The Premier League takes a backseat this weekend, with the fourth round of the FA Cup the focus of the country’s biggest clubs, not to mention a few humble ones too.

On Friday, two worlds will collide, as a fourth-tier outfit will host one of the top flight’s juggernauts, who are set to showcase their new big-money acquisition. Sunday will see the Premier League leaders travel to one of the best sides in the Championship in 2017-18.

In terms of league matches, there’s a standout game from La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 to finalise the selections.

All kickoffs are in Eastern United States timezone. Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the games!

 

YEOVIL TOWN VS. MANCHESTER UNITED
Friday, January 26, 2:55 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, DIRECTV NOW, Sling Blue and fubo Premier

While the Friday night slot is not in keeping with FA Cup traditions, Yeovil hosting United is a quintessential fixture in this competition.

United fans making the trip to Huish Park for this one will be hoping to get a glimpse of Alexis Sanchez for the first time, after the Chilean completed his switch from Arsenal recently. You sense the forward may have had more glamour in mind for his Red Devils debut, but he’ll relish the challenge nonetheless.

Indeed, with Manchester City streaks ahead in the Premier League, the cup competitions will take on increased significance this season for Jose Mourinho and his side. Last term, they excelled in these tournaments and the FA Cup is their most likely source of silverware in the coming months as things stand.

As for Yeovil, this encounter will represent some relief from a testing League Two campaign, as they sit in 21st place in the table and in a battle to keep their Football League status intact. Any kind of result here would give everyone at the club a huge lift.

 

VALENCIA VS. REAL MADRID
Saturday, January 27, 10:15 a.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fubo Premier

With Barcelona a long way clear at the summit of La Liga, the most intriguing tussles between now and the end of the campaign will be to see who finishes second. Valencia and Real Madrid will both fancy their chances.

Although Valencia supporters would’ve been delighted to be in third spot at this point in the season, they’ll be a little disappointed with how things have gone lately. After all, it’s not too long ago Marcelino’s team were looking like genuine title contenders; four defeats in their last seven have sapped momentum.

If they were able to get the better of Los Blancos here, then fresh impetus would be injected into their season; it’d also put them eight points ahead of Madrid, who currently occupy fourth. But last week there were signs from Zinedine Zidane’s side that they were getting back to their best, as they smashed Deportivo la Coruna 7-1.

Going to the Mestalla, where Valencia have been excellent so far this season, will be an altogether tougher challenge. Especially after Madrid were eliminated from the Copa del Rey in embarrassing style in midweek.

 

CARDIFF CITY VS. MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, January 28, 11 a.m. ET, FOX Sports 2, FOX Deportes, DIRECTV NOW, Sling Blue and fubo Premier

While it’d be an enormous shock to see Yeovil get anything against Manchester United on Friday, in Sunday’s showdown between Cardiff and City there’s a more realistic chance of an upset.

After all, Cardiff have been impressive this season under Neil Warnock and have surprised plenty with their rise to third in the Championship table. While their form hasn’t been the best lately, and focus will surely remain on getting back to the Premier League, in front of their own supporters they’ll fancy their chances here.

Even so, getting a replay against this City team would be some achievement, as Pep Guardiola’s side continue to sparkle. In midweek they were given a tough examination by Bristol City in the League Cup, but even so, they had the quality needed to come through and win the game.

It’ll be intriguing to see how many changes Guardiola makes for this one, with some challenging fixtures in the Premier League and Champions League to come. But if the Premier League side are complacent in this fixture, then Cardiff will feel capable of unsettling them in front of what’ll be a raucous home support.

 

AC MILAN VS. LAZIO
Sunday, January 28, 12 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fubo Premier

Lazio have impressed plenty in Serie A this term and will want to continue cementing their spot as the third best side in the country when they visit the San Siro to face Milan on Sunday.

Although Napoli and Juventus are a little out of reach at this point, the capital club have really caught the eye in 2017-18 and particularly in recent weeks. They’ve won their last three outings in succession, netting 13 goals in the process.

Manager Simone Inzaghi has built a brilliant side at the Stadio Olimpico, boasting strength in defence, class in midfield in the form of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Luis Alberto, plus a poacher extraordinaire in Ciro Immobile. You sense they won’t be daunted by a trip to the San Siro either.

Milan have been better as of late under Gennaro Gattuso, as they’re a side playing in their manager’s image and a team beginning to pick up points too. Victory here would be the biggest for the new coach since taking over, although Lazio appear to be a tough beast to tame at this moment in time.

 

MARSEILLE VS. MONACO
Sunday, January 28, 3 p.m. ET, beIN SPORTS Connect and fubo Premier

There may be no real title race to whet the appetite in Ligue, although the battle for second spot should be fascinating for the rest of the campaign. Marseille and Monaco are key players in it.

Marseille have shuffled up to third place and are playing some wonderful stuff under the guidance of Rudi Garcia. The attacking flair the likes of Florian Thauvin, Dimitri Payet and Lucas Ocampos bring to this side makes them such an easy watch and in their recent outings they’ve struck a desirable balance in their defending too.

They come into this one with four wins in succession and a point clear of Monaco, who are struggling to find consistency at the moment. Leonardo Jardim at least saw his side get back to winning ways against Metz last time out, although Marseille at the Stade Velodrome will call for much improvement.

Indeed, it’s a venue befitting of Champions League football and that’s something Garcia will be desperate to bring to Marseille next season. Beating Monaco would be a massive step in the right direction.