FA Cup fourth round: Chelsea aim for second Wembley trip; James Maddison’s Tottenham return may trouble Man City

Remarkable Maidstone enter the dream factory

Ipswich vs Maidstone – 12.30pm, Saturday

When Maidstone United rocked up at Steyning Town in the FA Cup second qualifying round in September who knew it would be the start of a journey that has catapulted them into the national spotlight. But that is the beauty of this competition. Teams have the chance to dream. The unremarkable nature of a fixture with Steyning Town can quickly become the remarkable.

Six games later – and Maidstone United head to Ipswich Town, on the hunt for a giant-killing.

Managed by former Wolves man George Elokobi, the National League South side are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition.

Such dizzy heights of the FA Cup fourth round would have been an impossible dream for a club that went out of business in 1992 and had to regroup in the Kent County League Fourth Division. It has been a steady climb back. The likes of Warren Barton and Chris Smalling have come through the ranks while promotion was finally secured back to the National League in 2016. Last season’s relegation back to the sixth tier has somewhat disrupted that trajectory but the club have stuck with the inspirational figure of Elokobi and have struck gold in this competition.

With Ipswich running hot in the Championship, this is where the Maidstone story is likely to end. Yet, this is the FA Cup. The dream factory where remarkable results occur. They couldn’t, could they?Lewis Jones

Will Calvert-Lewin be played into form? Image: Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s only home goal this term was against Luton

Everton vs Luton – 3pm, Saturday

For all the uncertainty surrounding their Premier League status, Everton boss Sean Dyche will be happy to put that particular fight to one side again this weekend in search of a place in the fifth round.

The Toffees have a strong recent record when it comes to FA Cup matches at Goodison Park, winning 11 of their last 14 home games in the competition, including their last outing 10 days ago against Crystal Palace to set up Saturday’s home tie against Luton Town.

Rob Edwards’ side have fond memories of travelling to Merseyside as back in September they recorded their first Premier League victory. Everton’s consolation that day in a 2-1 loss was scored by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but it remains the striker’s solitary goal this term in front of his own fans.

Given how January has been dominated by headlines concerning a second PSR charge, the spotlight has been taken off Calvert-Lewin’s struggles to get back to form after two stop-start seasons.

Dyche resisted calls to take the 26-year-old out of the firing line against Palace following the 10th big chance missed in the goalless draw with Aston Villa, which perhaps says more about his understudies Youssef Chermiti and Beto.

Despite not scoring for the 14th straight game – stretching back to October – Calvert-Lewin’s overall display was far more encouraging. The majority of a sold-out Goodison will hope Dyche’s continual show of faith in his first-choice striker pays off.Ben Grounds

Another must-win cup game for Newcastle? Image: Newcastle beat 10-player Fulham 3-0 in the Premier League

Fulham vs Newcastle – 7pm, Saturday

Newcastle’s tie at Sunderland in the previous round was the match Eddie Howe dare not lose. But while victory brought a desperately-needed respite from the mounting pressure on his stretched squad, a last-gasp loss at home to Manchester City returned a familiar feeling.

Newcastle performed well for long periods but, with energy sapped, were eventually undone in the end. It is a storyline their fans have seen too many times this season.

A week on, the hope will be the FA Cup can once again be another pick-me-up. They may have caught Fulham at a vulnerable moment, too, with Marco Silva’s side wounded from Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final exit to Liverpool.

Last season we saw the impact a cup run can have for Newcastle, with their Carabao Cup streak enthralling the city. Those Newcastle fans dare not look too far ahead right now – especially with a Premier League trip to Aston Villa looming – but the magic of this cup could keep their season alive. It is an opportunity they cannot afford to miss.Peter Smith

High stakes in long-awaited Black Country derby

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Gary O’Neil says that both Pablo Sarabia and Rayan Ait-Nouri should be fit to be in the squad to play West Brom in the FA Cup.

West Brom vs Wolves – 11.45am, Sunday

It is an early start on Sunday for this one with the game kicking off at 11.45am but expect an intense occasion at The Hawthorns as West Bromwich Albion host Wolverhampton Wanderers. It is 12 years since the Black Country derby was played in front of fans.

That meeting saw the Baggies thrash Wolves 5-1 at Molineux and Mick McCarthy sacked as a result. The fortunes of the two have flipped since then with Wolves impressing in the Premier League under Gary O’Neil while Albion find themselves in the Championship.

Wolves are unbeaten in six games since beating Chelsea on Christmas Eve and have the potency to cause any team problems with the in-form Matheus Cunha and the fit-again Pedro Neto in attack. Craig Dawson will face a hot reception against his former club.

But Carlos Corberan will be optimistic, having won four home games in a row to have his side in the play-off positions, and the atmosphere should be electric. Wolves have not won at The Hawthorns for 28 years and West Brom will defend that derby record with pride.

Both managers, both sets of supporters, will be looking forward to this – but they will be wary too. Victory in this fixture could set up a season, bringing momentum that carries beyond the cup tie. Defeat could deflate and even derail. The stakes are high.Adam Bate

Reds’ Quadruple push continues against Canaries

Liverpool vs Norwich City – 2.30pm, Sunday

Liverpool fans are starting to get a feeling of deja vu about this season as the more the campaign progresses, the more it resembles that of 2021/22 when Jurgen Klopp’s side were within only two games of winning it all.

In the end, the Reds had to settle for a domestic cup double after just missing out on the Premier League and Champions League, overcoming Chelsea on penalties in both finals – the same opponents they take on at Wembley in the Carabao Cup next month.

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Highlights of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Fulham and Liverpool at Craven Cottage

This weekend, though, sees Liverpool play Norwich City at Anfield in the FA Cup fourth round – they were also incidentally drawn against the Canaries in the FA Cup quarter-finals two years ago – as the Reds look to maintain their push for the Quadruple.

Klopp has been a master of rotation so far this season, managing his at times limited resources brilliantly, so expect the German to once again ring the changes ahead of key league clashes with Chelsea and Arsenal.

However, see off an improving Norwich team on Sunday lunchtime and Liverpool will keep alive the dream of a history-making Quadruple come May…Richard Morgan

Can Newport scupper Man Utd trophy hopes? Image: Man Utd reached the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 third-round win at Wigan

Newport vs Man Utd – 4.30pm, Sunday

While the Sir Jim Ratcliffe revolution has brought a renewed sense of optimism to Old Trafford, on the pitch, there remains very little by way of stimulation for Manchester United fans.

Already out of European competition, the odds look stacked against Erik ten Hag’s side qualifying for the Champions League via a top-four finish.

United head to Newport looking to take a step towards FA Cup salvation, but with a forgettable campaign a cupset defeat away from fizzling out in January, the trip to South Wales is riddled with jeopardy.

The FA Cup draw gods have looked down favourably on Ten Hag’s side, with a trip to League Two Newport bestowed upon United after labouring past League One Wigan.

But with the unconvincing nature of their third-round victory the latest episode in a season plagued with inconsistency, Newport presents a sizeable obstacle, providing they can once again punch above their weight like they have so often in cup competitions.Jack Wilkinson

Dragons’ Cup run has the Wrex-Factor Image: Tom O’Connor (far right) scored the winning goal for Wrexham at Shrewsbury

Blackburn vs Wrexham – 7.30pm, Monday

The Hollywood story at Wrexham is showing no signs of slowing down – and now they are looking to revive past FA Cup glories.

It has been three years since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s extraordinary takeover of the Welsh side but over 32 years since their historic cup victory over George Graham’s top-flight winners Arsenal.

Wrexham’s 2-1 victory at the Racecourse Ground remains one of the most famous FA Cup upsets in history and after negotiating ties against Mansfield, Yeovil and Shrewsbury this season, the latest stop on their cup adventure sees them visit the Championship’s Blackburn.

Phil Parkinson’s Dragons sit second in League Two, looking for back-to-back promotions, with star striker Paul Mullin on 10 league goals although midfielder Elliot Lee has been grabbing the headlines with his 13 strikes.

They will be backed by 7,000 travelling fans at Ewood Park against an out-of-form Blackburn side with just one win in 10 league games. The cameras are rolling…David Richardson