IN THE build-up to this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals, which could result in a repeat of the Manchester derby in the final, much of the chatter has been on the controversial decision to scrap replays in the world’s oldest’s football competition.

On Thursday (Apr 18), it was announced that the Football Association and the English Premier League (EPL) have struck a deal to drop replays from the first round onwards in the 2024/25 season, which begins in August this year.

FA Cup replays have already been ditched from the fifth round to the final, and the latest move means that all games from the first to the fourth rounds must be settled at the first time of asking. If the teams are still deadlocked after 90 minutes of normal time and 30 minutes of extra time, they must head to a penalty shootout to determine the winner.

For decades, replays have been especially popular among the cash-strapped lower-league teams in the UK, for they present a chance for a much-smaller club to play away at one of the giants such as Manchester United or Liverpool. Such a glamorous fixture would mean a healthy payday from ticket sales and broadcast payments, with the money from one FA Cup tie alone sometimes enough to keep a club afloat for a year or even longer.

Coventry vs Manchester United

Of course, the four remaining teams in this year’s FA Cup do not have to worry about any replays to add to their congested fixture calendar.

In fact, it has been 25 long years since the last FA Cup semi-final replay was contested at Villa Park as Manchester United outfoxed Arsenal after extra time, following a goalless draw in the first match.

A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU

Friday, 2 pm

Lifestyle

Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.

Sign Up

The Red Devils are back in the final four this weekend, as they prepare to face Coventry City at Wembley on Sunday (10.30pm kickoff, Singapore time). 

Coventry are the only club from outside the EPL – they are eighth in the second-tier English Championship – still alive in the competition. And under manager Mark Robins – a former Manchester United striker – the Sky Blues will want to cause a major upset and send their more illustrious opponents tumbling out.

The interesting subplot is that the 54-year-old Robins has been widely credited as being the man who “saved” Alex Ferguson from the sack at Manchester United. Robins scored the only goal against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup back in 1990, and that result helped keep Ferguson in the job and the rest, as they say, is history.

The current Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, is similarly facing some serious questions about his future after a somewhat lacklustre campaign that now sees the club languishing in seventh place and in real danger of not qualifying for one of the European competitions next season.

Manchester United reached the FA Cup final last June but came up short against their “noisy neighbours” Manchester City.

For ten Hag, defeat to Coventry on Sunday is unthinkable and the Dutchman knows that a comfortable and convincing performance – something that has proved to be a rarity of late – is needed to restore confidence and belief.

Manchester City vs Chelsea

Manchester City, the team that won it all a year ago as they scooped up a glorious treble of trophies, head into this FA Cup semi-final in a bruised and battered state. 

The Citizens were taken to the limit by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night, with the Spanish side triumphing on penalties after 120 energy-sapping minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City do not have much time to recuperate, for they make the trip to Wembley on Saturday (Sunday 12.15 am, Singapore time) to face an in-form Chelsea that are themselves desperate for some silverware to salvage a disappointing season.

Chelsea pummelled a hapless Everton 6-0 in their last EPL game on Monday night, with Cole Palmer firing in four goals in that rout.

The lively Palmer – a leading contender to be the EPL’s Player of the Year winner – is one of the few shining lights at Chelsea these days. Manager Mauricio Pochettino is banking on the 21-year-old English midfielder, who has 23 goals already, to play a starring role against his former club and take full advantage of their leaky defence.

Chelsea are in ninth place in the league and have almost zero chance of qualifying for Europe, so all hopes rest on them doing well in the FA Cup and claiming their first domestic trophy since 2018.