Port Vale host Sunderland at Vale Park in an FA Cup fifth-round tie this afternoon; port vale reach this stage for the first time since 1996 after an extra-time win over Bristol City. The match pits a League One side on a mini-resurgence against a Premier League opponent managing a significant selection crisis. Both clubs meet with contrasting form and stakes: port vale chasing history and Sunderland aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013-14.
Match facts and team news
Sunderland travel to Vale Park having negotiated past Everton and Oxford United to reach the fifth round, but their cup goals this season have come from set-pieces and they remain the only fifth-round side yet to score from open play. Manager Régis Le Bris faces a stretched squad with 10 first-team players unavailable; Trai Hume and Noah Sadiki are suspended, and a lengthy injury list includes Bertrand Traoré (knee), Robin Roefs (hamstring), Nordi Mukiele (calf), Brian Brobbey (groin), Dennis Cirkin (hamstring), Reinildo (knee), Romain Mundle (hamstring) and Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle). Le Bris has said he will field the “best XI possible” despite the absences.
For port vale, this is their deepest FA Cup run in 30 years. Jon Brady’s side sit bottom of League One but have found form in recent weeks, winning two and drawing two of their last four matches across competitions. A dramatic extra-time victory over Championship Bristol City was sealed when Ben Waine scored in the 111th minute, after a pass from Andre Gray, who joined the club a month earlier. The Valiants have tightened defensively and kept two clean sheets in three outings, and they have moved briefly away from the relegation scrap.
Coverage begins at 9: 00 AM ET ahead of a 9: 30 AM ET kick-off.
Voices from the camps
Head coach Jon Brady, Port Vale, framed the occasion in historic terms: “It’s been 30 years since we’ve been to this stage – but it’s now about putting in a performance that can be memorable. ” Brady has also noted the “special connection” established during the club’s recent unbeaten run and confirmed a relatively clean bill of health following the win over Bristol City.
Striker Andre Gray underlined the occasion’s significance: “These occasions are massive. I’ve played in cup games abroad and it’s nothing like this… the atmosphere is nothing compared to here in England in the FA Cup. ” From the Sunderland side, manager Régis Le Bris has vowed to adapt and put out a competitive side despite the selection crisis, insisting on fielding the best possible lineup.
What happens next
Attendance interest has surged: the club has sold more than 10, 000 tickets with the gate expected to brush the 12, 000 mark, amplifying the stakes at Vale Park. A win would propel port vale into the quarter-finals and further cement a story many at the club and in Burslem are treating as a rare bright moment in a season of league struggles. For Sunderland, progress would mark a return to the last eight for the first time since 2013-14 and vindicate navigating cup ties with an injury-hit squad.
Expect tight margins, set-piece battles and a carnival atmosphere; both teams have clear narratives that make Sunday’s tie at Vale Park one of the weekend’s sharpest FA Cup tests. The immediate next developments to watch are final team sheets, how Le Bris sets up around his absentees and whether port vale can convert cup momentum into a historic result.
