Macclesfield draw Brentford after FA Cup heroics
New Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior was handed a trip back to his old club Hull City in the FA Cup fourth round draw on Monday while non-league giant-slayers Macclesfield will welcome top-flight Brentford.
Sixth-tier Macclesfield, coached by Wayne Rooney’s younger brother John, delivered one of the biggest upset in FA Cup history when they stunned holders Crystal Palace 2–1 at their Moss Rose ground last Saturday.
They will have to produce another huge upset against Brentford, punching above their weight in fifth in the Premier League standings.
“We said before that we would have liked to get Liverpool, Chelsea, or Arsenal but another Premier League side is incredible,” said Rooney after the draw at Liverpool’s Anfield ground.
Rosenior played in the FA Cup final for Hull City against winners Arsenal in 2014 and also managed the club from 2022 to 2024.
He kicked off his tenure as Chelsea boss last Saturday with a 5-1 FA Cup third round win at Championship (second tier) side Charlton Athletic.
Premier League leaders Arsenal, the record 14-times winners of the FA Cup, will host League One (third tier) Wigan Athletic who won in 2013.
Aston Villa, who beat Tottenham Hotspur in the third round, will be at home to Newcastle United in an all-Premier League clash.
Liverpool will also face Premier League opponents in Brighton & Hove Albion if they beat League One Barnsley at home on Monday night.
Manchester City will have fourth-tier opponents in either Salford City, in what would be a mismatched local game, or Swindon Town.
The matches will be played around the weekend of February 14 and 15.
Draw:
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion
Stoke City v Fulham
Oxford United v Sunderland
Southampton v Leicester City
Wrexham v Ipswich Town
Arsenal v Wigan Athletic
Hull City v Chelsea
Burton Albion v West Ham United
Burnley v Mansfield Town
Norwich City v West Bromwich Albion
Port Vale v Bristol City
Grimsby Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Manchester City v Salford City/Swindon Town
Macclesfield v Brentford
Birmingham City v Leeds United