Westfield (Surrey) vs Dartford - FA Cup

The history between Westfield (Surrey) and Dartford lends this FA Cup fixture an extra layer of spice, and when the two walk out at the home ground on September 5, 2026, recent encounters will be on everyone's mind. O'Neill made five changes for Celtic's midweek win at St Johnstone as he rested some key players ahead of Sunday's clash.

A glance at the FA Cup table tells the story: Westfield (Surrey) in 129th and Dartford in 10th, with positions to defend and places to climb. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Dartford will travel with intent, knowing that a positive result here could kick-start their campaign. In his latest column, Paul Merson predicts the 2026/27 Premier League season at both ends of the table.

Stylistically, this is a compelling matchup. Westfield (Surrey) favour a patient, possession-based approach, whereas Dartford are at their most dangerous when allowed to hit quickly on the counter. But the Greek winger believes the mentality Arsenal are showing in pre-season is a sign they are ready to defend their crown.

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. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. At the moment I'm very happy with him." Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez believes the structure of the Blues has changed since Enzo Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. On balance, Dartford may just have enough to take all three points. A 1-2 away win would not be a shock. The result at the home ground could resonate well beyond matchday in the FA Cup picture. The Spaniard heading to Barca all but rules out a midfield departure from the Bernabeu and thus United will likely have to look elsewhere.