Nine FA Cup replays from round three, with a pick for each

The third-round replays of The FA Cup were due to be played that night: six games on the first evening and three more the following day. Below is the list of matches with a short preview and a prediction for each.

Burnley vs. Sunderland

Sunderland had been well beaten by Burnley at Turf Moor earlier in the season, and something very similar looked likely. Although the Black Cats kept a clean sheet in the first FA Cup meeting between the two sides, they had recently been very weak in defence. Burnley, on the other hand, had won eight of their 12 home matches in the Premier League, which made a home win the obvious pick.

AFC Wimbledon vs. Sutton United

Sutton United, the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, surprised everyone by reaching the third-round replays after a 0-0 draw at home against Wimbledon. The League One side were expected to win the game, but the fifth-tier club deserved credit for what they had already achieved in the tournament.

Crystal Palace vs. Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers were solid in defence, but the Trotters seemed unlikely to surprise Sam Allardyce, and Crystal Palace were expected to win without much trouble. The previous season’s finalists had struggled to score at the Macron Stadium, but the replay gave them a chance to put that right.

Lincoln City vs. Ipswich Town

Fifth-tier Lincoln City earned a 2-2 draw away at Ipswich about a week earlier. This time the Imps were at home, where they had lost only twice all season. In previous meetings Lincoln had won three games, there had been three draws and the Tractor Boys had won five. This tie looked the likeliest upset of the round, with Lincoln tipped to reach the fourth round.

Newcastle United vs. Birmingham City

The Magpies were far stronger than Birmingham. They were top of the Championship, while the Blues sat 12th. Newcastle had also won more than half of their home games against Birmingham, and the last meeting at St James’ Park ended in a 4-0 win for the Magpies. The first FA Cup match between the two finished 1-1 ten days earlier, but this time a Newcastle victory was expected.

Plymouth Argyle vs. Liverpool

Liverpool were not expected to slip up a second time against fourth-tier Plymouth Argyle. The Green Army earned an excellent 0-0 draw at Anfield and proved they were a decent side, but this time Jürgen Klopp knew what to expect and was likely to field his first-choice line-up. Interestingly, Plymouth had beaten the Reds twice in the past, with four draws and five Liverpool wins.

Barnsley vs. Blackpool 1X

Fleetwood Town vs. Bristol City 1

Southampton vs. Norwich City 1

How the replays finished

Five of the nine ties were won by the home side. On 17 January 2017 Burnley beat Sunderland 2-0, Crystal Palace edged Bolton 2-1 and Bristol City won 1-0 at Fleetwood, while Blackpool needed extra time to win 2-1 at Barnsley. Sutton United won 3-1 away at AFC Wimbledon, and Lincoln City beat Ipswich 1-0 at Sincil Bank, with Nathan Arnold scoring in stoppage time. The following evening Newcastle beat Birmingham 3-1 and Southampton beat Norwich 1-0, and Liverpool won 1-0 at Home Park, where Lucas Leiva headed in a Philippe Coutinho corner for his first goal in seven years.

The non-league run that followed

Both fifth-tier clubs went much further. Sutton beat Leeds United 1-0 in the fourth round before losing 2-0 at home to Arsenal in the fifth. Lincoln knocked out Brighton 3-1 and won 1-0 at Burnley to become the first non-league club to reach the quarter-finals since 1914, where Arsenal beat them 5-0. Liverpool went out in the fourth round, losing 2-1 at Anfield to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 in the final on 27 May 2017 for a record 13th FA Cup.

The end of FA Cup replays

Replays had already been removed from the fifth round onwards, and on 18 April 2024 the FA announced that they would be dropped from the first round proper as well, starting with the 2024–25 competition, citing the crowded calendar caused by the expansion of UEFA club competitions.