Arsenal currently leads the Barclays Premier League standings and doesn’t show signs of slowing down, despite untimely injuries to star midfielders Mezut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey. Forwards Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are set to lead the line against a resurgent Spurs, following the firing of manager Andre Villas-Boas. Only three points away from a UEFA Champions League spot in seventh place, Tottenham looks to the attacking threats of Aaron Lennon and former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor to cause trouble away from home on Saturday.
Seven other exciting encounters this weekend include record 11-time FA Cup champions Manchester United hosting Swansea City, while Manchester City travels to meet Championship side Blackburn Rovers and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea visits Derby County. All games are live on FOX Sports 1, with Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham United and Grimsby Town vs. Huddersfield Town, live on FOX Sports 2 and Macclesfield vs. Sheffield Wednesday, live on FOX Soccer Plus. See schedule below for all dates, times and match-ups.
FOX Sports’ lead soccer team, host Rob Stone, with analysts Eric Wynalda, Warren Barton and Brian McBride, break down all the third round action live from the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles. Saturday’s pregame show on FOX features exclusive interviews with Theo Walcott and Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel, on the crosstown rivalry between the two clubs. Walcott also discusses Arsenal’s form and its eight-year trophy drought. FA CUP GOALS, with highlights, analysis and commentary, airs immediately after all the weekend action wraps up on Sunday at 1:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bulls and Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan