Nigel Clough says Mansfield Town must be at the top of their game or risk being punished by Macclesfield this weekend.

The FA Cup returns and Mansfield Town will be hoping for another strong run in the competition, having reached the fifth round last season.

Stags made headlines with their impressive results against Sheffield United and Burnley to set up a blockbuster showdown against Arsenal. After their 4-3 thriller against the Blades, Mansfield stunned Burnley at Turf Moor to reach round five for the first time in more than 50 years.

While those matches are the first many think of, Clough has stressed the importance of the challenges that came before them and wants all hands on deck against Macclesfield.

Nigel Clough celebrates the team's victory in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Burnley and Mansfield Town at Turf Moor on February 14, 2026 in Burnley, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

placeholder image — Nigel Clough celebrates the team's victory in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Burnley and Mansfield Town at Turf Moor on February 14, 2026 in Burnley, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

“It was incredible and there were so many good memories for everybody,” Clough said in his press conference this week. “But to get to those three games, we had to beat Accrington away in a monsoon and win on penalties, Owen Mason making saves. You have to beat Harrogate at home with a deflection… just to get to the chance of the third round, you have these tricky ties and Macclesfield will be no different.

“They are right up there in their league, they knocked the holders out last year. If we’re not right at it, the same as any league game, we will get turned over.”

Macclesfield, who compete in the National League North, produced the biggest upset of the FA Cup’s history when they eliminated holding champions Crystal Palace last season, who were ranked 117 places above them at the time.

Knowing the Silkmen are capable of dismantling the biggest of opponents, Clough wants his side to be switched on from the first whistle when they take to the stage on Saturday.

“There’s no room for error. In a Cup competition, you’ve got 90 minutes to win that game and we have to do everything we can to get through to give us a chance at those sort of dream ties and the memories we had last season.

“It will be nice to have a bit of a Cup run. I think traditionally, teams who do well in the league do very well to sustain Cup runs and league challenges. It certainly helped us in the second half of last season with confidence, to get those victories and even the manner of the defeat against Arsenal helped us with that one in 15 we lost in the two or three months of the season.”