FA Cup Fifth Round Preview: Teams Battle for Quarter-Final Spots

Image credits: Guardian pictures

The FA Cup is down to the last 16 teams, with eight ties across four days, and the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and semi-automated offside technology is set to enhance the competition. The fifth round starts on Friday with Aston Villa hosting Championship strugglers Cardiff City, while holders Manchester United face Fulham on Sunday. The final tie of the round sees Nottingham Forest play Ipswich Town on Monday. All games will be decided on the day, with extra time and penalty shootouts if necessary.

The FA Cup has a rich history of surprises, and this season is no exception, with Plymouth Argyle's upset win over Liverpool in the fourth round being a prime example. The introduction of VAR and semi-automated offside technology aims to reduce controversies and improve the accuracy of decisions. The technology will be used in all seven matches taking place at Premier League grounds, and its success could lead to its implementation in the Premier League before the end of the season. The semi-automated offside technology uses automated decisions to remove human subjectivity, and its use in the FA Cup is a significant step forward for the competition.

The fifth round features several intriguing ties, including Manchester City's match against Plymouth Argyle, who are looking to become the first team from outside the top-flight to eliminate Premier League opposition in three consecutive rounds since Wigan in 2017-18. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are seeking to avenge their recent league defeat to Wolves and progress to the quarter-finals for only the third time in their history. The FA Cup is a competition that is full of surprises, and this season's fifth round is shaping up to be an exciting and unpredictable weekend of football.

Here are the match schedules and broadcast details for the fifth round:

• Friday, 28 February: Aston Villa v Cardiff City (20:00 GMT) - ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player
• Saturday, 1 March: Crystal Palace v Millwall (12:15) - BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app
• Saturday, 1 March: Preston North End v Burnley (12:15) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app
• Saturday, 1 March: Bournemouth v Wolves (15:00) - international broadcast
• Saturday, 1 March: Man City v Plymouth Argyle (17:45) - ITV4 and ITVX
• Sunday, 2 March: Newcastle v Brighton (13:45) - ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player
• Sunday, 2 March: Man Utd v Fulham (16:30) - BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website & app
• Monday, 3 March: Nottingham Forest v Ipswich (19:30) - ITV4 and ITVX

The BBC Sport website will have live text commentary and updates from all eight fifth-round matches, as well as live commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website.

The FA Cup fifth round promises to be an exciting and unpredictable weekend of football, with several teams vying for a place in the quarter-finals. With the introduction of VAR and semi-automated offside technology, the competition is set to be more accurate and thrilling than ever. The final takes place at Wembley on Saturday, 17 May, and the road to the final begins this weekend.

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