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Manchester United’s meeting with Tottenham will attract the biggest crowd while Liverpool’s derby clash is arguably the most enticing of this weekend’s FA Cup fourth round ties.
But it is at Kettering Town’s Rockingham Road ground that the authentic spirit of the world’s oldest knockout tournament will be in residence on Saturday as the last non-league survivors attempt to emulate one of the greatest ever Cup shocks.
It was at this stage in 1949 that tiny Yeovil Town knocked out the then-mighty Sunderland on their famous sloping pitch.
Sixty years on, Kettering, who play in the fifth-tier Conference, will aim to pull off a similar upset against Fulham, whose players have spent the week listening to manager Roy Hodgson’s warnings of the dangers of under-estimating opponents who are 92 places below them in English football’s league hierarchy.
“He’s telling us in training that if we go there thinking we’re going to have an easy time, we couldn’t be further from the truth,” revealed the Cottagers’ Wales midfielder Simon Davies.
Fulham could be vulnerable to an upset after seeing a nine-match unbeaten league run ended with a lacklustre display in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham and Davies admitted: “If we play like that we’re going to be in for a shock.”
Upsets could also be on the cards at Hartlepool, who entertain West Ham, and Doncaster, who take on what will be a weakened Aston Villa.
Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, plans to rest a number of his first team because he regards a top four finish in the Premier League as his main goal this season.
“We will treat the game in the right manner but there might be a point in prioritising,” O’Neill said.
Cardiff City will also fancy their chances of overturning the established order by overcoming Arsenal on Sunday as they bid to emulate last season’s run to the final.
Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock believes that his side can follow in Cardiff’s footsteps, although he acknowledges that an away trip to fellow Championship side Watford represents a difficult hurdle to clear.
“I think a Championship team will reach the final this season and we hope it is us,” the ever-ebullient Palace manager declared. “A lot of the big sides will get knocked out, so I think we have a good chance.
“I’ve been to a couple of semis, but never the final, so I want to change that.”
Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has left Didier Drogba out of his squad for their last two games, but the Ivorian striker may be in line for a recall to face Ipswich in a match which could also see the return of injured skipper John Terry.
“Didier is training very well and starting to build his condition again, not only his fitness but his technique too,” Scolari said.
Sir Alex Ferguson could be without as many as 11 first-team players for Manchester United’s meeting with Tottenham, including three members of his first-choice back four.
Tottenham have their own injury worries and United will have taken heart from the way the Londoners almost threw away a three-goal first-leg advantage in their League Cup semi-final with Burnley in midweek.
But Spurs boss Harry Redknapp does have form when it comes to getting the better of United in Cup contests, dating back to Bournemouth’s third round win over the Red Devils back in 1984.
Ferguson will also be acutely aware that Redknapp was in charge of Portsmouth when the eventual winners ended United’s hopes of a treble at the quarter-final stage last season.
Now under the leadership of Tony Adams, the holders will be confident of taking another step towards retaining the trophy by overcoming Swansea at Fratton Park.
FA Cup 4th round fixtures
Friday
Derby v Nottingham Forest
Saturday
Chelsea v Ipswich, Doncaster v Aston Villa, Hartlepool v West Ham, Hull City v Millwall, Kettering Town v Fulham, Manchester Utd v Tottenham, Portsmouth v Swansea City, Sheffield Utd v Charlton, Sunderland v Blackburn, Torquay v Coventry, Watford v Crystal Palace, West Brom v Burnley, Wolves v Middlesbrough
Sunday
Cardiff City v Arsenal, Liverpool v Everton.
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