| Dates: 4-8 January Coverage: Watch four live games including Middlesbrough v Aston Villa (17:30 GMT kick-off) live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app on Saturday, 6 January, and Arsenal v Liverpool (16:30 kick-off) live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app on Sunday, 7 January. |
One of the most eagerly awaited events of the football calendar takes place over the next few days when lower league teams dream of causing an upset in the third round of the FA Cup.
There are 32 ties spread over five days, including League Two Gillingham at home to Premier League strugglers Sheffield United and League One Wigan Athletic hosting 12-time winners Manchester United.
Four non-league teams remain, including National League leaders Chesterfield, who are at Championship side Watford.
Maidstone United, from the sixth tier and the lowest ranked side left, are home to Stevenage from three leagues above.
There are four live games across BBC platforms, including Sunday’s heavyweight all-Premier League clash on BBC One between record 14-time winners Arsenal and eight-time winners Liverpool (16:30 GMT kick-off).
Championship club Middlesbrough’s home tie with Aston Villa on Saturday (17:30) is also on BBC One.
A further two ties are live on the iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport website and app, with eight-time winners Chelsea hosting Preston on Saturday (17:30) and holders Manchester City welcoming Huddersfield to Etihad Stadium on Sunday (14:00).
FA Cup third round live televised games (all times GMT)
Thursday, 4 January
Crystal Palace v Everton, 20:00 – live on ITV4, ITV X
Friday, 5 January
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley, 20:00 – live on ITV1, ITV X
Saturday, 6 January
Sunderland v Newcastle United, 12:45 – live on ITV1, ITV X
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, 17:30 – live on BBC One, iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app.
Chelsea v Preston North End, 17:30 – live on iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport website & app.
Sunday, 7 January
Manchester City v Huddersfield Town, 14:00 – live on iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport website & app.
Shrewsbury Town v Wrexham, 14:00 – live on S4C.
Arsenal v Liverpool, 16:30 – live on BBC One, iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app.
Monday, 8 January
Wigan Athletic v Manchester United, 20:15 – live on ITV1, ITV X
Who are the non-league clubs left?
Maidstone United (H v Stevenage – Saturday, 12:30 GMT)
While teams from the Premier League and Championship enter at this stage, Maidstone’s FA Cup adventure started in September. The Kent non-league side have battled through five rounds to reach this stage.
Managed by former Wolves defender George Elokobi, the Stones are fourth in National League South. They defeated high-flying League Two side Barrow in the last round.
Eastleigh (A v Newport County – Saturday, 15:00)
Eastleigh, 11th in the National League, are one win from reaching the fourth round for the first time. In-form forward Paul McCallum, who has scored 22 National League goals this season, was on target twice, including a last-gasp winner, as they knocked League One Reading out in the last round.
Chesterfield (A v Watford – Saturday, 15:00)
This is the third successive season Chesterfield have appeared in the third round. A trip to Championship side Watford will not worry the National League leaders who have already knocked out League One clubs Portsmouth and Leyton Orient.
Aldershot Town (A v West Brom – Sunday, 14:00)
National League Aldershot have already won away at League Two clubs Swindon and Stockport to reach the third round for the first time since 2013. The Shots are managed by Tommy Widdrington, who played in the Premier League for Southampton.
Where will the shocks be?
Last season non-league Wrexham stuck four past Championship club Coventry, League Two Stevenage won at Aston Villa and Newcastle were knocked out at League One Sheffield Wednesday.
Where will the third-round shocks be this time?
Gillingham, 10th in League Two, will cause a huge upset in Kent if they can see off Sheffield United, who have spent most of the season propping up the Premier League.
It’s not long ago since Wigan against Manchester United was a regular fixture in the Premier League calendar. The Latics have bounced between the Championship and League One since dropping out of the top flight in 2013. Will the League One team shock the 12-time winners who have had a less than satisfactory first half of the season?
Nine Premier League clubs fell at the first hurdle last season. At least four will go out this weekend because there are four all-Premier League ties.
Will Newcastle (v Sunderland), Brighton (v Stoke), Bournemouth (v QPR) and Aston Villa ( v Middlesbrough) negotiate tricky away ties against Championship opposition?
League One clubs Bolton and Blackpool both have a chance to make headlines at Premier League Luton and Nottingham Forest respectively. Other teams hoping to cause a stir include Championship strugglers Rotherham (away at Fulham) and Preston (away at Chelsea).
Follow on the BBC
As well as four live games to watch, there are 12 FA Cup commentaries across BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra (all times GMT).
Thursday, 4 January
Crystal Palace v Everton – Jonathan Pearce and Mark Schwarzer on 5 Live 20:00
Friday, 5 January
Fulham v Rotherham on 5 Live Sports Extra 19:30
Tottenham v Burnley – Conor McNamara and Clinton Morrison on 5 Live 20:00
Saturday, 6 January
Millwall v Leicester City on 5 Live Sports Extra 12:30
Sunderland v Newcastle – John Murray and Pat Nevin on 5 Live 12:45
Gillingham v Sheffield United – Ian Dennis and Nathan Jones on 5 Live 15:00
Southampton v Walsall on 5 Live Sports Extra 15:00
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa – Vicki Sparks and Neil Lennon on 5 Live 17:30
Chelsea v Preston on 5 Live Sports Extra 17:30
Sunday, 11 January
Peterborough v Leeds – Alistair Bruce-Ball and Paul Robinson on 5 Live 14:00
Luton v Bolton on 5 Live Sports Extra 14:00
Monday, 12 January
Wigan v Manchester United on 5 Live 20:15
In addition, Football Focus (BBC One on Saturday from 11:30) will look ahead to the weekend’s ties with former England midfielder Fara Williams and ex-Brighton forward Glenn Murray.
Final Score (BBC One, 16:00) will have all the latest from Saturday’s ties before switching to BBC Two at 17:10 for reaction from the day’s action.
There is a Match of the Day highlights show on both Saturday and Sunday on BBC One at 22:30.
