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Major Blow”- FA has announced major rule change that will result to significant impact to Tottenham and West Ham matches
A number of London clubs will be competing in the third round of the FA Cup when the prestigious tournament resumes in early January.
The round will feature 32 matches, scheduled between January 9 and January 13, with teams from the Premier League and Championship entering the competition. The draw, which took place earlier this month, set up one of the standout fixtures with Arsenal facing Manchester United. Millwall, who hope to have a new manager in place by then, will host Dagenham and Redbridge in the final game of the round.
Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Tamworth, while Chelsea will play at home against Morecambe. West Ham will face an all-Premier League clash away to Aston Villa, and Fulham will meet Watford in one of the opening matches.
Ahead of the third round, the Football Association announced a significant rule change: VAR will not be used in any of the matches. The video technology will only be introduced from the fifth round onwards, ensuring “a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs.” VAR is not available in all stadiums, and in previous years, it has only been used in the third round when the necessary infrastructure is in place.
The FA’s official statement on the decision explained: “VAR will only be used in the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup from the Fifth Round onwards. It has been agreed that VAR will be in operation for all matches from the Fifth Round through to the Final at Wembley, but not for the Third and Fourth Rounds. Previously, VAR has only been used for matches at Wembley Stadium or Premier League grounds due to the required infrastructure, workforce, and costs. This decision ensures a consistent approach for all clubs at the same stage of the competition.”
In response to being drawn against Manchester United, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta commented before their Premier League meeting with the Red Devils: “That’s the nature of the draws—you can get anyone. We’re playing at home, so it’s going to be a big match again. It feels like we often face big teams in the third or fourth round, but we want to repeat what we’ve done historically at this club. Ultimately, to win the competition, you have to beat the big teams. We’re excited.”
Here’s the full draw for the third round:
Southampton v Swansea
Arsenal v Manchester United
Exeter v Oxford
Leyton Orient v Derby
Reading v Burnley
Aston Villa v West Ham
Norwich v Brighton
Manchester City v Salford City
Millwall v Dagenham & Redbridge
Liverpool v Accrington Stanley
Bristol City v Wolves
Preston v Charlton
Chelsea v Morecambe
Middlesbrough v Blackburn
Bournemouth v West Brom
Mansfield v Wigan Athletic
Tamworth v Tottenham
Hull v Doncaster
Sunderland v Stoke
Leicester v QPR
Brentford v Plymouth
Coventry v Sheffield Wednesday
Newcastle v Bromley
Everton v Peterborough
Wycombe v Portsmouth
Birmingham v Lincoln City
Leeds United v Harrogate
Nottingham Forest v Luton
Sheffield United v Cardiff
Ipswich v Bristol Rovers
Fulham v Watford
