FA WNL Northern Premier leaders Sunderland plan to span two divisions and cause a shock against Birmingham City in The Women’s FA Cup 5th Round.
Sunday 16 February
Chelsea P-P Liverpool (now Mon 17 Feb, Kingsmeadow, 7pm)
Arsenal v Lewes Women (Boreham Wood FC, 1pm) – – live on BBC iPlayer, Red Button & FA Player
Leicester City WFC v Reading (Quorn FC, 2pm)
Crystal Palace v Brighton & Hove Albion (Bromley FC, 2pm)
Manchester City v Ipswich Town (Academy Stadium, 2pm)
Sunderland v Birmingham City (Eppleton CW FC, 2pm)
Monday 17 February
Bristol City v Everton (Bristol City FC, 7.30pm)
Coventry United v Tottenham Hotspur (Coventry United FC, 7.45pm)
Sunderland’a top scorer, Bridget Galloway, is confident her side can cause an upset and told safc.com: “I can’t wait for the game on Sunday, it’s a great draw.
“It will be exciting playing against some former teammates and WSL players. I will take this opportunity as a personal benchmark with the long term aim of making it back to the top level.
“I believe the squad has got enough to beat any opposition if we all play to our true potential, and personally I hope to be on the scoresheet.”
Chelsea and Liverpool is one of only two all top tier clashes and was to get the fifth Round fixtures underway with the televised tie on Sunday lunchtime but Storm Dennis has meant the game in postponed until Monday. Liverpool will be buoyed not only after their battling midweek performance against Arsenal but by the 1-1 draw with Chelsea earlier in the league campaign.
Bristol City and Everton meet at Ashton Gate on Monday evening in the other clash of Barclays FA WSL sides, the Robins hoping a big crowd can help reverse the away league loss.
Ipswich Town face a huge task in the last sixteen, with the FA WNL Division 1 side away to holders Manchester City who play three tiers above them, Lewes also have a somewhat daunting trip to Arsenal, which is now the BBC’s live match.
The other three ties all see Championship teams as underdogs but with each having home advantage. Leicester City Women are up against fourth-placed WSL side Reading, Crystal Palace face traditional club rivals in Brighton, while the last game on Monday sees Coventry United challenge Spurs.
The quarter-final draw will be held on Monday 17 February live on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club at 8.45pm.
The draw will be hosted by Mark Chapman and conducted by Micah Richards and Rachel Brown-Finnis.
