FA Cup fourth round roundup: Liverpool cruise while Mansfield, Newcastle and Man City progress
Friday's and Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round ties delivered a mix of routine results, giant-killing hope and late drama. Liverpool advanced with a convincing 3-0 victory over Brighton, while lower-league Mansfield stunned Burnley and Newcastle edged out a ten-man Aston Villa in a chaotic encounter. Manchester City, West Ham and Southampton also moved through to the last 16.
Liverpool make light work of Brighton
Liverpool put on a professional display to dispatch Brighton 3-0. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring and Dominik Szoboszlai added a composed second before Curtis Jones wrapped up the win. The result removed any upset talk at Anfield and underlined Liverpool's depth as they balance domestic commitments. The Reds looked sharp in transition and clinical in the box, giving them momentum as the competition edges toward the business end.
Lower-league drama and extra-time thrills
League One side Mansfield produced one of the day's standout results, coming from behind to beat a struggling Burnley. Louis Reed's eye-catching free-kick proved pivotal as Mansfield booked their place in the fifth round, a rare and proud moment for the League One outfit.
In another tie that went the distance, West Ham progressed in extra time at the expense of Burton. Crysencio Summerville, introduced from the bench, struck the decisive blow in the added period to spare what had been a nervy evening for the visitors. The tie saw its own controversies: Freddie Potts was sent off early in extra time for a heavy challenge, leaving Burton with a late, stretched opportunity to prolong the contest.
Southampton edged Leicester 2-1 thanks to James Bree's extra-time winner after Oliver Skipp had produced a spectacular bicycle-kick equaliser that forced the game beyond 90 minutes. The acrobatic leveller underlined the fine margins in cup football and set up a dramatic finish that eventually favoured the hosts.
Newcastle fight back, Man City advance and key talking points
In a topsy-turvy clash, Newcastle recovered from a deficit to overcome ten-man Aston Villa. The tie was punctuated by a straight red card for Villa's goalkeeper before half-time, a moment that clearly shifted momentum. Newcastle's resilience and tactical adjustments paid off in the second half as they turned the game around, with Sandro Tonali among the influences driving their revival.
Manchester City progressed with a 2-0 win over Salford. The match produced an odd headline with a defender opening his account for City in what was otherwise a routine victory for the Premier League side, who controlled large spells and sealed qualification without needing late drama.
Norwich beat West Brom 3-1 thanks to two late strikes that turned a balanced game on its head, and other ties produced memorable individual moments: a stunning free-kick from Louis Reed for Mansfield, Skipp's spectacular bicycle kick that rolled the game into extra time, and the controversial red card that disrupted Villa's plans.
Burnley boss Scott Parker conceded the fine margins cost his side, reflecting on missed chances and a lack of clinical finishing. He said: "When I analyse the game we missed too many chances today, glorious chances where we could have put the game out of sight. We weren't clinical enough... When you don't go through to the next round there will always be questions asked about that [team selection] but I don't think that was the main factor today. " Parker added he remained confident in his position at the club despite the disappointment.
The fourth round provided a familiar FA Cup mix: powerful favourites doing what was expected, plucky underdogs producing shocks, and a handful of controversial moments that will be dissected in the build-up to the fifth round. Highlights packages and extended coverage will follow later in the evening at 5: 55 PM ET for fans wanting to catch up on the best moments and talking points from the day.
