English FA CUP

2026-02-14 - Burnley vs Mansfield Town

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Burnley v Mansfield Town
Football: English FA Cup Fourth Round
Saturday 14th February 2025 - Kick Off 3pm

Burnley

A seven minute period at the end of the first half may just have changed the Burnley season- they were 2-0 down at Selhurst Park, but went into the half time break leading 2-3 and eventually earning three priceless points to just rekindle hopes of avoiding the drop. The last three times Burnley have been relegated from the Premier League has been accompanied by Third Round FA Cup exits, but Scott Parker's men have made it through to the Fourth Round this season, which will have given some fans further hope.

The manager's only disappointment this weekend is that the Premier League is going into a little break and not allowing Burnley to back up that victory at Crystal Palace with another very quickly. Scott Parker did oversee Burnley's 5-1 home win over Millwall in the FA Cup Third Round and there is an opportunity for the team to progress to the Fifth Round for the fourth time in the last six years.

Burnley ended a long wait for a Premier League win when coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace and they had lost consecutive fixtures prior to that victory. The 3 game unbeaten run at Turf Moor was ended in a 0-2 defeat to West Ham United most recently, while Burnley were upset by Cardiff City at home in the League Cup earlier this season.

Axel Tuanzebe has joined a number of squad members in the treatment room, while the manager is expected to make some changes to his starting eleven.

Mansfield Town

He has not quite reached the kind of level that father Brian did as a manager, but Nigel Clough has been a solid enough lower League manager. At the moment he is in charge at Mansfield Town, but this is a manager who has guided clubs to plenty of Cup upsets and longer runs than would have been expected.

The Stags are in mid-table in League One and this has become a difficult Division from which to earn promotion so Mansfield Town may feel they are doing well enough to simply compete. In the FA Cup Third Round, Mansfield Town upset the odds by winning 3-4 at Sheffield Unoted, one of Nigel Clough's former clubs.

Mansfield Town had been unbeaten in 9 games in all competitions before losing 1-2 at home against Peterborough United last week. The flip side of the form guide is that they had drawn 4 in a row before that loss time out. Mansfield Town travel to the North West knowing they are unbeaten in 7 away games in all competitions since losing at Cardiff City.

Head to Head

These two clubs last met in the FA Cup Third Round two years ago and it was Burnley who won 0-2 at Field Mill.

Burnley have won all 7 previous home games against Mansfield Town, but have not hosted them since September 1996 in the League Cup.

Prediction

Scott Parker will be hoping the seven minutes at the end of the first half at Selhurst Park will be the period where Burnley can say the survival bid began in the Premier League.

Unfortunately there is no League game to back up that victory as soon as this weekend, but everyone around the club have to be very excited and walking with a lot more confidence.

Burnley can keep some momentum by making their way into the FA Cup Fifth Round once again and they crushed Millwall here in the last Round.

The manager will likely make some changes, but Burnley do have some squad depth and Parker will be keen to see those coming in show that they can be trusted if used in the Premier League too.

Respect has to be given to Mansfield Town and manager Nigel Clough who has tended to get his teams punching above their weight in Cup competition. He will certainly feel his team have little to lose, so Mansfield Town can present some problems, while The Stags have been resilient away from home in recent weeks.

Of course there is ultimately a big gap in the quality of the two teams and that should show up when all is said and done.

Burnley were upset by Cardiff City in the League Cup earlier this season, another club from League One, but the crushing win over Millwall in the FA Cup Third Round should be backed up with a victory by at least two goals on Saturday.