Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi, 25, has Manchester City and Liverpool in the chase with Bayern Munich not giving up on signing either. (Sky Germany), external
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Alex Pewter
Fan writer
Image source, ReutersThis weekend proved that the magic of the FA Cup lives on, even if Crystal Palace switched roles from beneficiaries to victims in their first defence of the historic trophy.
For frequent users of the "typical Palace" moniker, this could be a pinnacle example. However, if supporting this club has taught any life lessons, unintentionally or not, it has been to stay humble in victory, whilst magnanimous in defeat.
So in that sense, unless all football romanticism were quashed forever by 97 minutes of acute frustration, even temporarily, it was a deserved victory for Macclesfield - the phoenix club, with a fanbase that suffered the pain of liquidation, which Palace twice avoided.
The result, and the manner of the performance, clearly angered Oliver Glasner, who will need to refocus and, most importantly, get his team back to work on the training ground. That's a luxury not afforded to sides with such busy schedules. The Achilles heel of set-piece defending allowed the National League North outfit into the game, as it has with others, and needs time and addressing.
With the away trip to Sunderland on Saturday, this is the first time the squad has had a full seven days between matches since the end of September, excluding international breaks, during which a reasonable number of players are away from the squad.
If there are silver linings to be found, even in the darkest of clouds, perhaps that is it. The failure to reach the FA Cup fourth round also gives the team a free weekend ahead of their Conference League matches against either Sigma Olomouc or Zrinjski Mostar, a must-win play-off to keep this season from being a "what if".
Find more from Alex Pewter at FYP podcast, external
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's FA Cup defeat to Macclesfield Town.
Here are some of your comments:
Ian: This was without doubt the most embarrassing performance I have ever seen Palace have. Not one player can hold their head high. No fight in any of them. What's hard to take is their arrogance because they lost the will to work hard for each other. Such a shame for them and the fans.
Chris: A disgusting display from all players. We were poor on the ball, poor off the ball and at times, it was simply carnage at the back. Congratulations to Macclesfield, however Palace should have at least tried to play like a Premier League team - they were simply embarrassing.
Ron: Palace were woeful. They were disjointed upfront and too slow in defence. How the mighty have fallen.
Michael: This has been coming for some time. We have become absolutely predictable and Oliver Glasner has no idea how to change it. He has one way of playing and is unable to vary it and signing more players who suit his inflexible approach will not solve anything. Persuading him to extend his contract is now irrelevant, we need to be identifying a more tactical and progressive replacement.
Maureen: Humiliating performance that the players have to live with. No excuses. Hoping this doesn't put Glasner's job at risk. Really pleased for Macclesfield who thoroughly deserved the win, but wish it wasn't against us.
Bill: Criticism of Palace would only deflect from how good Macclesfield were. Inspired by the courageous Dawson, they were well worth their win and apart from injury time, were never troubled. Palace are out of the two main cups and free-falling in the league. We've only got the Mickey Mouse Conference League to fight for and even that doesn't set my juices flowing.
Steve: Palace were awful. No creativity. Bereft of ideas. Macclesfield were quicker to the ball and won most of the second balls. The recent run of poor form highlights the lack of top quality across the team. Hopefully, this will encourage honest reflection, and a recognition that Palace have been punching above their weight for some time. It will be interesting to see how Glasner responds to this embarrassing defeat.
Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.
And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesAfter celebrating their memorable FA Cup trophy win at the end of last season, Crystal Palace fans would never have envisaged their defence would end at the first stage, particularly at the hands of a team five divisions below them.
Oliver Glasner certainly took a risk with his youthful starting XI, but they still possessed enough Premier League experience in the team and on the bench to have overcome this hurdle.
But aside from having plenty of possession, they looked a side completely out of sorts, with the fact Macclesfield finishing the game with more shots than them highlighting that this was a deserved result.
The opener came from a set-piece - a Palace weakness this season, as 13 of the 23 goals scored against them in the Premier League have come from such situations.
Palace appeared to lack leadership on the pitch to deal with the situation and though they came alive after Pino's strike, it ultimately came far too late.
It is an embarrassing result for Palace, but Glasner's wider focus will be on trying to turn around their alarming drop in form, with the Eagles having not won in any competition since 11 December.
Image source, Getty ImagesCrystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner speaking to BBC Sport after the 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Macclesfield Town: "We give congratulations to Macclesfield for winning.
"We had no kind of quality today and I saw no one who could win a dribble. Then conceding set goals and timing in the header.
"If you can't create clear chances, it is a lack of quality that we have shown today. We deserved to lose."
On his hopes after making changes at half-time: "Honestly, I have no explanation for what I have seen today and we can find excuses but you don't need tactics and a manager for these games.
"So I think if you just show what you are capable of and show pride then you perform in a different way."
Did you know?
Macclesfield are the first non-league team to eliminate the FA Cup holders since Crystal Palace knocked out Wolves in the 1908-09 first round.
Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
What did you make of Palace's display?
Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies
Macclesfield's top scorer Danny Elliott is only fit enough for a place on the bench for the hosts. Josh Kay returns from suspension to start.
Macclesfield XI: Dearnley, Fensome, Menayese, Dawson, Buckley-Ricketts, Mellor, Heathcote, Lacey, Kay, Edmonson.
Subs: Callister, Matheson, Griffiths, Elliott, Dos Santos, Whitehead, Woltman, Stone, Borthwick-Jackson.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner makes six changes.
There's a start for 16-year-old winger Joel Drakes-Thomas, while defender Kaden Rodney, 21, also starts.
Chris Richards, Borna Sosa, Walter Benitez and Christantus Uche also start.
Crystal Palace XI: Benitez, Canvot, Guehi, Richards, Sosa, Rodney, Wharton, Devenny, Pino, Drakes-Thomas, Uche.
Subs: Henderson, Mitchell, Lacroix, King, Benamar, Hughes, Marsh, Casey, Johnson.
There are 18 third-round ties in the FA Cup on Saturday - 16 involving Premier League and Championship teams, who all enter the competition at this stage - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.
Cheltenham v Leicester (12:15) - BBC Radio Leicester
Everton v Sunderland (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2
Macclesfield v Crystal Palace (12:15) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Radio Manchester
Wolves v Shrewsbury (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3 & BBC Radio WM
Boreham Wood v Burton Albion
Burnley v Millwall - BBC Radio London
Doncaster v Southampton - BBC Radio Solent
Fulham v Middlesbrough - BBC Radio 5 Live
Ipswich v Blackpool - BBC Radio Suffolk
Man City v Exeter City - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Newcastle v Bournemouth - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 & BBC Radio Newcastle
Salford P-P Swindon
Sheff Wed v Brentford
Stoke v Coventry - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio CWR
Bristol City v Watford (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Three Counties Radio
Cambridge United v Birmingham (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2
Grimsby v Weston (17:45)
Tottenham v Aston Villa (17:45) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London
Charlton v Chelsea (20:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London
Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated
Follow all of the action and reaction here
And find out how to follow the FA Cup across the BBC this weekend here
You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Middlesbrough" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Aston Villa", for instance.
Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds
Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist
Saturday lunchtime's contest has all the makings of a modern classic.
The competition's holders travel north to face the lowest-ranked side remaining and victory for the non-league hosts would be the biggest FA Cup upset of all time in terms of league places.
So can the phoenix club continue their ascent or will the Eagles soar comfortably into round four?
One hundred and forty six years of history and some memorable cup runs were consigned to the history books when Macclesfield Town ceased trading in 2020. Their revival as Macclesfield FC under current owner Rob Smethhurst and Robbie Savage has been well documented but with the latter leaving for pastures new, it is down to John Rooney – younger brother of Wayne – to mastermind another promotion.
Rooney has experienced a fairly solid start to his coaching career but he and his team have recently endured the worst event imaginable in sport – the loss of a team-mate.
On 16 December, 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod lost his life after a car accident on the M1 motorway while travelling home after a league match in Bedford. The club's subsequent match against Alfreton was postponed.
McLeod scored three times in seven games for Macclesfield, including once on debut against Atherton Laburnum Rovers in an FA Cup second qualifying round win in September. His goal that day helped Macclesfield reach this stage and he will be fondly remembered on Saturday.
Crystal Palace's current dilemmas pale into insignificance when compared to the devastating loss experienced by those associated with Macclesfield. The south Londoners are without a win in eight league and cup matches and recent reports suggest that club captain Marc Guehi and manager Oliver Glasner could soon be on the move to other clubs.
Palace are sitting on their second-best Premier League points tally after 21 games but have slipped from fourth in the table to 13th in the space of a month following a run of four defeats and two draws. They are winless in eight matches if you include the cup competitions and Glasner's fatigued side appear vulnerable to an upset this weekend if recent form is anything to go by.
Did you know?
Macclesfield FC were formed in 2020 and are competing in the FA Cup proper for the first time. They have never faced Premier League opposition before in this competition, but they have in their previous guise as Macclesfield Town.
The Silkmen could become the first side to reach the fourth round in their debut season since Harlow Town in 1979-80.
Macc have won just one of their past four home games (drawn two, lost one), although it was their previous outing at home to Radcliffe on Tuesday.
Image source, PA MediaKey Players - Danny Elliot
Macc's star striker Danny Elliot was at the pre-match press conference but is an injury doubt after failing to play a minute of the past two games. He is the Phoenix Club's all-time top scorer with 57 goals. Scored a club record 37 times in 2025 across all competitions. Former clubs include Port Vale, Chester and Scunthorpe, and he was linked with an EFL move last summer.
Squad summary
Macclesfield's top scorer, Danny Elliott has failed to play the past two games, and there are doubts around his participation. Left-back Brandon Lee will be absent after suffering a serious knee injury in round two against Slough, but midfielder Josh Kay returns after serving a three-match ban.
What a tie this is.
My 606 co-host Robbie Savage built the foundations for this Macclesfield side and they have gone on an amazing run under John Rooney to get this far.
It started with a win over Atherton Laburnum Rovers in the second qualifying round in September.
One of their scorers that day was Ethan McLeod, who died in a car accident before Christmas on his way back from a game, which puts everything in perspective.
This would be the biggest shock in FA Cup history if Macclesfield won, because no sixth-tier side has ever beaten one from the top flight since the FA Cup started in 1871, but I don't think that will happen.
Palace have not been in good form recently but they played well in their draw with Aston Villa on Wednesday when they defended strongly.
The holders are solid even when they don't fire up front, and they should win this pretty comfortably.
Sutton's prediction: 0-4
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Saturday's FA Cup game against Macclesfield Town at The Leasing.com Stadium (kick-off 12:15 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta "will not travel" for the cup game and instead will "rest" as he "has some issues with his knee".
More from Glasner on Mateta: "Everything's under control but we don't want to risk that he plays on astro [turf] and it gets worse, that's why he stays in London."
He doesn't expect Mateta's knee to be an issue for next week's Premier League game against Sunderland.
There are no new injury concerns but no player recently sidelined will return either.
Captain Marc Guehi, who has been linked with a move away from the Eagles, will start on Saturday.
On defending their FA Cup honour: "We want to win another trophy. This is our approach. It's not defending something, it's winning something. We can't defend it because we already have won it. This trophy will stay forever in Crystal Palace history books. But it's adding another trophy – that's how we enter the FA Cup."
He said it might be Macclesfield's' "match of the decade," but if "we show our standards, we will win".
Follow all of Friday's FA Cup news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Watch Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace on BBC One from 12:00 GMT or listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Manchester
Ellie Thomason
BBC Sport senior journalist
Edmonson scores 'sensational' strike for Macclesfield
Crystal Palace will play on an unfamiliar 4G pitch in a 5,300 capacity stadium when they play non-league Macclesfield in the FA Cup on Saturday, but what else can they expect from the Silkmen?
John Rooney's side are part-time and many players have jobs outside football. Top scorer Danny Elliott owns a company aimed at helping footballers build long-term wealth through smart property investments.
Right-back Lewis Fensome owns a gym, fellow defender Sam Heathcote works in a school, while Luke Duffy and captain Paul Dawson do part-time coaching.
Elliott has missed Macclesfield's last two games through injury, but spoke in Thursday's news conference and expects to be in the squad.
Dawson is a driving force in the Macclesfield midfield and is tenacious in both attack and defence. He runs the middle of the park and scores his fair share of goals too, most recently netting the winner on Tuesday against Radcliffe with a long-range strike which went in off the crossbar.
Talented midfielder James Edmondson - on loan from Blackburn Rovers - is one to watch. His sensational goal against Slough helped Macclesfield progress to the third round of the FA Cup and was voted goal of the second round.
Palace's forwards will have the towering centre-back pairing of Heathcote and Rollin Menayese to contend with, while full-backs Fensome and Luis Lacey - brother of Manchester United's Shea Lacey like to press high.
Macclesfield sit 14th in the National League North, but have a number of games in hand due to their FA Cup run and recent postponements. They returned to winning ways in the league on Tuesday and will hope to build on that in Saturday's historic fixture for the reformed club.
Ellie Thomason
BBC Sport senior journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesThere are 116 places between National League North side Macclesfield and Premier League Crystal Palace, but the Silkmen are optimistic they can cause an upset against the holders in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
Forward Danny Elliott, who has scored five goals in the competition so far this season, said the Eagles' recent winless run has given him hope.
"They are not in the best form at the minute but they are the holders, we don't doubt they will be fantastic," he said.
"Anything can happen. Playing on our pitch and in our environment with our crowd gives us more of an advantage than if we were at Selhurst Park."
There will be a familiar face in the Palace squad for Elliott, grew up on the same road as their new signing Brennan Johnson and went to the same school as him.
"It feels like a strange full circle moment really," he said on facing Johnson.
"Playing the holders and all of these David versus Goliath stories, to get something out of the game will be absolutely fantastic. I'd love to score and continue that run, but being able to score an upset would be amazing for the football club."
Ruth Gregory
BBC Sport
Non-league Macclesfield host FA Cup holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (12:15 GMT) and it has presented a dilemma for one young football fan with an affinity for both clubs.
For Macclesfield season ticket holder Toby, it is a fixture he could have only once dreamed of, having also supported Palace since the age of four.
"It's just surreal," he said. "Sometimes I used to think 'what if Macc were to play Palace?'. And it was just like 'that's not going to happen'. Well it is.
"It's just an event you wouldn't normally see happen as a supporter. It feels really weird to be seeing all Palace's top players here."
The 12-year-old began watching Macclesfield in 2020 after the club reformed under new owner Rob Smethurst, while also still following the Eagles to away games across England's north west.
Macclesfield are 14th in the sixth-tier National League North and are managed by John Rooney, brother of ex-England captain Wayne. Palace, meanwhile, are 13th in the Premier League.
Toby is still torn between which team he wants to see progress through to the fourth round.
"I've got tickets in the home end," he said. "Choosing who I want to win, it would be great to see Palace play in another round but it would just be amazing to see Macc go on into the fourth.
"I'm not expecting too much of a thrashing from Palace and I'm expecting Macc to do well, so probably a 2-1 Palace win.
"But I'm hoping Macclesfield do get a last-minute goal, that would be great."
Follow live coverage of Macclesfield v Crystal Palace across BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app from 12:15 GMT on Saturday
Arsenal are ready to enter the race to sign 25-year-old England and Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. (Mirror), external
However, Manchester City are confident they will sign Guehi in the coming days, beating rivals Liverpool to his signature. (Star), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
