English FA CUP
2026-02-16 - Macclesfield vs Brentford
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English FA Cup Fourth Round
Monday 16th February 2025 - Kick Off 7:30pm
This game is live on TV
Macclesfield
It will go down as one of the biggest FA Cup upsets in the history of the competition, but following that up is the challenge for Macclesfield. They are the first ever club from the sixth level of English Football to beat a team from the top flight, but more amazingly is the fact that Macclesfield were able to do that against Crystal Palace, the holders.
Some lower League teams may have lost a bit of focus after creating such a sporting headline, but credit has to be given to Macclesfield for using the upset of Crystal Palace and fuelling a strong League run. They are now up into the Play Off spots in the National League North, but manager John Rooney will be fully aware of the size of the task in front of Macclesfield to knock off another Premier League opponent in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Macclesfield have won 5 of the 7 games played in all competitions since beating Crystal Palace, although the exceptions did both end in defeat. Opponents may be feeling a little more intimidated coming to the Leasing.com Stadium after Macclesfield's Cup exit and the side have won 6 in a row here in all competitions and been scoring goals for fun.
Brentford
They had a host of success under Thomas Frank and so many Brentford supporters will be feeling disappointed for the former manager whose time at Tottenham Hotspur did not even last a single year. With that said, they will be very happy with the job being done by Keith Andrews after the 1-1 home draw with Arsenal and the current manager will be looking to surpass achievements that had been had under Thomas Frank.
The Bees have never been beyond the FA Cup Quarter Final and they had suffered a number of early exits in Thomas Frank's time in charge. If they can win on Monday, Brentford will have reached the Fifth Round for the first time since 2019 and they have already been as far as the League Cup Quarter Final this season. In the FA Cup Third Round, Brentford beat Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Brentford played really well against Arsenal on Thursday, but they were not quite able to make it 3 wins in a row before travelling to the North West for this Monday night Cup tie. The players should be travelling with confidence though having won 5 of the last 6 away games in all competitions.
Reiss Nelson is available, but Kevin Schade will complete his three game suspension.
Head to Head
After reforming as Macclesfield out of the ashes of Macclesfield Town, this will be the first time they have faced Brentford.
However, Macclesfield Town and Brentford had both operated in the same League Two Division in 2007/08 and 2008/09 and the former won both home games in those seasons.
Prediction
Seventeen seasons ago, Macclesfield Town and Brentford were playing in the fourth tier of English Football together and so much has changed since then for both.
Of course Macclesfield Town are no longer operating, but Macclesfield have formed out of the winding up order and are making their way back up the English Football pyramid.
The upset of Crystal Palace will go down in history and Macclesfield have used that to really build the confidence in the National League North. They have certainly done enough to earn respect and you have to believe that Keith Andrews and Brentford are going to take this match very seriously.
The last two times Brentford visited Macclesfield Town in League Two action ended in defeat both times, but The Bees are now an established top flight club. In fact they are chasing European Football and Brentford have also had a strong run in the League Cup, which they will want to back up in the FA Cup.
It has been seven years since Brentford last played in the FA Cup Fifth Round, but they have all of the quality needed to win here.
You would have expected the same from Crystal Palace, but a much changed squad could not get used to the pitch and that cost them.
Keith Andrews and company should travel with a stronger set of players, even if some changes are made to the starting eleven, and that should help. They will have noted the playing conditions and you have to believe the focus will be a lot more intense knowing one Premier League club has already slipped up here.
That should see Brentford's quality ultimately prevail and 5 wins in 6 away games in all competitions can be extended further with some relative comfort once all things have been said.
The Pick :
Macclesfield 1-3 Brentford
