No replays as FA Cup announcement impacts West Brom v Brighton
West Brom were tied against Premier League side Brighton in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday, January 8.
Due to the extremely strenuous circumstances put on teams due to the coronavirus, the FA have decided to remove potential replays from the third and fourth round of this season’s competition.
Valerien Ismael’s side will host Brighton but if the teams draw there will be no replay at the Amex. The game will go to extra time and penalties if needed.
An FA statement reads: “We can today confirm that replays have been removed in both the third and fourth rounds of the 2021-22 Emirates FA Cup.
“This exceptional decision was approved by the FA Board on Friday 17 December and has been taken in the wider interest of English football to alleviate the possibility of fixture congestion following several postponements in recent days and continued uncertainty ahead due to COVID-19.
“Ties in the third and fourth rounds of this season’s competition will be played to a finish on the day, with extra-time and penalty shootouts if required.
“Replays will return up to and including the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup from the 2022-23 season onwards.”
Unexpected
A great call by the FA but one that comes as a shock. It isn’t often that a governing body realises and addresses an issue with such affect.
Teams throughout the EFL have struggled increasingly over the winter period with many players being deemed unfit after testing positive for coronavirus.
This is something that could go on for the remainder of the season with the issue so severe, all 20 Premier League clubs met yesterday (December 20) to decide whether to postpone the season.
The clubs voted against a circuit breaker meaning play will continue as normal. Which makes the decision to remove unnecessary games from the calendar all the more important.
Games that can be avoided must as squads find themselves decimated with positive cases. This decision allows teams the opportunity to rest and regather under the monotonously difficult situation we find ourselves in.
Further questions have been asked on the EFL Cup’s double legged semi-final. If football is to continue during the re-emergence of the pandemic, everyone – including the footballing bodies in charge – must pull together to make it as easy as possible for the players.
In other West Brom news, Valerien Ismael sheds light on questionable West Brom selection against Barnsley.