FA Cup football focus

Luton v Brentford
3pm Saturday, Kenilworth Road
Away ticket info: ALL TICKET. £17.50 (£10.50 concs). Tel: 0870 900 9229
Referee: Andre Marriner (Warwickshire)
Facts: Steve Howard is Luton's top scorer with 17 goals but you have to go back to May 2001 for his last goal for the Hatters against Brentford
This tie brings together two men who are making an impact in League One. Mike Newell has impressed at Luton while Brentford's Martin Allen has many qualities but quietness is not one of them.
Verdict: NO DECISIVE RESULT

Man United v Exeter
3pm Saturday, Old Trafford
Referee: Phil Dowd (Stoke-on-Trent)
Facts: Exeter's Dean Moxey was the star player in the FA Cup second round. The 18-year-old scored the winner from 45 yards in their 2-1 win over Doncaster.
Roy Carroll's gaffe was the worst since a mate of mine spent 10 minutes playing in the wrong match. Exeter might try a lob from the halfway line but it will be Tim Howard they have to beat tomorrow.
Verdict: NO CARROLL SO NO PANIC

Sheff United v Aston Villa
12.30pm Saturday, Bramall Lane - live on BBC1
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Facts: First meeting between these sides since Dwight Yorke's cheeky penalty was enough for Villa to win 1-0 in a fourth round FA Cup tie in January 1996.
Neil Warnock described Sheffield United's victory at West Ham last week as of the "bread and margarine" variety. Villa last won the Cup in 1957 and probably have as much chance of repeating the feat this year as Warnock has of earning a contract advertising Mother's Pride.
Verdict: VILLA ROLLED OVER

Sunderland v Crystal Palace
3pm Saturday, Stadium of Light
Away ticket info: £15 (£5 concs). Tel: 08712 000 071.
Referee: Rob Stiles (Hampshire)
Facts: Palace have gone 11 games without an away win against Sunderland. Mick McCarthy's men have won just one of their last four matches.
In a year when the FA Cup is hardly a priority for Palace, this looks the perfect moment to rest Andy Johnson. Imagine the manager's angst if, instead of enjoying a break, Palace's star man was bone-crunched by some Sunderland bruiser and missed the rest of the season.
Verdict: PALACE UNDONE BY LIGHT FANTASTIC

Tottenham v Brighton
3pm Saturday, White Hart Lane
Tickets: Sold out.
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Facts: Tottenham last played Brighton at White Hart Lane in December 1982, beating them 2-0. Brighton are unbeaten in four matches.
When was the last time it was this fun watching Spurs? 1987? The goals are now pinging in with such force from so many angles that even the officials can't keep up. Much more of this and we'll be tipping them to win the FA Cup - even without a one in the year.
Verdict: GOALS KEEP COMING FOR SPURS

Watford v Fulham
3pm Saturday, Vicarage Road
Tickets: HOME - £15-£20 (£5). Tel: 0870 111 1881. AWAY - £15 (£5 concs). Tel: 0870 442 1234.
Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex)
Facts: Fulham, who won 3-1 when they last visited Vicarage Road in January 2001, have kept only one clean sheet in their last 13 fixtures.
Cups bring out the best in Watford although, with a semi-final against Liverpool looming next week, this may prove a competition too far for them. Manager Ray Lewington used to be in charge at Fulham and will relish this chance. But he is unlikely to get much assistance from Liam Rosenior who, after his spectacular own goal against Southampton, will probably hoof everything 60 yards upfield.
Verdict: NOT RAY'S DAY

West Ham v Norwich
3pm Saturday, Upton Park
Tickets: £24-£35 (£12-£17.50 concs). Tel. 0870 112 2700.
Referee: Uriah Rennie (South Yorkshire)
Facts: Norwich, who have gone 12 away games without a win, have lost just one of their last six matches at Upton Park.
Since West Ham were crap last week, expect them to look full of polish and poise this time out. Premiership Norwich will be beaten convincingly before normal service is resumed at Wolves next week.
Verdict: NORWICH POLISHED OFF

Wolves v Millwall
1pm Saturday, Molineux
Away ticket info: £24 (£5-£13 concs). Tel: 020 7231 9999.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)
Facts: Glenn Hoddle's last victory as a manager came in August 2003 with a 2-1 win over Leeds when he was in charge of Tottenham
Last season, Millwall sneaked into the FA Cup Final almost unnoticed, only to bring about one of the most one-sided finals ever played. Tomorrow, Dennis Wise will be looking to put one - or possibly two - over his old Chelsea boss Glenn Hoddle.
Verdict: DEN BOYS DRAW LUCKY

Yeading v Newcastle
1.45pm Sunday, Loftus Rd - live on BBC1
Tickets: £19-£26 (£11-£14 concs). Tel: 0870 112 1967
Referee: Howard Webb (Rotherham)
Facts: Newcastle's 0-0 draw at West Brom on Monday was their first clean sheet in the Premiership since September.
They will huff and puff and probably fail to blow Newcastle down. But that doesn't mean everyone won't have fun watching them try. Loftus Road will be packed out for what should be a right old west London knees-up.
Verdict: TOON TALK OF THE TOWN

N'hampton v S'hampton
3pm Saturday, Sixfields
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington)
Facts: Former Orient striker Scott McGleish has scored nine goals in 24 appearances for Northampton.
Southampton managed a point in a six-goal thriller against Fulham on Wednesday night but one still wonders whether Harry Redknapp, if he could turn the clock back, would have made the same decision to join them. Sometimes, though, it just needs one result to turn things around and that could come this weekend.
Verdict: HARRY A LITTLE HAPPIER

Notts Co v M'boro
3pm Saturday, Meadow Lane
Referee: Peter Walton (Winwick)
Facts: Nick Barmby and Jamie Pollock were Boro's scorers when they last visited Meadow Lane for a Cup tie in 1996
Middlesbrough looked a tired team at Chelsea on Tuesday night but they're going to have to drag themselves back into action again tomorrow against a Notts County side who are a little too close to the League Two trapdoor for comfort. Howard Wilkinson, who set out on the managerial road at County more than two decades ago, is now back at the club.
Verdict: BORO GO THROUGH

Oldham v Man City
3pm Saturday, Boundary Park
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Facts: Oldham are unbeaten in their last eight games. Andy Morrison scored for City on their last visit to Oldham in 1998
Forget Old Trafford, this is the place to be for the real game of the day in Manchester. City will not fancy the short hop over to Boundary Park for this one and will need to be at their mercurial best to see off what should be a hearty challenge from League One side Oldham.
Verdict: CITY CLASS TO TELL

Portsmouth v Gill'ham
3pm Saturday, Fratton Park
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Facts: Gillingham have gone 11 away matches without a win and have never won at Fratton Park.
This could be a difficult 90 minutes for Portsmouth - or, if last Tuesday's game against Everton is anything to go by, a difficult 92 minutes and 40 seconds. Pompey are still seething at the way the referee awarded more injury time than the fourth official had indicated thus allowing Everton to score their winner. But that should ensure they come out grumpy enough to see off Gillingham.
Verdict: NO THRILLS FOR GILLS

Preston v West Brom
3pm Saturday, Deepdale
Referee: Graham Laws (Tyne and Wear)
Facts: West Brom haven't won away against Preston since a 1-0 League Cup victory in 1970
PNE v WBA is one for the alphabet statisticians. Seeing that West Brom have given up winning games and Preston have taken 13 points out of a possible 15, it's not clear who starts favourite. Certainly no one who has watched the Baggies since Bryan Robson took over will travel with much confidence.
Verdict: SIMPLE AS ABC FOR PNE

QPR v Nott'm Forest
3pm Saturday, Loftus Road
Tickets: £19-£26 (£11-£14 concs). Tel: 0870 112 1967.
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Facts: Forest haven't won in London since a 2-1 victory at Millwall in a Division One game in October 2002
Things can only get better for Forest, if only because their acting manager Mick Harford called their last performance "disgraceful and embarrassing". Even Forest will struggle to do worse than that. Mind you, Rangers aren't too clever at the moment either.
Verdict: FOREST STILL IN THE WOODS

League Two

Bury v Leyton Orient
3pm Saturday, Gigg Lane
Away ticket info: Clive Oliver (Northumberland)
Last season: 1 (Seddon) 1 (Mackie)
Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland)
Facts: Bury, who have gone seven games without a win, last recorded a home victory over Orient in 1995. Orient are unbeaten in four matches
Blackburn aren't the only club struggling to sign a midfield Savage at the moment. While they fail to land Robbie, Orient's bid to get Bristol Rovers' Dave Savage is also going nowhere.
Verdict: ORIENT MAKE THEIR USUAL POINT