Preview: Lower-league sides eye upsets in FA Cup fifth round

LONDON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The fifth round of the FA Cup is played over the weekend, with 11 Premier League teams chasing a place in the quarterfinals alongside five lower-league sides hoping to extend their moment in the spotlight with a surprise result.

The round opens Friday night with the Premier League's bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers at home to Liverpool. The match repeats Tuesday's league meeting, when Wolves stunned Liverpool with a last-minute equalizer. Coach Rob Edwards will hope for more of the same as he tries to lift morale at the club in the closing months of the season.

The most attractive tie sees Newcastle United host Manchester City, a repeat of the EFL Cup semifinal in which City won both legs.

The match comes just days before Newcastle welcomes Barcelona and City travels to Real Madrid in the Champions League. That schedule, along with a late kickoff, could influence team selection for coaches Eddie Howe and Pep Guardiola.

League One side Mansfield Town produced one of the shocks of the last round with a 2-1 win at Burnley, but faces a daunting task at home to Arsenal, even if the Premier League leader may rest several regular starters.

There will also be some Hollywood glamour when Wrexham hosts Chelsea. The Welsh club sits sixth in the Championship and is enjoying its best form of the season.

Fulham has a good chance to reach the quarterfinals with a favorable tie at home to Southampton, while Sunderland should progress away to Port Vale, which sits bottom of League One and appears destined for relegation.

Leeds United faces another second-tier opponent as Norwich City travels to Elland Road. Leeds coach Daniel Farke spent four seasons in charge at Norwich, and his former club arrives with little to lose. Recent results have dragged Leeds back into a relegation struggle that a month ago seemed unlikely.

West Ham and Brentford conclude the round with an all-Premier League clash on Monday. The outcome could hinge on whether West Ham coach Nuno Espirito Santo decides to rest key players as his side battles to avoid relegation. ■