FA Cup Fourth Round: 10 Unmissable Storylines to Watch This Weekend

By Christian Amegbor
Feb Fri, 2026
in Sports

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1. ROSENIOR SEEKS CONSISTENCY

Chelsea have lost two games in a row since Liam Rosenior was appointed manager last month. A late suspension has cost them their chances.

They have continued to win against Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wolves, and Leeds, but have conceded too many goals. Inexperience was the reason for their defeat at Leeds on Tuesday.

Rosenior has struggled since then and is looking to get back to playing regularly. Chelsea travel to Rosenior's former club Hull on Friday night. They will certainly face their Championship rivals, but their form will be crucial. It is time for them to get serious.

2. HAMMERS SEEK MORE CONFIDENCE

West Ham's third-round win over QPR has given them a boost. The FA Cup has not been a priority this season, but it has given Nuno Espírito Santo's side a boost in their bid to stay top of the table.

They have taken 10 points from five league games since beating QPR and are optimistic about their chances of survival ahead of their trip to Burton Albion, who are top of League One.

Nuno could make changes, and Jarrod Bowen looks set to need a break, but he shouldn't see the Cup as the only problem.

3. CAN BURNLEY BEAT WIGAN?

Burnley's unlikely comeback at Crystal Palace would be what many would have expected to give the Clarets the Premier League title. However, this result shows that Scott Parker's side is still competitive.

Think Wigan in 2013, who enjoyed back-to-back FA Cup wins (Bournemouth in League One, Macclesfield, Huddersfield, Millwall) and Everton and Manchester City in the semi-finals and final respectively.

Burnley have already knocked Millwall out of the competition, and should have had enough of Mansfield, so they have overcome that challenge, and the chance of becoming only the second team to win the FA Cup while trying to win it now looks slim.

What's the point of playing if you can't dream big? It's the surest way to keep Burnley's season alive for a while, if nothing else.

4. SAINTS CAN RUB SALT IN LEICESTER'S WOUNDS

Southampton fans will have feared the worst when Leicester scored three goals at half-time on Tuesday night. That 9-0 was not long in coming.

Those worries were put to rest as Tonda Eckert's side, still leading 3-1 with nine minutes of stoppage time, fought back to win 4-3 for the first time in years.

Fortunately, the two sides meet again in the league on Saturday. Saints have made few mistakes under Eckert after their return to fourth place, and while much may depend on whether the injured Ross Stewart can lead the line alongside Cameron Archer, Saints will go into this match full of confidence after the midweek break.

Leicester's FA Cup triumph in 2021 suddenly seems a long time coming. Southampton's triumph in 1976 was their last but not their second to lift the Cup, and their ambition to do so again is stronger than ever at the King Power.

5. SALFORD HOPING TO AVOID ANOTHER PENALTY SHOOTOUT

Thirteen months after Manchester City thrashed them 8-0 in the third round, Salford return to the Etihad Stadium for the fourth round. Karl Robinson is still in charge and his team are sixth in League Two, having lost two of their last three games, having finished eighth last season.

James McAtee, who scored three goals in the league last season, is now at Nottingham Forest. Manchester City started the week with a 2-1 win over Liverpool and a 3-0 win over Fulham.

6. HOWE NEEDS A SOLUTION TO THEIR POOR ATTACKING PLAY

Aston Villa's defensive woes have been a major problem for Newcastle this season. They failed to do so on the opening day of the season at Villa Park, although neither Nick Woltemade nor Yoane Wissa have completed their transfers to the Magpies at this stage.

The two forwards played in the 2-0 defeat to Unai Emery's side last month, with Newcastle's poor form showing signs of things to come.

The defeat began a five-match winless run in all competitions, with Tottenham ending their winning streak in midweek; Eddie Howe's side started with Woltemade and Wissa on the bench, preferring Anthony Gordon as a comfortable midfielder.

It is still unclear whether any of the players, who were signed for a combined fee of £125m in the summer, will be able to play in the competition.

7. SLOT WON'T DO HÜRZELER JUSTICE

Brighton fans have been dealt a huge blow, for better or worse, by their decision to broadcast their trip to Liverpool on TNT Sports at 8 pm on Saturday.

After one win in 13 league games, an 86th-minute penalty at Aston Villa on Wednesday, and amid Fabian Hürzeler's disapproval, a fresh headache will be looming at home from Anfield, especially if the game goes to extra time and penalties.

What will give them some comfort is a repeat of their third-round win over Manchester United in any competition at Brighton and a game that will give them confidence that they can cope with the uncertainty.

He shouldn't expect anything from Arne Slot's selection of players. With Liverpool out of the Champions League and struggling to qualify for it, the importance of this season's FA Cup is not lost on the manager. Slot needs his team to build on their midweek win at Sunderland.

8. BUOYANT BLUES SMELL UPSET CHANCE

The face that looks set to be the favourite at St Andrew's on Sunday. Birmingham chairman Tom Wagner recently suffered a stroke, and while the 56-year-old American financier is said to be making a good recovery in hospital, it is not expected to be for long.

Wagner, who takes over in 2023, will miss what will be a fine display of Birmingham's strength. The Blues are enjoying a Champions League triumph under experienced manager Chris Davies, just one point off the play-off places.

Leeds are reluctant to back down from their promotion bid, and despite the Premier League's impressive form, Daniel Farke may have mixed feelings about extending the season. It would be no surprise if Dominic Calvert-Lewin is rested, and it would be a bad bet on a minor injury.

9. SUNDERLAND WILL LOOK TO SHAKE UP THEIR SQUAD

With the hosts in the relegation zone and Sunderland confident of Premier League survival, they will be delighted to have Régis Le Bris.

A trip to Wembley will also give the Sunderland boss the chance to give the likes of Melker Ellborg, Luke O’Nien, Lutsharel Geertruida, and Chris Rigg a chance to start.

It will be a treat for visiting fans to see Ellborg, who recently arrived from Malmö to become Robin Roefs’ new goalkeeper, while Nordi Mukiele and Enzo Le Fée will be given a rest. Rigg’s career has been in the spotlight since the academy graduate was hailed as one of the best midfielders in Europe.

He is still only 18, but perhaps like everyone else, Rigg will benefit from a first-team debut. O’Nien is currently the club’s captain and shone in the third round against Everton.

10. LEWIS-SKELLY WANTS TO PLAY IN A DIFFICULT MIDFIELD

The depth of his squad this season has allowed Mikel Arteta to deploy different players in different positions as Arsenal look to balance the demands of four clubs in mid-February.

But with Mikel Merino out of the Marseille squad and Ethan Nwaneri out of the squad, Arsenal are short of options in midfield.

Could this clash with Wigan be an opportunity for Myles Lewis-Skelly to play in his preferred position last season on the left wing, but he is behind Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié in the squad this season and is unlikely to feature in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad as a result.

Lewis-Skelly has established himself as a dynamic midfielder through Arsenal's academy, and his strength suggests he could flourish as a Declan Rice-like midfielder against League One opponents.