There’s no Premier League action this week and instead we turn our attention to the FA Cup, as the 16 teams remaining at the Fifth Round stage do battle from Friday through to Monday night, with a place in the quarterfinals up for grabs for the lucky winners.

It is worth noting too that from this stage of the tournament on, there will be no replays. If the match is drawn at the 90 minute mark, then extra time and if required, penalties will be used to decide the winner on the day, so that means that come the draw on Monday night, we will know all the eight teams that are just one step away from a Wembley semifinal.

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It has been something of an unusual year in the FA Cup this season with many Premier League sides being eliminated from the competition and a higher than usual number of teams from the lower divisions remaining in the last sixteen, including League One’s bottom club AFC Wimbledon and League Two Newport County who are the two lowest ranked teams left remaining in the competition.

Given how the Fifth Round fixtures have panned out, there will be at least two non-Premier League sides in the quarterfinal draw and there could be as many as seven as the only all-Premier League clash in this round comes at Stamford Bridge on Monday as Chelsea face Manchester United in what is undoubtedly the tie of the round.

The current odds from bet365 for the FA Cup Fifth Round.

*Odds shown above are correct as of 11am on Wednesday 13^th February 2019

Let’s now bring you our tips for each of the eight games taking place in the FA Cup this weekend.

FA Cup Fifth Round

Friday 15^th February

Q.P.R v Watford – Away Win

Under Steve McLaren, Q.P.R have made significant progress in the Championship but they remain in 16^th spot after run of five league games ending in defeats. Their only success has been in the FA Cup with wins over Leeds United and Portsmouth earning them a shot at Watford.

The Hornets lie in 8^th place in the Premier League and look a solid side under Javi Gracia. Tough, disciplined and hard to beat, I think they have the qualities required to go to Loftus Road and claim a victory in normal time without the need for extra time or penalties.

Saturday 16^th February

Brighton v Derby County – Draw

Brighton are in the middle of a real slump in league form and they have been drawn into the relegation battle at the foot of the Premier League as a result. Their cup form has been better though with wins over Bournemouth and West Brom earning them a shot at Derby County.

The Rams have enjoyed some great cup wins already this season having eliminated Man Utd from the Carabao Cup and Southampton and Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup. Lampard’s young team are a treat to watch and they will push Brighton hard. I can see this one needing extra time and maybe penalties to decide the winner but if pushed I’d just plump for Derby to progress.

AFC Wimbledon v Millwall – Away Win

AFC Wimbledon may be bottom of League One and looking likely to drop back into League Two next season but they have been excellent in the FA Cup defeating West Ham 4-2 in the last round and before that Fleetwood by a 3-2 scoreline. However, they have a tough fifth round tie with Millwall to look forward to.

Neil Harris’ Millwall have been embroiled in a relegation battle in the Championship this season but a fine win over Everton following a victory over Hull City has seen them earn a shot at their League One opponents and I think with the quality they have, Millwall should be confident of victory here.

Newport County v Man City – Away Win

In 15^th place in League Two, Newport are the lowest ranked team left in the competition and after wins against Leicester City and Middlesbrough, they have earned their fifth round tie against the highest ranked team left in the tournament in Manchester City.

City have been in imperious form, as demonstrated by their 6-0 demolition over Chelsea at the weekend. They may have lost to Wigan at the same stage last season but lightning won’t strike twice here. City will win this game comfortably, even if they choose to rest some key players.

Sunday 17^th February

Bristol City v Wolves – Draw

Bristol City are fifth in the Championship after another win, their ninth in succession, on Tuesday night against QPR. They go into this game therefore in outstanding form and set to give their Premier League opponents a real test.

Wolves beat Liverpool then Shrewsbury to reach this stage but this is a very tough game for Wolves agains a side that are flying. Wolves though have proven very tough to beat at times and have a never-say-die spirit that is hugely admirable. I think this will be very close and may require extra time and penalties to decide the winner and if it goes to penalties, I feel Wolves will just shade it.

Doncaster Rovers v Crystal Palace – Away Win

Wins over Preston and and Oldham have seen Doncaster ease their way into the fifth round and the League One side have enjoyed a solid season, sitting as they do in the playoff spots in that division and pushing hard for promotion.

However they face a Palace side that knocked out Spurs and Grimsby to reach this phase of the tournament and I think Roy Hodgson’s team is well set up to be one of the teams to watch in this competition as they can beat anybody on their day. This wil be tough but I am backing Palace to win.

Swansea City v Brentford – Home Win

This should be one of the most competitive games this weekend as 11^th placed Championship side take on divisional rivals Brentford who lie in 18^th, seven points behind the Swans in the table.  The league game between the team finished in a 3-2 win for Swansea in London when the teams met back in October.

Brentford beat Oxford and Barnet to reach this stage while Swansea overcame Aston Villa and Gillingham in some style on both occasions to net the Fifth Round spot and I think the home side will be the ones who will be celebrating a quarterfinal spot by the end of proceedings.

Monday 18^th February

Chelsea v Manchester United – Draw

Both these sides will feel that the FA Cup offers them a chance of some silverware this season and with both realistically out of the Premier League title race, this game will take on a huge added incentive for both teams, especially for Chelsea following their 6-0 humiliation at the Etihad last weekend against United’s city rivals Manchester City.

Chelsea have the better recent record between the two teams but that can count for nothing in the FA Cup and as such, I feel this is going to be a tight one and I feel extra time may be required to settle the winner and if pushed, I feel it will be United who perhaps just squeak through.