There is nothing like F.A Cup third round weekend. True, due to modern TV deals and the priorities of the top clubs being elsewhere, some of the sparkle of this great cup competition has gone. However, as the supporter of a lower league club, making the third round and having the possibility of drawing one of the giants still stirs the emotions.
Fans of Accrington Stanley and Morecambe, who face Liverpool and Chelsea respectively this weekend, will no doubt be buzzing with excitement.
Let’s take a look at some games and see if we think there will be any shocks this weekend.
Saturday 11th January
Exeter vs 
Oxford
On the surface, this all league 1 clash doesn’t look the most glamorous, but it also presents a great chance for both of these clubs to progress to the next round and hopefully draw one of the big guns. Exeter are usually dependable at home, but have been out of sorts recently. Meanwhile, a rejuvenated Oxford will be making the long trip down to Devon in great sprits. Gary Rowett has made an instant impression since replacing Des Buckingham and he will be hoping for more of the same here.
Despite Oxford’s very good start under Rowett, I am backing Exeter to win at home.
Exeter to win outright @ 13/8
Norwich vs 
Brighton
This is a traditional tie in the sense of there is a clear underdog in Norwich, from a division lower taking on Brighton who have been one of the most impressive teams in the Premier League in recent years. Norwich, of course, have been in the PL fairly recently themselves, and are seeking to return there this year. Brighton are going well under new manager Fabian Hürzeler and will think they are primed for a cup run. Despite all of their achievements recently in qualifying for Europe, a cup win would delight the Brighton faithful, but this is a tough tie.
I don’t think it will be a walkover, but I expect Brighton’s class to tell in the end.
Brighton to win outright @ 8/15
Bournemouth vs 
West Brom
Bournemouth have been flying this season, playing lovely football but also producing the results to go along with it. On the face of it, this appears like a straightforward home win, but not so fast. As mentioned in the intro, a lot of clubs now see that as a distraction, sad but true. Although a club like Bournemouth would seem really primed for a cup run, it is just as likely manager Iraola would rather focus on Europe and put out a weakened team. Of course, West Brom have their own aims of promotion, so it will be interesting to see the strength of both teams in this one.
I am going for a shock here, although the team news an hour before the game will say a lot!
West Brom to win outright @ 4/1
F.A Cup Acca
The FA Cup may have diminished in importance, but we love it. If you think there will be lots of shocks, you can always try out our accumulator calculator to find a combination that suits you. If you do find one, get it on the socials and share on our Twitter handle.
