the City Ground, rounding off a weekend full of cup drama.
โOne of the biggest talking points ahead of this round is the introduction of VAR, which will be in operation for all eight fixtures. Its absence in the previous round led to controversial moments, including Manchester Unitedโs injury-time winner against Leicester City, where Harry Maguireโs goal was allowed to stand despite strong suggestions of offside. Even United boss Ruben Amorim admitted the goal should not have counted.
Now, with VAR in place, teams will have an extra layer of security when it comes to refereeing decisions. Additionally, semi-automated offside technology will be implemented at all seven Premier League venues hosting matches. This marks the first time the system will be used in a competitive English football ๐ฏmatch, aiming to provide more accuracy and reduce human error in offside calls.
โคTo improve communication with fans, referees will make in-stadium announcements explaining their final decisions after VAR reviews, a feature designed to offer more clarity and transparency.
๊ฆWith every game in this round being settled on the day, matches that are level after 90 minutes will go to extra time and, if necessary, penalties. The winners will advance to the quarter-finals, bringing them one step closer to the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, 17 May.
Fifth-Round Schedule And Timings (IST)
Saturday, 1 March
Aston Villa vs Cardiff City (01:30 am IST)
Crystal Palace vs Millwall (05:45 pm IST)
Preston North End vs Burnley (05:15 pm IST)
Bournemouth vs Wolves (08:30 pm IST)
Man City vs Plymouth Argyle (11:15 pm IST)
Sunday, 2 March
Newcastle vs Brighton (07:15 pm IST)
Man Utd vs Fulham (10:00 pm IST)
Tuesday, 4 March
Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich (01:00 am IST)
FA Cup 2024-25 Round 5 - Live Streaming Details
๐ธThe FA Cup round 5 matches will be telecast on the Sony Ten 2 and Sony Ten 2 HD TV channels in India. It will be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website in India.
