FA Cup 3rd Round Draw Unveiled – Gurgler Analysis

The greatest round of the greatest annual sporting competition according to us – The FA Cup 3rd Round Draw – has been done and we can’t wait.

The FA Cup 3rd Round draw sees the big clubs from the EPL, and the wannabe big clubs from the Championship join the battlers from League One, Two and below.

Each year the FA Cup 3rd Round Draw is circled as we finally see all the potential upsets, or Cupsets as we call them to be lame..

You see, this stage of the FA Cup is where months of dedicated following Championship and the rest of the Football League can pay big dividends. Others ignore the Football League at their peril believing English Football starts and end after the 20 teams of the top flight. Their loss as it can be almost guaranteed of an upset or two. We think can pick at least a couple of them. We’ve done OK in the previous rounds.

So below we have our thoughts on the pick of the games, and potential upsets.

GAMES OF INTEREST

MANCHESTER UNITED v READING – no matter who Manchester United drew they would have been playing one of the TV games as the BBC get their fix whilst they have the coverage. But given Manchester United’s less than impressive home form (just 10 points in 7 games) and Reading’s strong form in the Championship, an EPL win may not be a formality it seems on paper. $5.00 for the draw seems delicious odds. IBF would agree.

LIVERPOOL v PLYMOUTH ARGYLE OR NEWPORT

High flying Liverpool welcome a team from the fourth division which hasn’t been decided yet. Both clubs could do with the money. Plymouth are currently third in the fourth division and could use the money to top up and get into the third tier. For fan owned Newport they could survive for a year with the gate receipts. And being dead last in the fourth division will mean any good result will be most welcome. Liverpool are going well though, and are our tips to win the entire comp.

IPSWICH TOWN v LINCOLN

Probably not the most exciting match up for neutrals, but as an Ipswich Town fan it represents the final straw for 2016. If Ipswich can’t beat Lincoln, then I’m afraid that they are no longer mediocre but just awful. And we’ll give them a miss for the rest of the season.

SUTTON UNITED v AFC WIMBLEDON

Two giant killing teams from the 80’s. Sutton United beat then recent FA Cup winners Coventry City in 1989. That made them the last Non League side to beat a then EPL side until 2014. The old Wimbledon upset Liverpool to win the 1988 FA Cup. Whilst that was the old Wimbledon, the new Wimbledon started off at the bottom and has now made extraordinary progress to be in the third tier with 15 years. 

PRESTON v ARSENAL

A tricky game for Arsenal. They are visiting a team who had two players sent off last weekend for punching each other. Arsenal should win, but should is a dangerous word for Arsenal.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY v LUTON TOWN

Means at least one team from League Two will get to the FA Cup 4th Round.

ALL EPL GAMES – hopefully the TV games will avoid the all EPL clashes you could see every week. The FA Cup 3rd draw is all about teams you rarely see play each other. However there’s no doubt one of the TV games will be one of these, so if it has to be we say West Ham v Manchester City. As long as it isn’t bottom two clubs Swansea v Hull. Disappointing that two prime clubs for EPL upsets will take on each other.

There’s loads more, so check out the full schedule below.

POTENTIAL UPSETS

Here’s a list of potential upsets worth keeping an eye on for value.

EPL

WBA v Derby
Crystal Palace v Bolton
Watford v Burton
Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday

CHAMPIONSHIP

Barrow v Rochdale
Eastleigh v Brentford
Blackpool v Barnsley

FA CUP 3rd ROUND DRAW in FULL

Make your own mind up with a pile of games below.