The FA Cup third round kicks off on Thursday night with Crystal Palace hosting Everton at Selhurst Park. All Premier League and Championship sides enter the competition at this stage.
Replays will still be used for drawn matches in the third round, a tradition dating back to 1875 when the fourth FA Cup final required a replay. However, from the fifth round onwards, drawn matches will be decided by extra time and penalties, a rule change introduced in 2018 to ease fixture congestion.
Defending champions Manchester City begin their campaign on Sunday at home against Huddersfield Town. Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne could feature after a four-month absence with a hamstring injury. “He’s close. He will start to get minutes,” Guardiola said.
De Bruyne was an unused substitute in City’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday. Guardiola added: “It’s incredible news. It’s so important. It’s the last stages, the last steps to start to take minutes.”
