Fulham v Aston Villa: A chance to debunk the myth and gain revenge?
Aston Villa were often accused of 'doing a Fulham' following their cash-laden spending splurge following promotion to the Premier League, so it should come as no surprise that the two sides should face up at some point over the season.
FA Cup draws often provide a sense of irony, be it a big derby clash or a memorable match-up - but for Villa fans, a meeting with the Cottagers will provide another chance to debunk the myth of their side following a similar route to the Londoners.
Fulham, of course, saw their season capitulate into relegation following their promotion to the top flight, amassing just 26 points in the process.
Villa are in the pack fighting the drop, but having earned 21 points already - it would take a disaster of unspoken proportions for a similar tally to ring true come the final day.
But should Dean Smith's side manage a win over the Cottagers this weekend, progression to the fourth round would also go against the grain of Fulham's previous season.
Claudio Ranieri's side were defeated 2-1 at home to League Two Oldham in the competition a year ago. Whilst Villa haven't been given the potential banana skin of a team vastly inferior to themselves, defeat to opposition below their pay grade - even by just eight places over two divisions, could harm their confidence.
Fulham are more than capable of catching teams off guard too. The quality in their attacking ranks is hailed as one which should be enough to fire them towards promotion once again.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is a forward who has shown his quality in the top tier of English football, whilst Anthony Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro both have the quality to trouble top flight defenders.
There's even a few names in Fulham's ranks to worry about from the last meeting between the sides, the Championship play-off final at Wembley back in 2018.
Ultimately, we could see numerous changes for a game and a competition which is sadly low on the priority list given each team's aims this season.
But should Villa beat Fulham in their own back yard, not only would it further end the comparisons between the two clubs, but it might also offer a sense of slight revenge against an opponent which handed supporters a day to forget on a much grander scale.
