Rochdale v Newcastle United: FA Cup third round – live! | Football

Some pre-match reading. Paul Wilson talks to Rochdale manager Brian Barry-Murphy.

Rochdale are just four points above the relegation places in League One. But they won their last match, 2-1 at Accrington, and make only one change to their starting XI. MJ Williams comes in for the injured Paul McShane. (Does anybody else have this earworm?)

Newcastle are missing Jamaal Lascelles, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jonjo Shelvey, Jetro Willems, Fabian Schar, Javier Manquillo, Paul Dummett and Andy Carroll … but still name a strong XI, with seven international players in it. They make five changes to the team that was trounced by Leicester, with Emil Krath, Christian Atsu, both Longstaffs and, despite a broken hand, DeAndre Yedlin starting.

Rochdale: Sanchez, Magloire, Williams, O’Connell, Keohane, Ryan, Rathbone, Dooley, Camps, Baah, Henderson.
Subs: McLaughlin, Andrew, Lynch, Wilbraham, Gillam, Tavares, Matheson.

Newcastle United: Dubravka, Krafth, Fernandez, Hayden, Yedlin, Matthew Longstaff, Sean Longstaff, Atsu, Muto, Almiron, Joelinton.
Subs: Ki, Ritchie, Lejeune, Darlow, Allan, Sorensen, Cass.

Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).

Apologies to Newcastle United supporters for bringing it up yet again, but the definitive FA Cup third-round tie is this one. Ronnie Radford, Ricky George, Supermac, John Motson, kids in parkas, all that.

So what are the chances of Rochdale stunning the Toon like Hereford United did back in 1972? On the face of it, they’ve got a job on their hands. Newcastle might be struggling in the Premier League right now, having lost three of their last four matches, but the Dale have lost three of their last four too, and those in League One. Additionally, today’s hosts have only beaten a top-flight side once in 16 FA Cup ties, against Coventry City back in 1971.

However, the third round of the FA Cup is the third round of the FA Cup, and so hope is never lost. For a start, Newcastle have only won one of their last 16 away fixtures in the FA Cup. Goliath might not be that confident when he comes to town. And any trepidation they feel will surely be ramped up when they remember Rochdale’s brave performance at Old Trafford four months ago – they held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the League Cup before going out on penalties – and the Dale’s 2-2 draw with Spurs in the fifth round of this competition back in 2018. These minnows have form as botherers supreme.

Can the Dale pull off a shock? Or will Newcastle prevail as they dream of winning the famous old competition for the first time since 1955? We’ll find out soon enough. It’s on!

Kick off: 12.31pm GMT. Heads up.