FA Cup predictions - Sutton v Inside Bad Education podcast

We know someone will spring a surprise on FA Cup third-round weekend, but who will be the victims this time?

BBC Sport’s football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 ties – including a ‘derby’ between two of his former clubs – and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For selected matches, including the BBC’s three televised games, Gillingham v Leicester (12:30 GMT on BBC One on Saturday), Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle (18:00, BBC One, Sat) and Manchester City v Chelsea (16:30 on BBC One on Sunday), Bad Education writer and podcast host Nathan Bryon has made his predictions too.

Nathan hosts Inside… Bad Education, the companion podcast to the cult school sitcom, which is returning this month for a brand new series on BBC Three and iPlayer.

Each week on BBC Sounds, Nathan will be joined on the Inside… Bad Education podcast by the cast and fellow writers to chat through the twists and turns of each episode, taking listeners behind the scenes at Abbey Grove school.

The Bad Education Reunion Special, which was released in December to mark the 10th anniversary of the show’s launch, is available on iPlayer now.

Nathan is a QPR fan who is not exactly used to seeing his side enjoy success in the FA Cup – the last time they reached the quarter-finals was in 1995, when he was three.

“I live in Manchester now but I grew up in Shepherd’s Bush, right next to our stadium,” Nathan told BBC Sport. “It is literally at the end of my mum’s road.

“So it was a case of ‘that’s where you go’ even though QPR were pretty terrible most of the time when I was growing up – they are my team, and I just had to ride it out.”

Will this year be any different? Sutton doesn’t think so – he has tipped QPR to lose to League One side Fleetwood on Saturday – but Nathan is feeling confident.

“I went to watch us against Sheffield United on Monday – we conceded a late equaliser, but we were very good to watch – I actually think it was the best football I have seen us play in my life,” he explained.

“When I used to watch us a lot back in the day, we didn’t really try to pass the ball like that. We’d just kick the ball up in the air, chase it and lose it… and then get it back and do the same again – for 90 minutes.

“So, things are much better now. Chris has gone for Fleetwood to win? Not a chance – QPR to win that one, 100%, although we very rarely score more than one goal.”