Atherton Collieries vs Prescot Cables - FA Cup

The FA Cup returns to the home ground on September 19, 2026, where Atherton Collieries and Prescot Cables will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Manchester City face the K-League All-Stars in Seoul on Wednesday as part of their pre-season tour of Asia.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the FA Cup contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. Atherton Collieries will be keen to seize the initiative and build some momentum on home soil. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. Arsenal also saw the importance of having good depth at right-back when Mosquera was forced to start the Champions League final with PSG out of position - which then resulted in the young Spaniard conceding a penalty.

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Atherton Collieries will look to impose their style on home soil, while Prescot Cables are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. Tuesday's print edition of ABC, as relayed by Sport Witness, have claimed that Betis turned down a €50m approach from a wealthy non-Premier League club for Antony.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. Parma have officially announced their signing of centre-forward El Bilal Toure, who became the most expensive arrival in Atalanta’s history when he joined from Almeria in the summer of 2023.

The market has yet to form a strong view, and the contest looks genuinely difficult to call. With the sides so closely matched, a 1-1 stalemate looks the most likely way this one ends. The result at the home ground could resonate well beyond matchday in the FA Cup picture. The club are understood to favour a profile closer to Aurelien Tchouameni or a Premier League‑proven alternative rather than Manu Kone.