The FA Cup fifth round is upon us, with several matches to look out for. Fixtures include Wolves v Liverpool, Mansfield v Arsenal, and Wrexham v Chelsea.
Wolves Look to Continue Winning Form Against Liverpool
Wolves welcome Liverpool to Molineux for the second time in four days. They triumphed on Tuesday. Rob Edwards made several changes with Friday’s Cup tie in mind. “Does it have to be one or the other?” Edwards said. “No, so we are going to try and win both. It is going to be a really exciting night.”
Arsenal’s Squad Depth to be Tested at Mansfield
In the last round, against League One opposition, Arsenal were four goals ahead within half an hour. It feels unlikely this scenario will be repeated at Field Mill but the title chasers’ squad depth is built for such occasions. Christian Nørgaard was brought in from Brentford in the summer to be the level head in difficult situations. Mansfield will make the midfield area congested and it will be up to the 31-year-old Dane, who celebrates his birthday next week, to navigate it for the Premier League leaders.
He is yet to start in the league but has been a regular in cup competitions. Against Chelsea at the weekend, he was required to come on for a limping Declan Rice, a small reminder that injuries can occur at any time and if they do, Nørgaard will need to be ready. Time on the pitch at Mansfield could be ideal.
Garnacho Seeks to Impress for Chelsea Against Wrexham
Alejandro Garnacho’s move to Chelsea has not been a complete success. He has started only three league games in 2026, offering a promising glimpse of what he can do in the win at Aston Villa on Wednesday. It is highly likely the Argentinian winger will be given a further chance at Wrexham to show his quality because he is a confidence player and requires momentum.
He has played 175 minutes in Liam Rosenior’s two FA Cup wins since taking over and these are opportunities to remind everyone of the determined and direct winger that emerged at Manchester United, before becoming a victim of Ruben Amorim’s tactical choices. Wrexham are a very good Championship team but Garnacho should provide evidence of the gap between the top tier and the second. If he cannot, it will be another sign of a difficult season.
Scheduling Concerns for Newcastle and Man City
Pep Guardiola is right. His Manchester City side should not be having to kick off their fifth round FA Cup tie at 8pm on Saturday and neither should City’s hosts, Newcastle. While Guardiola is worried the logistics will compromise his team’s Champions League last-16 first leg at Real Madrid on Wednesday.
Wolves may quietly fancy their chances when Liverpool visit Molineux for the second time in four days.