The third round of the 2025/26 FA Cup will continue this weekend. The action on a relentless Saturday will kick off with four early fixtures, including Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace at Moss Rose, as the visitors begin the defence of their crown.
Macclesfield entered the 2025/26 FA Cup in the first round, beating AFC Totton 6-3 before getting past Slough Town 3-1 in the next stage. However, the Silkmen have been inconsistent in recent weeks, winning only three of their last six games in all competitions. John Rooney’s men are 14th in their standings, and a promotion this term is unlikely.
On the other hand, Crystal Palace will feature in the 2025/26 FA Cup for the first time this weekend. However, like Macclesfield, the Eagles have been on a topsy-turvy ride in recent weeks, and they have failed to win their last eight games across all competitions. The slump in the Premier League has dropped Oliver Glasner’s men to 13th on the table, with their strong start to the campaign a distant memory.
Ahead of the upcoming FA Cup third-round clash between Macclesfield FC and Crystal Palace, The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter.
John Rooney has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Macclesfield FC manager will be bereft of the services of only one first-team player vs Crystal Palace on Saturday, with Brandon Lee recovering from a leg injury.
Max Dearnley will take his spot between the sticks, with Macclesfield FC lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs Crystal Palace on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Sam Heathcote, Rollin Menayese, and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson. Luke Matheson and Luis Lacey will start as the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will protect the centre-backs and provide width in the final third. As for the midfield unit, Paul Dawson, Carlos Dos Santos, and Luke Duffy will aim to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Finally, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts will be Danny Elliott’s strike partner this weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Dearnley; Heathcote, Menayese, Borthwick-Jackson; Matheson, Dawson, Duffy, Dos Santos, Lacey; Buckley-Ricketts, Elliott
Unlike his counterpart in the Macclesfield FC dugout, Oliver Glasner has an inflated health bill to worry about ahead of the trip to Moss Rose. The Crystal Palace manager will be without ten first-team players on Saturday.
Daniel Munoz (knee), Caleb Kporha (back), Chadi Riad (knee), Nathaniel Clyne (groin), Daichi Kamada (hamstring), Cheick Doucoure (knee), Rio Cardines (muscle), Jefferson Lerma (head), and Eddie Nketiah (thigh) remain in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Ismaila Sarr is still away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal.
Walter Benitez will deputise for Dean Henderson between the sticks, with Crystal Palace lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Macclesfield FC on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards, and George King. Dean Benamar and Borna Sosa will be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, Kaden Rodney will line up alongside Justin Devenny in the middle of the park. Finally, Christantus Uche will spearhead the Crystal Palace attack against Macclesfield, with Joel Drakes-Thomas and Ben Casey completing the numbers in the offensive third.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Benitez; Canvot, Richards, King; Benamar, Devenny, Rodney, Sosa; Casey, Drakes-Thomas; Uche
While Daniel Elliott, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, and Justin Devenny were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Christantus Uche as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s FA Cup clash between Macclesfield FC and Crystal Palace at Moss Rose.
Speculation is rife about the Nigerian attacker’s long-term future at Selhurst Park after struggling for regular game time in the first half of the 2025/26 season. So, Saturday’s FA Cup tie is Uche’s opportunity to show that he can make his mark and become a pivotal figure for Crystal Palace. With Oliver Glasner expected to rest several regulars, the onus will be on Uche to deliver the goods.
Macclesfield FC will have a few opportunities to trouble Crystal Palace, considering the away side will line up with a largely second-string side. Additionally, the visitors have been vulnerable at the back in recent weeks, and that will be evident again this weekend.
However, with Crystal Palace having a stacked bench on Saturday, Brennan Johnson and Jean-Philippe Mateta will come off the bench to deliver the goods in the second half, thus earning their side a morale-boosting victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Oliver Glasner and his charges.
