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FA Cup fights for relevance as EPL gets wealthier

Sports

FA Cup fights for relevance as EPL gets wealthier

Within minutes of lifting the FA Cup in May, Louis van Gaal discovered how little the competition factored into the decision on his Manchester United future.United's approach for Jose Mourinho to succeed Van Gaal emerged as the Dutch coach was facing the media at Wembley Stadium straight after beating Crystal Palace. Two days later, Van Gaal was booted out of United, paying the price for failing to secure Champions League qualification by finishing in the top four.It's clear what the priority is now for English Premier League owners like the Glazers.United and the other 19 Premier League teams enter the FA Cup in the third round this weekend, knowing success in soccer's oldest knockout competition has rarely counted less.What matters is making cash through the Premier League, which has eroded the FA Cup's long-standing cherished place in the English football calendar over the last two decades.Van Gaal is one of several managers to leave their jobs despite reaching an FA Cup final.

But as well when April comes and May comes and teams go to Wembley it's something special ... it's a big priority for us.

Tim Sherwood

"I'm not going to make a big thing of it because I'm not going to be waving," Stam said.That's because the next time he returns to United he hopes it is because Reading, currently third in the Championship, is back in the Premier League.TOTTENHAM-ASTON VILLASteve Bruce, whose Hull side lost the 2014 final to Arsenal, is midway through his first season at Aston Villa. There's little doubt his main task is returning the team to the Premier League but it is a place below Preston in 12th place and seven points from the playoff spots.Tottenham is likely to use the cup on Sunday as a chance to rest the key players behind the five-match league winning run, crowned by the victory over Chelsea on Wednesday that lifted Mauricio Pochettino's side to third.LIVERPOOL-PLYMOUTHIt's second in the Premier League versus second in the fourth tier at Anfield on Sunday.

Arsenal travels on Saturday to Preston, which is 11th in the 24-team second-tier League Championship. Preston North End's heyday was in the 19th century, winning the top tier twice and the FA Cup once.

Jaap Stam returns to Old Trafford