MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A non-league team against the defending champion. It's what the FA Cup is all about.
Macclesfield — a phoenix club playing in the sixth tier of English soccer — hosts Premier League side Crystal Palace on Saturday, hoping to pull off a memorable upset.
The third round of the FA Cup — soccer's oldest knockout competition — is one of the most anticipated weekends in the sport's calendar as England's top clubs enter the draw and can be pitted against lowly opposition.
It can see part-time players come up against international superstars and small grounds host teams more accustomed to performing at the world's biggest stadiums.
And such a clash of cultures have produced historic giant-killings.
There was the time when — long before Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac — the then-fourth tier Wrexham knocked out reigning league champion Arsenal in 1992.
In 1988, non-league Sutton United dumped out Coventry, which was then a topflight team and holder of the Cup.
So the warning signs are there for Palace as it begins its defense of the trophy it won last May by stunning Manchester City in the final to lift its first major trophy.
Macclesfield, in the north west of England and around 20 miles from Manchester, is a so-called phoenix club after rebuilding itself following the collapse of its predecessor Macclesfield Town.
Macclesfield Town dated back to 1874 and at one time reached the heights of the third tier. Managers included former England stars Paul Ince and Sol Campbell, but it was liquidated in 2020 because of debts. Its stadium and assets were bought by businessman Robert Smethurst and the club was relaunched.
The home game against Palace is a chance to produce the biggest moment in the reformed club's history.
Premier League leader Arsenal travels to 2008 winner Portsmouth. Manchester City faces third-tier Exeter and league champion Liverpool hosts Barnsley.
There are four all-Premier League ties: Manchester United vs. Brighton, Tottenham vs. Aston Villa, Everton vs. Sunderland and Newcastle vs. Bournemouth.
The Cup can transform previously unknown players into club icons, so a hero could emerge from any of the lower-ranked teams like Weston Super Mare, Boreham Wood and, of course, Macclesfield.
Elsewhere, Brentford's Brazilian striker Igor Thiago is on fire with 17 goals this season and five in his last two games. Brentford plays Sheffield Wednesday, which is bottom of the second-tier Championship.
Hugo Ekitike missed Liverpool's last two games with a hamstring injury and Conor Bradley was taken off on a stretcher against Arsenal on Thursday.
Manchester City is facing the long-term absence of defenders Josko Gvardiol, with an ankle fracture, and Ruben Dias with a hamstring injury.
The reaction from Manchester United fans against Brighton will be interesting after Ruben Amorim was fired on Monday. There were chants for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the midweek game against Burnley. Solskjaer, along with Michael Carrick, is in contention to take over as interim for the rest of the season.
A fans group also says it will protest against the club's “dysfunctional co-ownership” of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and the American Glazer family before the league game against Fulham next month. But there could be shows of dissent in the crowd on Sunday after signs of unrest against Burnley.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Crystal Palace players celebrate with the trophy after winning the English FA Cup final soccer match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Brisbane International final for the third year in a row with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchová on Saturday.
Sabalenka clinched the semifinal at Pat Rafter Arena on her fourth match point to advance to Sunday's final against Marta Kostyuk, who beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3. It was Kostyuk's third win in a row over a top-10 opponent.
The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.
Although three match points slipped away amid a late flurry of pressure from the Czech player, Sabalenka sealed victory when a Muchová shot sailed long.
“I always try to stay in the present,” Sabalenka said. “I worked really hard and each match against her is just another opportunity to get the win and I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win."
With 32 winners and all four break points saved, Sabalenka will look to carry that momentum into her 13th WTA 500-level final on Sunday.
In the men's tournament at Brisbane, Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-American semifinal. Nakashima will play top-seeded Daniil Medvedev after the Russian beat American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-2.
The former No. 1-ranked Medvedev seeks his 22nd career title, while it will be Nakashima's first ATP Tour final in four years.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Brandon Nakashima, of the United States, right, shakes hands at the net after he beat Aleksandar Kovacevic, of the United States, left, in their semifinal match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Daniil Medvedev of Russia waves to the crowd after he won his semifinal match against Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4, 6-2, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aleksandar Kovacevic, of the United States, reacts after missing a shot during his semifinal match against his compatriot Brandon Nakashima at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Brandon Nakashima, of the United States, plays a shot during his semifinal match against his compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus waves at the crowd after she won her semifinal match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-5, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during her semifinal tennis match against Karolína Muchova of the Czech Republic at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Karolína Muchova of the Czech Republic plays a shot during her semifinal tennis match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, plays a shot during her semifinal match against Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, serves during her semifinal tennis match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, plays a shot during her semifinal match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
