Macclesfield vs Brentford: FA Cup preview, predictions & bet builder tips

• Ladbrokes previews the FA Cup fourth-round tie between non-league Macclesfield and Premier League Brentford

• The Bees are backed to cruise to victory, despite Macclesfield's famous win over Palace last time out

• Mikkel Damsgaard tipped to impress from the start on a high-scoring evening at Moss Rose

Ahead of the eye-catching FA Cup fourth-round tie at Moss Rose, Ladbrokes shares its Macclesfield vs Brentford preview, with predictions & bet builder tips.

The National League North side have a second giant-killing in their sights as they host another Premier League opponent, with the memory of their famous victory over FA Cup holders Crystal Palace still fresh in the memory.

Brentford come into this one in excellent form, however, with recent wins over Aston Villa and Newcastle preceding a draw against Arsenal, so they'll be confident of spoiling the party on Monday night.

Below, you'll find our expert Macclesfield vs Brentford Bet Builder tips, with the Premier League outfit clear favourites to progress to the fifth round.

• Fixture: Macclesfield vs Brentford

• Competition: FA Cup fourth round

• Date: Monday, February 16, 2026

• Kick off: 19:30 GMT

• Venue: The Leasing.com Stadium

Our prediction: Macclesfield 0-4 Brentford

Nobody saw Macclesfield's famous win over Crystal Palace coming in the third round, with the magic of the FA Cup truly coming to the fore in one of the competition's biggest-ever upsets - but we simply can't see them repeating the feat.

Brentford are looking increasingly strong under Keith Andrews, and certainly won't take their non-league hosts lightly, so we think this will be the end of Macclesfield's memorable FA Cup journey.

Predicted lineup (4-1-2-1-2): Dearnley / Matheson, Heathcote, Pasiek, Borthwick-Jackson / Osborne / Dawson, Kay / Edmundson / Duffy, Bughail-Mellor

Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Valdimarsson / Kayode, Collins, Pinnock, Hickey / Henderson, Yarmoliuk / Nelson, Damsgaard, Donovan / Thiago

With Brentford's last two away days bringing famous wins at Villa Park and St. James' Park, they'll be full of confidence heading to Moss Rose on Monday night, and we're backing them to put their hosts to the sword with over 3.5 goals.

Macclesfield defended defiantly against Palace in the third round, restricting their Premier League opponents to 12 shots, but we think the intensity of Brentford could prove too much. The Bees rarely mess around against lower-league opposition, beating Grimsby 5-0 back in October after the Mariners had knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup, and we think much of the same could happen here - especially if Keith Andrews names a strong frontline.

Over 3.5 goals is harsh on Macclesfield, and not necessarily a reflection of their fight, but Brentford's form could see them run riot.

In what may well be a pretty strong Brentford XI, we're backing Mikkel Damsgaard to start for the first time in a month, and we think the Denmark international could have an enjoyable evening - so Ladbrokes is predicting 1+ shots on target for the creative midfielder.

Without a goal since September, Damsgaard will see this as an opportunity to regain some confidence in front of goal, and Macclesfield's deep line should allow the Dane space in dangerous areas around the box. Tasked with creating the chances for Keith Andrews' side, we'd expect the 25-year-old to see a fair amount of the ball, and while setting up teammates is more his style, we're backing him to try his luck here - hitting the target at least once.

Turning our attention to the hosts, and we're tipping Macclesfield to win at least four corners against Brentford on Monday night, with the National League North side taking the game to their Premier League visitors - just as they did in round three.

Set pieces could well be the order of the day for John Rooney's underdogs, giving them the opportunity to get bodies forward and put the Bees under pressure, so playing for corners could be a worthwhile tactic. A free kick led to Macclesfield's opener against Palace in the third round, with Dawson heading home, and if it worked then, it could easily work now.

Macclesfield only won two corners in their win over the holders, but on a huge night under the lights, we're backing them to win over 3.5 corners here.

Rounding off our Macclesfield vs Brentford preview and predictions, we're tipping the Premier League outfit to avoid any sort of upset with relative ease, winning both halves and dumping Macclesfield out of the FA Cup.

The National League North hosts have made the Leasing.com Stadium something of a fortress since beating Palace, winning all four home games since that famous day, but their defensive record suggests they could be hit hard by an in-form Brentford. Keith Andrews' side have only lost two of their last 11 in all competitions, and have their sights set on qualifying for Europe for the first time, so keeping their positive momentum here will be crucial.

A fast start to dampen the mood will be important for Brentford, and with the quality they possess, we're backing them to win both halves on Monday night.

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.