FA Cup fourth round: Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa and more in action this weekend
The big talking points analysed ahead of the FA Cup fourth round weekend, with 14 Premier League clubs in action; Liam Rosenior takes Chelsea to his former club Hull, while Wrexham host Ipswich on Friday night; Newcastle visit Aston Villa as Liverpool face Brighton on Saturday
Friday 13 February 2026 14:28, UK
Rosenior reunites with high-flying Hull
Hull City vs Chelsea - Friday, 7.45pm
Liam Rosenior returns to his former club in a job that would have been beyond his wildest dreams after Hull City sacked him when they missed out on the Championship play-offs in 2024.
Rosenior was in charge for 18 months in his first permanent head coach role after an interim spell at Derby County, and he led Hull to seventh place, their first top-half finish since 2016.
Hull owner and chairman Acun Ilicali said the decision was his most difficult since being at the club, but added "our visions for the future are not aligned". Tim Walter and Ruben Selles have both been sacked by Ilicali since, but Sergej Jakirovic has put them back in the promotion mix.
Chelsea swept past Charlton in Rosenior's first game in the previous round, although Hull are likely to pose a much stiffer test with the Championship's second-top scorer Oli McBurnie up front.
Rosenior disappointed Chelsea supporters in losing to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-finals and, at a club that is built on winning trophies, he cannot afford to slip up here.
David Richardson
Stick or twist for Championship promotion contenders
Wrexham vs Ipswich - Friday, 7.45pm
It is around that time of the season when Championship clubs have to pick their battles.
Wrexham are currently lying in sixth place in the table, occupying the final play-off spot. But to give you some idea of the race in store, they are one point closer to Swansea in 15th than they are to Millwall above them in fifth. So what do Wrexham do?
With a pretty useful squad at his disposal, Phil Parkinson is in a position to make changes. A club that thrives off exposure has a brilliant chance here to progress further in the FA Cup, but they also travel to Bristol City next Tuesday night, who are just a point below them in the Championship.
Ipswich are in a similar boat. They find themselves five points adrift of Coventry in second, but with a game in hand. They have, however, struggled a little with momentum all season - consistently failing to build on positive performances to string a run of wins together.
A win here could really kick them on into their next league game, which is, ironically, a trip back to North Wales to face Wrexham again the following Saturday.
This could be the chance for both to lay down a real marker.
Simeon Gholam
West Ham need to keep momentum going
Burton Albion vs West Ham - Saturday, 12.15pm
West Ham have given themselves a fighting chance of Premier League survival in recent weeks.
The Hammers have suffered just one defeat in their last five league games since an extra-time victory over QPR in the third round of the FA Cup.
Staying in the top-flight will be Nuno Espirito Santo's priority. He has already admitted that in this game he will give minutes to players in his squad that haven't featured regularly so far this season.
However, the win over QPR in the last round helped be the springboard to improved results in the league, and that should be remembered when the Hammers travel to Burton.
West Ham have built up a head of steam, and they should guard against any complacency at Burton. Defeat to the League One side could kill the momentum and feel-good factor around Espirito Santo's side at the moment.
Oliver Yew
Burnley in need of cup boost
Burnley vs Mansfield Town - Saturday, 3pm
Burnley secured their first win in the Premier League since October against Crystal Palace on Wednesday and so will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories this weekend against Mansfield.
The FA Cup is by no means the priority for Scott Parker's side, but iron sharpens iron and building confidence is never a bad thing - especially when battling for survival in the top flight.
A dominant 5-1 win against Millwall in the last round of the FA Cup sparked defiant draws against Liverpool at Anfield and Tottenham in the following two games.
With a trip to Chelsea and then hosting Brentford after that, a positive result on Valentine's Day could be a well-needed boost for the Clarets.
Patrick Rowe
Haaland likely to be rested as Pep balances demand
Man City vs Salford City - Saturday, 3pm
Pep Guardiola will be mightily relieved that the FA Cup draw gods have been kind to his plight.
A meeting with fourth-tier neighbours Salford City at home should be relatively easy to take care of without needing to use his big hitters. That is no disrespect to Salford, but a 72-place difference in the pyramid suggests there will be a significant gulf in quality, even if Pep relies on his second string to get the job done.
Erling Haaland was withdrawn at half-time against Fulham and is in desperate need of a rest, likewise Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly. Haaland and O'Reilly have made the joint-most appearances (37) of any of the City squad, while the striker tops the charts for minutes played.
He will likely be left in reserve this weekend, if in the squad at all. Both Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo can play through the middle.
City put eight past Salford during last year's run to the FA Cup final, and 10 past League One outfit Exeter City in the last round - Haaland actually started that game. This should be another straightforward task accomplished with a generous scoreline and a chance for those with fewer minutes to get a run, although don't expect wholesale changes... Pep does not like to leave things to chance.
Laura Hunter
Where will priorities lie for Villa and Newcastle?
Aston Villa vs Newcastle - Saturday, 5.45pm
This is a difficult fixture for both teams to navigate given their current injury struggles and priorities for the season.
For Unai Emery's side, the priorities clearly lie within the Premier League, with full focus on the race for Champions League football. A win in midweek against Brighton has created some breathing room to Liverpool in sixth, an eight-point gap to be exact, but one eye for the Villa boss will always be on the league.
Injuries to John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and most recently Matty Cash make rotation difficult. You should expect to see some unfamiliar faces on display for this one.
As for Newcastle, a rare win on the road against Tottenham last time out snapped their winless run and quietened the noise surrounding Eddie Howe's future in the process.
The Magpies still have hopes of sneaking into the European football places in the league and after seeing the quest to defend their Carabao Cup title fall short at the semi-final stage, the FA Cup marks their best opportunity to add to the trophy cabinet.
Injuries continue to plague Newcastle but with Yoane Wissa, Sandro Tonali and Nick Woltemade all benched for the win against Spurs, a strong line-up could be fielded by Howe in a bid to build their momentum on the road. But travelling to Villa is never easy.
Nevertheless, this fixture never disappoints. Regardless of connotations, expect a thrilling game from two sides that never like to be on the receiving end of a loss to one another.
Patrick Rowe
A meeting of two managers in need of a lift
Liverpool vs Brighton - Saturday, 8pm
By Arne Slot's own admission, this season has not gone to plan for Liverpool. They edged past Sunderland in the week thanks to Virgil van Dijk's header from a set-piece to move two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea, but that is a far cry from the expectation of champions. So, bounty must be found elsewhere and the FA Cup offers Slot an opportunity.
Liverpool have found performances away from the pressures of their title defence easier to come by so far. They have been strong in Europe and Slot must know that for his side to stay relevant, he must attempt to go deep in both of the remaining cup competitions. It might only paper over the cracks but he cannot afford for this season to drift into nothingness. Not this early anyway.
As for Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler is in even deeper trouble than the Dutchman. The clamour for change is growing on the south coast after another midweek defeat to Aston Villa left them only seven points above the relegation zone.
Hurzeler is running out of time. But Brighton did knock Manchester United out of the FA Cup to set up this tie and another big scalp should help win back some support. Lose, though, and the writing is surely on the wall.
Laura Hunter
Leeds mustn't be complacent ahead of Birmingham test
Birmingham City vs Leeds United - Sunday, 12pm
Leeds have enjoyed an impressive recent spell but with attention turning back to the FA Cup, Daniel Farke's side will have to be wary of the Birmingham challenge ahead.
Form suggests that Farke's Leeds have finally cracked the code and adapted to the top flight. After 100 points in the Championship last season, there were question marks as to whether Farke was the right man to oversee a Premier League return.
Despite a difficult start, a run of just two losses in 13 games and a six-point buffer on the drop zone with 12 games to go would suggest the transition has been a positive one.
However, with the FA Cup offering an opportunity for Farke's side to continue the good feeling at Elland Road, they'll have to beat a Birmingham side that is also in strong form.
The Blues are unbeaten in their last eight matches and sit 10th in the Championship. Leeds, who have been drawn away from home in 37 of their 47 FA Cup ties since 2000, fell behind at Derby County before going on to win 3-1.
Ben Brereton Diaz's opener at Pride Park was a reminder that, as they are now a Premier League outfit, away from home, there's an added potential of a scalp.
William Bitibiri
Wolves face classic cup test at Grimsby
Grimsby Town vs Wolves - Sunday, 1.30pm
The last thing rock-bottom Wolves needed was a tricky FA Cup tie on a mud-bath pitch, but that is what awaits them against giant-killers Grimsby Town at Blundell Park.
The League Two side famously knocked out Ruben Amorim's Man Utd and the Championship's Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup earlier this season, while they've professionally seen off three non-League sides to reach this stage of the FA Cup.
The Mariners are also mounting a promotion push in League Two, unbeaten in their last nine games, winning six, which has seen them reach the cusp of the play-offs after a gritty midweek win over Accrington that left their pitch in a desperate state.
The FA Cup is all that doomed Wolves have left to play for as they look to replicate Wigan's unlikely success in 2013 when they triumphed at Wembley over Man City but were also relegated from the Premier League.
They have at least shown they can avoid a cup upset by thrashing Shrewsbury Town in the previous round. Can they do it on a cold, wet and muddy Sunday afternoon in Grimsby?
David Richardson
Sunderland can end 11-year wait for fifth round appearance
Oxford United vs Sunderland - Sunday, 2pm
The last time these two sides met was at the Kassam Stadium, where it was Oxford United who beat Sunderland 2-0 on the day.
A lot has happened since, with Sunderland, eventual Championship play-off winners, now all but safe in the Premier League, while Oxford languish within the relegation zone in England's second tier.
Regis Le Bris and his Black Cats will be hoping to make more history by progressing past Oxford to earn a first appearance in the fifth round for 11 years.
Despite their formidable home run of unbeaten games coming to an end against Liverpool on Wednesday, Sunderland will be keen to bounce back with a win.
After a 3-0 loss to Norwich on their patch, there will be a feeling that Oxford may not pose as big as an obstacle as the U's would hope. However, it is the FA Cup after all.
William Bitibiri
Potteries trip massive in context of Fulham's season
Stoke City vs Fulham - Sunday, 2pm
Fulham's awkward-looking trip to the Potteries to take on Stoke City on Sunday afternoon is massive in the context of their season.
The Cottagers were flying high in the Premier League after winning every top-flight game in November, only to then hit the buffers either side of the new year, including exiting the Carabao Cup after a narrow loss at Newcastle in the quarter-finals.
Which leaves the FA Cup as the sole remaining chance this season for the west London club to get their hands on a major trophy for first time ever, although a bouncing Bet365 Stadium on a wet February afternoon will be no easy challenge for Marco Silva and his player's.
Overcome it, however, against a Stoke side who have also recently been off the pace in the Championship of late, and without a win since edging Coventry City in the third round on January 10, would stop Fulham's season from petering out and keep alive hopes of silverware at last.
Rich Morgan
Arsenal need Jesus to fire in FA Cup reset
Arsenal vs Wigan Athletic - Sunday, 4.30pm
For Arsenal, the FA Cup weekend comes at a good time. After a tough week in the title race, during which they watched Manchester City came from behind to beat Liverpool, lost Kai Havertz to injury, and dropped points at Brentford, they have a chance to reset.
The injury to Havertz is not thought to be long-term but, in the short term, it heightens the need for other players to step up in Mikel Arteta's forward line. Sunday's game against Wigan might be an opportunity for Gabriel Jesus to build form and fitness.
The 28-year-old has impressed in patches since his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in December, contributing four goals and one assist in just 560 minutes of action. But can he find the rhythm and consistency Arsenal need for the run-in?
Viktor Gyokeres was favoured against Brentford, with Jesus an unused substitute in a game defined by long balls and set-pieces. But with Mikel Merino unavailable as well as Havertz, a positive showing from the 28-year-old against Wigan could benefit everyone.
Jesus needs minutes. Gyokeres needs the competition. And, after a difficult week, Arsenal need a player to step up and provide some attacking spark. Jesus, a menace to any defence at his free-wheeling best, is more than capable of making a difference.
Nick Wright
Macc attack gunning for another upset
Macclesfield vs Brentford - Monday, 7.30pm
Macclesfield can't do it again, can they? This year's FA Cup darlings are on the hunt for another giant-killing - and they're in red-hot form.
The Silkmen stunned holders Crystal Palace on their 3G pitch early last month and haven't looked back. John Rooney, brother of Wayne, has overseen six wins from their last seven league games to power into the National League North play-off race.
They've scored a staggering 22 goals during this spell, with forward D'Mani Mellor netting seven of them and Macclesfield have continued their excellent home record, having taken 33 points from 16 games.
Brentford are humble enough and surely wise enough, under Keith Andrews, not to take them lightly. Palace rotated their team and were embarrassed by a side 117 league places below them.
There are 114 clubs between these two now but, on a Monday night in Macclesfield, that gap could feel a whole lot smaller.
David Richardson
