FA Cup Fourth Round Predictions: Matchday 2/13

Two matches are on the docket as English football’s most famous cup competition returns.

The FA Cup fourth round gives domestic league brief respite. | Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images

Chelsea and Wrexham are the headline acts as the FA Cup fourth round weekend gets underway with two Friday night games.

The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa are in action during the traditional Saturday and Sunday slots, but a pre-Valentine’s Day feast of football awaits for Liam Rosenior and Phil Parkinson—two managers under the microscope for very different reasons.

With wind and rain continuing to sweep across the United Kingdom, it will be a far from straightforward night for either—Hull City and Ipswich Town are both seriously good teams in their own right and have ambitions of earning promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.

Here’s Sports Illustrated’s predictions for what could happen.

---

Hull City vs. Chelsea

Chelsea won’t underestimate their high-flying Championship opponents. | Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC/Visionhaus/Getty Images

• Date: Friday, Feb. 13
• Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT / 2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT

When Liam Rosenior was sacked by Hull City at the end of the 2023–24 season, few would’ve projected the former Sky Sports pundit to have taken the Chelsea job within two years.

Rosenior’s dismissal aged woefully for the Tigers, who barely escaped the drop last season, but they’ve rebounded impressively in 2025–26 and may well fancy staging a memorable upset on Friday night.

Hull are fourth in the Championship and in playoff contention, while Chelsea enter Friday night’s cup tie off the back of a disappointing 2–2 draw at home to Leeds United. The quick turnaround may inhibit the visitors, but they did make light work of another second-tier opponent, Charlton Athletic, in the previous round.

Prediction: Hull 1–2 Chelsea

---

Wrexham vs. Ipswich Town

Wrexham outlasted Nottingham Forest in the third round. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

• Date: Friday, Feb. 13
• Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT / 2:45 p.m. ET / 11:45 a.m. PT

Five years ago, Wrexham were a National League side who had been knocked out of the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup—the fourth time in six seasons that happened.

Now, they are pushing for promotion to the Premier League and are bidding to reach the FA Cup fifth round proper for the first time in 45 years. Standing in their way is an Ipswich Town side who continue to make great strides under Kieran McKenna.

The Tractor Boys have dusted themselves down from lasting just one season in the Premier League and are arguably in better touch than Wrexham are right now. However, a bouncing STōK Cae Ras will undoubtedly be behind the hosts, who thrillingly knocked Nottingham Forest out to make it to round four.

With Ryan Reynolds cheering on from the stands, it could be another historic night for Wrexham—but one that could go all the way to the lottery of a penalty shootout.

Prediction: Wrexham 1-1 Ipswich (Wrexham on penalties)

---