Can Crawley Do It?

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The FA Cup 5th Round has again brought together two teams from opposite spectrums of English football.

Saturday evening sees Crawley Town, of the Blue Square Premier, take on Manchester United, currently sitting four points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

It only happens in the FA Cup, yet, while Leyton Orient also face Arsenal in another potential giant-killing, the magic of the FA Cup could be about to strike again.











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It's the fairytale behind the non league side Crawley that takes priority for the TV fixtures, with the last non league side to reach the Fifth Round being Kidderminster Harriers.

For Manchester United, it is another one of those potentially tricky games which they are going to have to negotiate as they look to add to their 11 FA Cups to date.

United's recent record against the so called minnows has been good, with Sir Alex Ferguson's side beating Southampton 2-1 in the last round despite going behind.

The game against Crawley could have been a lot trickier for the current league leaders, had it been away, although the minnows' away record has been good of late, keeping a clean sheet in their last six games and winning three.



Crawley beat Torquay away in the last round, thanks to a first half goal from top scorer Matthew Tubbs.


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In fact, they've only lost two away games this season, against AFC Wimbledon and Dartford but Old Trafford is, on every scale, a whole different challenge.

Compare that to the fact that United haven't lost at home yet, and have only lost once in the league all season, and the nature of the task looks far beyond them.

However, the FA Cup is magic and they simply have to believe that they have a chance, especially if the big guns are rested heading into next weekend's double header against Wigan and Chelsea.

The conference side currently sit second in the league, three points behind AFC Wimbledon, but having played four games fewer, and are looking good for promotion, but can they do the unthinkable and beat United at their own home?

I highly doubt that they will although it would be good for football if a European giant could be knocked out of a cup competition by a lower league team, with less reputation than Coventry, Leeds and Portsmouth, the latter having knocked United out of the FA Cup over the last two seasons and all three defeats being inflicted at the Theatre of Dreams.



Leeds United beat the Red Devils in last season's FA Cup, the second consecutive year they've lost 1-0 at Old Trafford to exit the competition.

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The Crawley players have come in for some criticism for taking a tour of Old Trafford yesterday, but it's not than possibly a once in a lifetime trip for their players, so I don't blame them one bit.

It's sure to be a game where the neutrals are supporting the under-dog but there are some big guns left in the competition and I don't think that Manchester United are about to come undone this weekend as they search for another prestigious treble.

Can Crawley beat United? Who will win the FA Cup? Please discuss below.