| Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport Date: Sunday, 28 January Kick-off: 16:30 GMT |
| Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru 2, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app, plus live text |
| Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One from 22:30 GMT and later on demand |
Seb Palmer-Houlden has already been a part of one cup upset involving Manchester United – and now the teenage striker dreams of inspiring another with Newport County.
Palmer-Houlden, then a 13-year-old ballboy, was at Ashton Gate in 2017 when Championship club Bristol City caused a major shock by beating Jose Mourinho’s United in a League Cup quarter-final.
Now 19 and having joined Newport on loan from City, the rangy forward will be hoping to lead the League Two side’s attack when they host United in Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round tie.
“It’s probably the biggest game I’ve ever played in,” says Palmer-Houlden.
“It’s amazing. I watched Bristol City play Man United when I was a ballboy.
“That was an amazing feeling, and it shows that anything can happen.
“[Paul] Pogba, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic – all those players were playing, and good old Korey Smith and Joe Bryan were the goalscorers [for Bristol City].
“Cup nights are really special, and we’ve shown that we’re strong, we’re resilient and we can win.”
Palmer-Houlden may only have been at Newport for half a season but he is right to highlight the club’s FA Cup pedigree.
The Exiles beat Leicester City – then in the Premier League and title winners just three years earlier – in 2019, before seeing off Middlesbrough of the Championship in the next round.
That run was eventually halted by Manchester City, who were made to work hard for victory, while Tottenham needed a replay to overcome Newport in 2018 after drawing 1-1 in south Wales.
On Sunday, it will be Manchester United’s turn to swap their lavish home comforts for the decidedly more basic surroundings of Rodney Parade.
“We definitely want them to bring the stars,” says Palmer-Houlden.
“We always want to play the best players but, whoever plays, we’ll put in a performance.
“We’ve got to enjoy it because these moments don’t come around too often.”
Palmer-Houlden can be confident of getting the chance to face the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford – one of United’s remaining players from their 2017 defeat at Bristol City – having impressed for Newport lately.
He has scored six goals from 23 appearances in all competitions, notably heading in the winner when County beat Welsh rivals Wrexham on Saturday.
“It’s probably the best header I’ve ever scored, even though it was a flick-on, I’ve lobbed a 6ft 6in keeper [Arthur Okonkwo],” says Palmer-Houlden.
“It’s the best goal of my career. They [Wrexham fans] were giving a lot of abuse towards our fans, so it was the natural instinct to go to their fans and ‘shush’ them and then go to our fans. It was brilliant, I can’t describe the feeling.
“It was a brilliant atmosphere, and you see right from the kick-off we were straight at them, pressing as high as we can and going into challenges hard.
“Now we can go and think about Man United and what that brings. We can focus fully on it and enjoy the week to come. Bring on Man United!”
