The Football Association Challenge Cup brings together English football rivalries in the upcoming 5th Round Proper. The FA Cup 5th Round will eliminate half of the teams, and the remaining teams will proceed to the quarterfinals. It is a “giant killer,” as underdog teams get to beat tier-1 clubs. Nevertheless, the upcoming FA Cup game is a list of intriguing matchups. Top-flight clubs Arsenal and Manchester City are planning to meet in the final. They are having a proxy rivalry as they plan to compete in a 1 vs. 1 final. Moreover, clubs like Wolves and Brentford aim to dominate as they are struggling in tier-1. Underdogs like Mansfield Town, Port Vale, and Norwich City have no expectations from fans. But they are determined to enter the finals. Let’s briefly look at the schedule, teams, and predictions.
FA Cup 2025-26 4th Round Proper Highlights
The FA Cup 4th Round ended up eliminating 16 teams out of 32. Out of all the games, Chelsea and Arsenal delivered the dramatic outcomes with clean sheets. Chelsea kept the possession too long and never allowed Hull City to score. Meanwhile, Chelsea scored four times, ultimately winning 4-0. Likewise, Arsenal earned four goals against Wigan Athletic, while conceding none. Their passing game was too good to handle Wigan Athletic. Besides, Birmingham and Leeds United tied the game 1-1 before proceeding to a penalty round. Both teams were performing equally well, so neither had the decisive moment to win. After a 1-1 draw, Leeds United went on to score 4 in the penalty round. Moreover, Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Brentford scored clear wins and moved to the FA Cup 5th round.
FA Cup 5th Round Schedule
Wolverhampton Wolves vs Liverpool
Date: 06 March 2026
Time: 01:30 a.m. IST | 03:00 p.m. EST
Mansfield vs Arsenal
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 05:45 p.m. IST | 07:15 a.m. EST
Wrexham vs Chelsea
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 11:15 p.m. IST | 12:45 a.m. EST
Newcastle vs Manchester City
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 01:30 a.m. IST | 03:00 p.m. EST
Fulham vs Southampton
Date: 08 March 2026
Time: 05:30 p.m. IST | 07:00 a.m. EST
Port Vale vs Sunderland
Date: 08 March 2026
Time: 07:00 p.m. IST | 08:30 a.m. EST
Leeds United vs Norwich City
Date: 08 March 2026
Time: 10:00 p.m. IST | 11:30 a.m. EST
West Ham vs Brentford
Date: 09 March 2026
Time: 01:30 a.m. IST | 03:00 p.m. EST
FA Cup Predictions for Selected Matchups
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool Predictions
Teams: Wolverhampton and Liverpool
Date: 05 March 2026
Time: 01:30 a.m. IST | 03:00 p.m. EST
Expected Lineups for Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | José Sá |
| Midfielders | João Gomes, André, Marshall Munetsi, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde |
| Defenders | Yerson Mosquera, Ladislav Krejčí, Hugo Bueno |
| Forwards | Tolu Arokodare, Hwang Hee-chan, Fer López |
Expected Lineups for Liverpool
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Alisson Becker |
| Defenders | Virgil van Dijk, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkez, Ibrahima Konaté |
| Midfielders | Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott |
| Forwards | Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak |
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool Preview
The Wolverhampton Wanderers are literally the last-ranked team in the Premier League. Their form is currently the worst, with increasingly deteriorating outcomes. However, their recent win against Liverpool completely changes the narrative. Despite being a poor team in the league, they have recently beaten a strong team, Liverpool. This win has significantly boosted their spirits, prompting them to race against the 6th-ranked Liverpool. However, Liverpool still has the edge to win due to their consistency.
Liverpool maintains a strong run in the FA Cup. With players like Mohamed Salah, Liverpool brings the complete offense that scores frequently. But in their previous game, they lost possession in crucial moments, leading to defensive lapses. Despite having possession for too long, they never utilized it correctly. However, their squad’s work rate remains high. Hence, Liverpool is expected to win in this FA Cup fixture.
The Pick: Liverpool.
Mansfield Town vs Arsenal Predictions
Teams: Mansfield Town and Arsenal
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 05:45 p.m. IST | 07:15 a.m. EST
Expected Lineups for Mansfield Town
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Liam Roberts |
| Defenders | Deji Oshilaja, Kyle Knoyle, Ryan Sweeney, Baily Cargill |
| Midfielders | Louis Reed, Jamie McDonnell |
| Forwards | Jordan Bowery, Max Dickov, Lucas Akins |
| Striker | Tyler Roberts |
Expected Lineups for Arsenal
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Kepa Arrizabalaga Revuelta |
| Defenders | Ben White, William Saliba, Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly |
| Midfielders | Christian Nørgaard, Eberechi Eze |
| Forwards | Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Silva |
| Striker | Gabriel Jesus |
Mansfield Town vs Arsenal Preview
Mansfield Town has made no visible progress in Football League One, making it one of the lower-performing teams. They have scored an average of 1.9 goals in their last ten games. Although this projects them as a strong team, their game against Arsenal will test them to the core. Arsenal’s rapid scoring ability and aggressive work rate will suffocate Mansfield Town. Mikel Arteta’s men are dominating the European games as well, giving them the edge over Mansfield Town.
Arsenal comes into the FA Cup with an unbeatable record, having won all previous FA Cup rounds. They lead the Premier League with absolute dominance and an elite run in the league. Players, especially Bukayo Saka, have an impressive work rate, often scoring and giving assists under pressure. They also have coordination and rhythm, which allows them to control the game. As a result, Arsenal will easily beat Mansfield Town in this FA Cup clash.
The Pick: Arsenal.
Wrexham vs Chelsea Predictions
Teams: Wrexham and Chelsea
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 11:15 p.m. IST | 12:45 a.m. EST
Expected Lineups for Wrexham
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Arthur Okonkwo |
| Defenders | Conor Coady, Callum Doyle, Issa Kaboré |
| Midfielders | Oliver Rathbone, Josh Windass, Ben Sheaf, George Dobson |
| Forwards | Jay Rodriguez, Kieffer Moore, Paul Mullin |
Expected Lineups for Chelsea
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Robert Sánchez |
| Defenders | Marc Cucurella, Josh Acheampong, Jorrel Hato, Reece James |
| Midfielders | Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, Roméo Lavia, Dário Essugo |
| Forwards | João Pedro, Pedro Neto |
Wrexham vs Chelsea Preview
Wrexham has won six of its last ten games and has a decent record. Regarding their offense, the team relies on key players like Paul Mullin and Kieffer Moore. They rank in 6th spot in the Championship League and have a strategic squad. The team effectively uses its wingers to build up momentum and has a good midfield game. But still, Chelsea is a tier-1 club that has superior depth and quality. So, Wrexham’s game against Chelsea is uncertain.
Chelsea outshines Wrexham in both scoring potential and defense. Their recent outcomes are mixed, however. The squad deploys rapid attacks early into the game and uses quick transitions. Although they are inconsistent, the squad’s ball movement is strong and tactical. Compared to Wrexham, Chelsea is far better. Therefore, Chelsea has the advantage in this FA Cup clash.
The Pick: Chelsea.
Newcastle vs Manchester City Predictions
Teams: Newcastle and Manchester City
Date: 07 March 2026
Time: 01:30 a.m. IST | 03:00 p.m. EST
Expected Lineups for Newcastle
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Aaron Ramsdale |
| Defenders | Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall |
| Midfielders | Jacob Ramsey, Sandro Tonali, Joelinton |
| Forwards | Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes |
Expected Lineups for Manchester City
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Gianluigi Donnarumma |
| Defenders | Abdukodir Khusanov, Joško Gvardiol, Nathan Aké, John Stones |
| Midfielders | Rodri, Ryan Cherki, Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, Mateo Kovačić |
| Forwards | Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku |
Newcastle vs Manchester City Preview
Newcastle is currently dealing with irregular outcomes and has a poor outcome. In their last 5 games, they won 4 times and lost 2. In particular, they lost to Manchester City previously. This adds more context to the upcoming game between Newcastle and Manchester City.
Manchester City’s current form is off the charts with a superior team quality. They are literally leading every league they play in with impressive records. In addition, they have strong attackers like Erling Haaland, Ryan Cherki, Phil Foden, and Jeremy Doku. This squad effectively manages to block while scoring in both halves, probably.
The Pick: Manchester City.
You may also like
Football Alert: 2026 January Transfer Window IN and OUT Revealed
La Liga 2025-26 Season – Matchday 22 Preview and Predictions
Bundesliga Matchday 21 – Odds, Predictions & Standings
Football Giants: Ligue 1 2025-26 Past Rivals on Matchday 23
Premier League 2025-26: Previous Contenders and Matchday 28
UEFA Europa League 2025-26: Schedule and Preview
