Here is our 2018-19 FA Cup 5th round preview where the competition still has some of the magic left, as most of the big teams have been booted out already.
The FA Cup 5th Round has a great mix of teams, with a few left from Leagues One or Two, half a dozen Championship sides, and seven Premier League sides.
That seven will be at least six in the final eight, as Chelsea take on Manchester United.
Once again Australia doesn’t get to see any of it. Arseholes, anyone involved in that decision.
We have the full 2018-19 FA Cup 5th round Preview with fixtures, barely interesting stats, and a bold prediction for all of the games. Not just those involving Premier League sides like other inferior efforts.
So enjoy our 2018-19 FA Cup 5th round Preview.
2018-19 FA Cup 5th Round Preview – Barely Interesting Draw Facts
- There is still one fourth tier team left – Newport County, who have knocked out Premier League Leicester and Championship side Middlesbrough.
- There are two League One teams left, one of them is AFC Wimbledon are dead last in the third division.
- The games closest in over Football League position is Chelsea v Man Utd (2 places) and Swansea v Brentford (3). The longest gap is obviously Newport v Man City (82 places) then Doncaster v Crystal Palace (37).
- The game which has the lowest average current league position between the teams is Chelsea v Man Utd (Avg 5th) and Bristol City v Wolves (6). The biggest average of current league position is between last placed AFC Wimbledon and fourth last Millwall.
- There’s a guaranteed two places for non Premier League sides in the next. Both will probably end up playing Man City and the winner of Man Utd/Chelsea.
- It is the fewest EPL sides in the FA Cup 6th Round in a decade with seven. Happily for those wanting a potential different winner, it is likely to have just two of the top 6 sides left after FA Cup 5th Round is completed.
- Here is the full break down of the last decade.
| Year | EPL | Champ | L1 | L2 | NL |
| 2019 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 4 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | 10 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2014 | 10 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 10 | 6 |
2018-19 FA Cup 5th round Preview – Match by Match
FRIDAY- Kick Off 7:45pm UK
QPR v WATFORD
H2H All: QPR 49 Draw 30 Watford 32
H2H FA Cup: Watford 1 QPR 0
Last Round: QPR 2 Portsmouth 0 (Replay) – Newcastle 0 Watford 2
Preview: A nice London derby to kick off the FA Cup 5th round, and it should be keenly contested, and certainly something both teams should take seriously.
Watford are already 8th, and almost at the stage of having enough points to stay up for another season. Another journey to the semi final like in 2016 will go nicely then. 1997 was the last time QPR were at this stage.
QPR have lost their five five league games in a row, conceding 13 goals in the process, so their recent form and lowly 18th place won’t scare Watford at all. Watford have only lost one of the previous seven, and we predict a typical old school Championship performance from Troy Deeney who is due a big game.
Barely Interesting Fact: Troy Deeney scored a goal every second game in his Championship stint with Watford. The game could be a sell out.
Prediction: WATFORD to beat QPR (3-0)
SATURDAY – Kick Off 12:30pm UK
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION v DERBY COUNTY
H2H All: Brighton 15 Draw 7 Derby 20
H2H FA Cup: Brighton 1 Derby 2
Last Round: West Brom 1 Brighton 3 (Replay) – Accrington 0 Derby 1
Preview: Two teams with bigger concerns we think, but that probably won’t stop Derby County (no – it is not always Frank Lampard’s Derby County) from having real go at Brighton.
Brighton are now just three points above relegation, and their enviable home record is starting to evaporate with two losses from three in the league. Survival, and the money that goes with it will be priority.
That EPL money will also be a priority for Derby County, as they sneak level on points with 6th place Middlesbrough, and the play off places are within reach. Still won’t hurt them to take this competition seriously, and they have been quite competitive with the big EPL in Cups this season. Knocking out Man Utd from the League Cup, and pushing Chelsea in the same competition.
Barely Interesting Fact: Brighton are unbeaten in five games against Derby. (2W 3D)
Prediction: DRAW 1-1 + DERBY to beat Brighton in replay.
SATURDAY – Kick Off 3pm UK
AFC WIMBLEDON v MILLWALL
H2H All: Wimb’don 0 Draw 2 Millwall 2
H2H FA Cup: Millwall 1 Wimb’don 0
Last Round: Wimbledon 4 West Ham 1 – Millwall 3 Everton 2
Preview: The second of two all London derbies, this one south of the river, and with some real working class clubs.
Both of these sides had wins over Premier League sides last time out, Millwall’s a little controversial over one of the goals. AFC Wimbledon couldn’t have more impressive winning 4-2 over West Ham, a match that belies their dead last position in League one.
Happily this clash means another non Premier League side will make a quarter final appearance.
Barely Interesting Fact: The last season these two teams played in the same division, both games ended up in a draw.
Prediction: AFC WIMBLEDON to win (2-1)
SATURDAY – Kick Off 5:30pm UK
NEWPORT COUNTY v MANCHESTER CITY
H2H All: N/A
H2H FA Cup: N/A
Last Round: Newport 2 M’brough 0 (Replay) – Man City 5 Burnley 0
Preview: Newport County account for another big name, recent former Premier League club Middlesbrough, after knocking out Leicester in the third round. They also pushed Spurs to a replay lin last season’s FA Cup, so it may not be as one sided as people would think.
Except it is Manchester City, no ordinary Premier League side, who have really destroyed teams in the Cup this year. In fact they have scored 28 goals in seven cup games this season. Their FA Cup record this season stands at two wins – 12 goals scored – 0 conceded.
Barely Interesting Fact: Newport haven’t lost against higher placed opposition at home in the FA Cup or the last two seasons. (Incl this one)
Prediction: MAN CITY to win (2-0)
SUNDAY – Kick Off 1pm UK
BRISTOL CITY v WOLVES
H2H All: Bristol 15 Draw 16 Wolves 34
H2H FA Cup: Wolves 1 Bristol C 0
Last Round: Bristol C 2 Bolton 1 – Wolves 3 Shrewsbury 2 (Replay)
Preview: This is really a competition Wolves should be going all out for. With very teams looking like they can sustain a challenge for the Everton Cup of 7th place in the Premier League, they can afford to have a real go at the competition, starting with this weekend’s FA Cup 5th Round clash with Bristol City.
Wolves have only made it this far in the FA Cup twice since featuring in a Quarter Final in 2003. If they can win this game and avoid the other two big guns of Chelsea/Man Utd and unfairly presuming Man City will win. Bristol City made it to the League semi final last season, but they haven’t been this high in the FA Cup since 2001.
Perhaps Bristol City will have their eye on the league, as they sit in the top six for now, so the chances for a big EPL payday are going to far out-weigh a cup run. But as the girl in the Old El Paso commercial say – why can’t they have both.
Barely Interesting Fact: 9/10 Meetings between these sides has seen three goals or more.
Prediction: DRAW 1-1 + Wolves to win replay.
SUNDAY – Kick Off 4pm UK
DONCASTER ROVERS v CRYSTAL PALACE
H2H All: Doncaster 5 Draw 3 C Palace 8
H2H FA Cup: N/A
Last Round: Doncaster 2 Oldham 1 – Crystal Palace 2 Spurs 0
Preview: Crystal Palace meet a team two divisions below them, and they will want to be at their best, as Doncaster come into the FA Cup 5th Round clash on the back of being unbeaten in eight game at home, six of them are wins. But crystal Palace have recently been super successful on the road, beating Man City and Wolves, and pushing Liverpool 4-3 at Anfield. Their 1-1 draw with Southampton was a little more underwhelming.
Doncaster last made it this far in the FA Cup in 1956, which was the last of three consecutive seasons. Crystal Palace have only made it to the FA Cup 5th Round and beyond four times this century, but they did make the final thee seasons ago.
Crystal Palace seemed to have turned the corner form wise for the moment. A few months ago you could say this was an excellent chance at an upset.
Barely Interesting Fact: Crystal Palace last beat Doncaster away in 1960, when they were both in the fourth division.
Prediction: CRYSTAL PALACE to win (3-1)
SUNDAY – Kick Off 4pm UK
SWANSEA v BRENTFORD
H2H All: Swansea 31 Draw 22 Brentford 28
H2H FA Cup: Swansea 1 Draw 1 Brentford 0
Last Round: Swansea 4 Gillingham 1 – Brentford 3 Barnet 1 (Replay)
Preview: An all Championship clash, which is great as is ensure one second tier team will make the last eight. Swansea have made it this far three times in the previous ten FA Cups, last season they made it to the FA Cup 6th round. Brentford last made this stage of the competition in 2006, the second consecutive season the Bees did it from the third tier.
Brentford have just one win and one clean sheet away in the Championship this year. Swansea’s home form is good but not great. They have only failed to score three times at home this season, but have only won 7/16. Pity Brentford aren’t laying at home, as they have the equal best goal difference at home.
Barely Interesting Fact: Swansea are undefeated against Brentford in their last 7 matches. (6W 1D). Swansea have scored two or more goals in eight of the last ten meetings between these sides.
Prediction: SWANSEA to beat Brentford (2-0)
MONDAY – Kick Off 7:30pm UK
CHELSEA v MANCHESTER UTD
H2H All: Chelsea 53 Draw 54 Man Utd 74
H2H FA Cup: Chelsea 5 Draw 2 Man Utd 8
Last Round: Chelsea 3 Sheffield Wed 0 – Arsenal 1 Man Utd 3
Preview: The big clash of the FA Cup 5th Round gets the premium Monday night night slot. Doesn’t matter what time for Australian fans of course, as we don’t get coverage of any games.
Manchester United have finally lost a game under Ole Gunnar Solskjær after their loss to PSG, so Chelsea is the perfect test to whether the loss was merely a blip or the air is starting to come out of the tyres. We are tipping a narrow Chelsea win, so we think it could be a little more of the latter. Although, in the usual situation of an interim manager, the losses don’t usually come until 2 weeks after they have been signed permanently.
Talking of signing managers permanently, Chelsea boss Sarri is under immense pressure. Chelsea did well enough to beat Malmo in the Europa League on Thursday night, but the scars of the Man City thrashing will still be there. A win against Man Utd will be a good response, and winning the Europa League might save him. Winning the League Cup in the upcoming game against Man City probably won’t.
Barely Interesting Fact: Four of the last five FA Cup clashes between these sides has ended 1-0 to Chelsea.
Prediction: CHELSEA to beat Man Utd (1-0)
