FEATURED: Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round – Where could the shocks occur?

After the Christmas break, the domestic season resumes with the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round.

In total, 32 clubs go into battle in this stage of the competition with the Barclays Women’s Super League teams now having entered the mix.

Ahead of the Fourth Round, WSL Full-Time have reviewed the draw and we have identified three ties where a cup shock might be a possibility.

Durham v Manchester City

Given Durham’s proud record against top tier opposition on home soil, no Barclays Women’s Super League side will have wanted a trip to the North East in the Fourth Round. Manchester City have been handed that task and make no doubt about it, this game provides a huge banana skin.

Durham have pushed Manchester United all the way in the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup at Maiden Castle in recent years, defeating The Red Devils on penalties last season. The Wildcats have also given the likes of Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa a run for their money on home soil in the past.

Tickets for Durham’s tie against Manchester City sold out in record time and the vocal home support will be the hosts’ 12th player.  There’s also the small matter of the artificial pitch, a surface that is so often disliked by visiting teams. With the BBC cameras present, this tie has all of the ingredients for a cup shock, can Manchester City battle their way into the Fifth Round?

Reading v Wolverhampton Wanderers

It’s fair to say that Reading have had a year to forget. Their long stay in the top flight came to an end, the club are transitioning back to a more sustainable part-time model and The Royals have managed just two wins in 11 games in this season’s Barclays Women’s Championship. The Berkshire club have now been handed a tricky tie in the Fourth Round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup with Tier Three side Wolverhampton Wanderers providing the opposition at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Wolves are a team that have been knocking on the door of the elite game in recent years and on their day, they could be a match for Tier Two opposition. The FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division side are just six places below Reading in the footballing pyramid and they will be keen to prove that the gap between bottom end elite and top end non-elite football is getting shorter.

Wolves ended 2023 with three straight wins in which they scored 19 goals, kept two clean sheets and were breached just once. If they can continue that kind of form in their first game of 2024, a shock could be on the cards.

Burnley v Birmingham City

The Fourth Round draw has paired two promotion-chasing sides in FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division club Burnley and Barclays Women’s Championship leaders Birmingham City.

Both sides have a chance of winning promotion this season, Burnley trail Newcastle United by five points but boast a game-in-hand in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division while Birmingham City are top of the pile in the Barclays Women’s Championship and are in flying form.

After spending two seasons outside of the Barclays Women’s Super League, Birmingham City have to take this season’s promotion bid with both hands and it remains to be seen whether the club really want or need a cup run. It could keep momentum going but equally, it could take focus away from the club’s primary task. Head coach Darren Carter may opt to rotate his squad for the Burnley tie and that could increase the chances of the Tier Three side causing an upset.

The 16 Adobe Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round ties are scheduled to take place across the weekend of 13/14 January 2024.

About The Author