TODAY’S GAMES

Cardiff v Fulham

Cardiff Stadium, 11.30am, BBC1 Wales NEIL WARNOCK believes the only way to breathe new life into the FA Cup is to give it a Champions League lifeline. A small crowd is expected in today’s early kick-off against Fulham. Warnock’s solution to a general indifference to the once famous competition? ‘The winners of the FA Cup should have an automatic place into the Champions League — that would make it more appealing to everybody at the top level,’ he said.

Liverpool v Plymouth

Anfield, 1.30pm, BT Sport 2 PLYMOUTH have lost each of their last 11 FA Cup ties against topflight opponents, but that hasn’t stopped top scorer and boyhood Reds fan Graham Carey from believing. ‘Obviously, no-one is going to give us a chance and everyone will say there is a big gulf in class, but in the FA Cup and on the day you never know what can happen,’ said 10-goal Carey.

Chelsea v Peterborough

Stamford Bridge, 3pm PETERBOROUGH will be hoping to improve on their two previous efforts against Chelsea in the competition — they ended in 5-1 and 5-0 hidings.

Middlesborough v Sheffield Wed

Riverside Stadium, 3pm WEDNESDAY will be aiming to spring a surprise — though history is against them. Since beating rivals Sheffield United in the 1992-93 semis, Wednesday have played 12 ties against top-flight opponents — and lost the lot.

Tottenham v Aston Villa

White Hart Lane, 4pm, BBC1 VILLA are on the up under Steve Bruce though their record against Spurs is poor. Spurs have won eight of their last nine meetings against Villa and have found the net in 22 of their last 23 home FA Cup ties.