3 FA Cup matches to watch this weekend
The FA Cup fifth round kicks off Saturday with Hull City's visit to two-time defending champion Arsenal. Here are three marquee matchups to keep an eye on:
Arsenal vs. Hull City (Saturday)
FA Cup victors the last two seasons, Arsenal will be looking to fend off a pesky Hull City side out for revenge after a 3-2 finals defeat courtesy of an Aaron Ramsey injury-time winner in 2014.
Saturday's early fixture will mark the 23rd time the two clubs have met, with the Londoners holding a healthy advantage of 15 wins to Hull's three, with the two sharing the spoils four times. The last time Arsenal lost to the Tigers was a 2-1 Premier League defeat in 2008, with the Gunners claiming wins in nine of the last 10 matches.
Tigers gaffer Steve Bruce's lot enter Saturday's match on a fine run of form, with six wins in its last nine matches, including a spell of five victories on the bounce, where it outscored opponents 13-1.
Even with that run of form, two factors could inhibit Hull's efforts: Leading scorer Chuba Akpom - an Arsenal loanee - is ineligible, and sitting atop the Championship table, Bruce's priority will be promotion to the English top flight and not FA Cup progression. - Michael J. Chandler
Chelsea vs. Manchester City (Sunday)
When Chelsea and Manchester City last took the pitch together, the Premier League season was only two matchdays deep and the former was oblivious to how bad its title defense was about to get. Jose Mourinho was still the Blues' manager, and the Citizens had yet to confirm that Pep Guardiola would be Manuel Pellegrini's replacement. It was, simply put, a very different time.
On Sunday, Chelsea will welcome City in the most highly anticipated tie of the FA Cup's fifth round, knowing that the competition is by far its best chance at any silverware this season. Neither club will be at full strength, however. The Blues will be without John Terry's captaincy due to a hamstring injury, while Pellegrini plans on deploying an experimental starting XI due to the Citizens' own injuries.
Related: Pellegrini confirms weakened Manchester City lineup for Chelsea trip
Expect to see an assortment of players who never stood a chance of featuring for Chelsea or City last summer. - Carlo Campo
Shrewsbury Town vs. Manchester United (Monday)
Shrewsbury Town fans are sure to produce a carnival-like atmosphere on their pre-match walk down Oteley Road on Monday, as they get ready to face Manchester United for the first time in a competitive fixture.
Under the superbly named Micky Mellon, Salop has recorded several notable scalps in both the FA Cup and League Cup, and United's turgid display at FC Midtjylland on Thursday will boost hopes of a historic victory and advancement into the quarterfinals for the third time in its history.
United should be wary of lower-league journeyman Andy Mangan, who has four goals in eight starts since his January move and has admitted to "jumping around the room" with excitement when the tie was drawn.
With Champions League qualification slipping away in the league, Louis van Gaal is sure to give the FA Cup some added respectability, but an injury-hit squad restricts his options after the Europa League disappointment.
Not advancing into the quarterfinals at the expense of League One opposition is inexcusable though, and could leave him pawing through job postings the next morning. - Daniel Rouse