4 reasons why the FA Cup is still relevant

#2: It gives fringe squad members valuable playing time

Chelsea v Norwich City - The Emirates FA Cup Third Round Replay — The FA Cup can be used to blood youngsters like Chelsea's Ethan Ampadu

As the bigger clubs of the Premier League have continued to grow over the last few years, we’ve seen their squads grow even larger too. The Premier League does have a squad limit of 25 players, but that figure doesn’t include under-21 players and crucially, these rules do not apply to cup competitions like the FA Cup.

What does this mean? Basically, that the extra games provided by the FA Cup can give fringe squad members – as well as up-and-coming youth stars – valuable playing time, particularly with the bigger Premier League clubs.

An example of this was during this season’s competition – Tottenham, not renowned for having the deepest squad, used their cup games not only to blood younger players like Kyle Walker-Peters but also to reintroduce injured players (Toby Alderweireld, Harry Winks) and to embed new signings (Lucas Moura) too.

Even Chelsea got in on this act, as Welsh youngster Ethan Ampadu was handed three of his first games for the Blues in FA Cup matches.

With playing time at an absolute premium for younger players these days – players who might otherwise struggle to break into a Premier League first team, the FA Cup remains hugely relevant.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Kishan Prasad