SM
Friday, November 8
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

FA Cup replays to be scrapped to ease fixture congestion?

:Headline: FA Cup replays to be scrapped to ease fixture congestion?:
FA Cup third and fourth-round replays could reportedly be scrapped in a bid to avoid fixture congestion following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sports Mole

Third and fourth-round replays in the 2022-23 FA Cup could supposedly be scrapped in order to avoid a hectic fixture pile-up following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

The Premier League, EFL and women's schedules paused at the weekend to pay their respects to Her Majesty, who died at the age of 96 on Thursday afternoon at Balmoral Castle.

Football at grassroots level was also postponed as a mark of respect, but organisers are now scrambling to find new dates for games in an already-packed schedule.

The Queen's state funeral is confirmed to be taking place at Westminster Abbey on September 19, which has also impacted upcoming Premier League matches due to security concerns.

The Metropolitan Police and officers from other forces will descend upon the capital for the Queen's funeral, forcing the postponement of Manchester United's clash with Leeds United and Liverpool's trip to Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Arsenal's Europa League tie with PSV Eindhoven has also been called off, while Brighton & Hove Albion's battle with Crystal Palace was already postponed due to a rail strike which has since been cancelled.

In order to combat a fixture pile-up amid the Queen's funeral and the 2022 World Cup - taking place between November 20 and December 18 - FA Cup replays could be abandoned entirely.

That is according to a report by PA - via The Mirror - which claims that footballing authorities are considering the removal of replays for third and fourth-round fixtures.

The 2020-21 and 2021-22 season also saw such fixtures scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a similar approach could be adopted this time around in the wake of the Queen's death.

Not since the 2017-18 season have fifth-round replays been held in the FA Cup, and the 2015-16 season marked the most recent tournament with return fixtures in the quarter-finals.

The third round of the FA Cup is set to take place on the weekend of January 7, and fourth-round fixtures will commence exactly three weeks later.

Seven of the 10 originally scheduled Premier League fixtures will be going ahead this weekend, but Arsenal's London derby with Brentford has been moved from a 2.00pm kickoff to 12.00pm.

The Gunners are also under pressure to find a new date for their Europa League Group A clash with PSV, which UEFA are insisting must take place before the end of the group stage on November 3.

There has even been talk of Arsenal possibly having to forfeit the match, as was the case with Tottenham Hotspur against Rennes last year during their COVID-19 cluster.

However, Mikel Arteta's side are said to be confident of finding a new date for the game and do not expect to have to forfeit the contest before the 2022 World Cup. body check tags ::

amp_article__494520 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-09-14 00:18:23:
html db last update - 2022-09-14 00:18:23 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Queen Elizabeth

Click here for more stories about Manchester United

Share this article now:
BF
Read Next:
PL Team of the Week - Fernandes, Rashford, Pickford
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Queen Elizabeth Mikel Arteta Football
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
PL Team of the Week - Fernandes, Rashford, Pickford
Amad to the rescue: Ivorian stars as Man United beat PAOK in Europa League

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Felix, Nkunku net brace as Chelsea run rampant in demolition of FC Noah

1

FN

Messi MVP quest continues, but will Busquets play? Inter Miami predicted XI vs. Atlanta

2

MM

Neymar seeking Saudi exit in favour of return to former club?

3

NS

Dyche 'leaves door open' for Branthwaite exit amid Man United links

4

D'

Have Palmer, Rice made the cut? Lee Carsley's final England squad revealed!

5

HP

Amad to the rescue: Ivorian stars as Man United beat PAOK in Europa League

6

AT

Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Fulham - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PC

Preview: Brighton vs. Man City - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PB

Preview: Inter Miami vs. Atlanta - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PI

Preview: VfL Bochum vs. B. Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PV


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .