FA Cup third-round storylines: Premier League clubs enter competition looking to avoid upsets as road to Wembley heats up

But what are the main storylines heading into this weekend’s action?

Can Manchester United finally look forward despite a chaotic few days which saw Ruben Amorim depart the club? Will Liam Rosenior enjoy the perfect start to his Chelsea tenure? Can Macclesfield stun holders Crystal Palace?

TNT Sports looks ahead to the best of the FA Cup third-round action.

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Can Man Utd get back on track?

It is a question that the club’s fanbase has been asking for a while and yet there are no clear-cut answers.

‘I’m not here to argue’ – Best of Ref Cam from Amorim’s final game at Man Utd

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With the Premier League title out of reach once again and United still reeling from the embarrassment of losing to fourth-tier side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup at the start of the season, the FA Cup remains their only chance at silverware.

During Solskjaer’s previous four-year tenure at the club as manager, he led United to an FA Cup semi-final but could not find a way past Frank Lampard’s Chelsea.

The Norwegian appears favourite for a shock return and United fans will be hoping that he can go further and get the club over the line in a Wembley final.

Last chance saloon for Slot?

What a difference a year makes for Arne Slot and Liverpool.

Last season, The Reds headed into their third-round tie with a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, a spot in the Carabao Cup final in the bag and sealed first place in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.

That might have been one of the reasons why Slot decided to rotate his team for their trip to Plymouth Argyle, but the decision backfired and Liverpool were dumped out in one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history.

Given Liverpool’s inconsistent form this term, there is little chance of Slot making wholesale changes with the FA Cup presenting the club’s only realistic chance of winning silverware.

Liverpool’s form has improved following a damaging start to the campaign, and they will head into the cup tie in the Champions League spots, but Slot can ill-afford to take the competition lightly.

Can history repeat itself?

How will Rosenior fare on Chelsea bow?

Chelsea decide to sack their manager during the season and end up winning the FA Cup… sound familiar?

The Blues parted ways with Luiz Felipe Scolari (2009) and Andre Villas-Boas (2012) and enjoyed glory at Wembley at the end of those seasons.

Although the Italian left the club under a dark cloud, he will be remembered for bringing trophies back to Stamford Bridge after winning the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup last season.

Can Rosenior enjoy as much success as his predecessor?

History suggests that Rosenior will get off to the perfect start as Chelsea have come away victorious from their previous FA Cup ties against Charlton with 3-0 wins.

With the likes of Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro in the team, Charlton will need to be at their very best to overcome their London rivals, but the FA Cup is always full of surprises.

Can Macclesfield stun the holders?

Can the non-league side pull off one of the biggest upsets of the round when they host FA Cup holders Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon?

It has been quite a journey for Macclesfield FC this season after they reached this stage of the competition for the first time in their history.

Macclesfield’s players celebrate with ‘the robot’ in the dressing room after win against Slough Town

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The Silkmen – initially called Macclesfield Town – were wound up by the High Court after debts totalled more than £500,000 and returned as Macclesfield FC in 2020.

They face a tough task as Palace have grown into a force under manager Oliver Glasner and The Eagles will be looking to retain their crown for the first time since Arsenal achieved the feat in 2015.

Saturday’s match allows the football community to come together as one to remember McLeod and The Silkmen will do everything in their power to continue his legacy.

Cupsets on the cards?

Could defeat in the FA Cup seal the fate of Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham United?

Queens Park Rangers travel to West Ham and no club have been eliminated from the third round of the FA Cup more often than them since 1925.

QPR have been knocked out at this stage 52 times, but this weekend hands them a chance to put that record behind them and heap more misery on their city neighbours.

Another Premier League side who might suffer a shock are Wolverhampton Wanderers. Rob Edwards’ men sit bottom of the league with a total of seven points and look destined for relegation.

Shrewsbury Town head to Molineux on Saturday and they are also enduring a miserable campaign in League Two, sitting two places off the bottom.

The FA Cup presents both sides with a chance to put their league form behind them and potentially lift their supporters with a much-needed cup run.

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Elsewhere, Manchester City will face Exeter City for the first time. Can the League One team produce one of the biggest shocks in recent times?

Incredibly, Pep Guardiola’s outfit are yet to taste victory in 2026 which has seen them slip further behind Arsenal in the title race after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Brighton.

However, City can bounce back and they have the chance to equal Liverpool’s FA Cup record of 16 consecutive home wins in the competition on Saturday.

Since joining the club in 2016, Guardiola has never tasted defeat in the third round of the FA Cup but as we have seen over the years, anything can happen in this competition.