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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Chris Watson

FA Cup rules for Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town as Liverpool tie awaits

Nottingham Forest are in FA Cup fifth round action on Monday night as they take on Championship rivals Huddersfield Town at the City Ground (7.30pm kick-off).

Forest have already knocked Arsenal and holders Leicester City out of the competition.

And if Steve Cooper's men can see off Huddersfield, they will be rewarded with another home tie, against Premier League title challengers Liverpool, in the quarter-finals.

Forest drew 1-1 with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Friday evening in their latest league outing, as they push for a play-off place.

But there are some different rules when it comes to the cup that players and fans need to be aware of...

Replays

As in previous rounds this season, there will be no replays at the fifth round stage.

Replays are due to return up to and including the fourth round of the FA Cup from the 2022-23 season onwards.

Replays were scrapped for the third and fourth rounds this season in a bid to alleviate fixture congestion.

Extra time and penalties

With no replays, if a tie is level at the end of 90 minutes, half an hour of extra-time will follow (two halves of 15 minutes).

If the score is still level at the end of extra-time, there will be a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.

So, one way or another, the Forest vs Huddersfield tie will be decided on the night.

Subs

Teams can name up to nine substitutes in the FA Cup this season - and use up to five of those during a match (including extra-time).

A sixth substitute can be allowed - but only to replace a player who has suffered suspected concussion.

There was confusion over this rule in the first round replay between Exeter City and Bradford City in November.

Exeter won the match 3-0 but it had to replayed again after it emerged that the Grecians had incorrectly used six substitutes.

Manager Matt Taylor then made a sixth regular change at the start of extra-time - one more than was permitted.

The FA released a statement on Twitter, saying: "An extraordinary incident report was submitted by the match referee which stated that Exeter City had used a sixth substitute during their Emirates FA Cup First Round Proper Replay against Bradford City on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.

"The FA conducted an investigation and referred all of its information to the Professional Game Board [PGB] in accordance with the rules of the competition.

"After considering all of its options, and taking into account all of the relevant factors, the PGB agreed that the result of the match should not stand.

"The PGB deemed that the most appropriate action would be for the match to be replayed in its entirety and has ordered for this to take place at Exeter City’s St James Park on Tuesday, November 30 at 7.45pm."

Exeter did still go through in the end, winning the rearranged replay 2-1.

FA competition rules state: "In the Competition Proper, a maximum of nine substitutes may be nominated. Subject to the below a Club may at its discretion use five of those substitute players at any time in a match (including during any period of extra time).

Each team is only permitted a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during normal time in the Match (excluding half time).

"If the Match proceeds to extra time, each Club will be permitted to carry over any unused substitution opportunities into extra time and will be permitted an additional (fourth) opportunity to make a substitution (excluding (i) the break

between full time and extra time and (ii) at half time of extra time).

"A substitution can only be made when play is stopped for any reason and the Referee has given permission. Prior to the substitution being made the Club must identify to the Match Officials the number of the player out and the player in, in accordance with the Official Team Sheet.

"In the Competition Proper, if a player suffers a concussion (or potential concussion), the Club and its opponent shall be permitted to use additional substitution(s) in accordance with the relevant IFAB protocol adopted by The Association and in force from time to time.

Concussion substitutions shall be permitted to be used in addition to the substitutions listed above.

"If The Association has adopted an IFAB protocol for the purposes of the Competition, this shall be communicated to competing Clubs in advance of the relevant Round."

Sixth round draw

The draw for the quarter-final took place on Thursday evening, ahead of Everton's victory over non-League Boreham Wood.

Here it is in full...

1 Crystal Palace v Everton

2 Nottingham Forest or Huddersfield Town v Liverpool

3 Middlesbrough v Chelsea

4 Southampton v Manchester City

Match dates

Quarter-final ties will take place across the weekend of March 19/20

The FA says the full schedule and broadcast details for the matches will be revealed in due course.

Prize money

Forest will collect £180,000 in prize money if they can beat Huddersfield.

Quarter-final winners will receive double that - £360,000.

Do you think Forest will beat Huddersfield? Let us know in the comments section below...

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