FA Cup’s 5th Round Fixtures – Schedule and Predictions
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.
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
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
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.