FA Cup: Liverpool march on as Mansfield, Newcastle and Man City advance
The FA Cup fourth round produced a blend of top-level authority and lower-league shock as Liverpool eased past Brighton and underdogs Mansfield Town upset Burnley. Newcastle rallied to overcome a ten-man Aston Villa, while Manchester City, West Ham and Norwich also progressed. The round delivered late drama, red cards and spectacular goals.
Liverpool control tie with clinical finishing
Liverpool moved into the fifth round with a convincing 3-0 victory over Brighton. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring, Dominik Szoboszlai added a second and Curtis Jones sealed the win, leaving the visitors comfortably through. The result underlined Liverpool's attacking depth and ability to break down stubborn opposition, with the front line combining pace and precision to keep Brighton chasing shadows for large stretches.
Shock, chaos and late drama across the ties
There was plenty of mayhem elsewhere in the draw. League One outfit Mansfield Town produced one of the standout upsets, coming from behind to beat struggling Burnley. Louis Reed's exquisite free-kick proved decisive and will give the visitors a memorable cup night. Burnley boss Scott Parker admitted his side missed gilt-edged opportunities and lamented a lack of cutting quality in the final third: "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... What we didn't get was that little bit of quality which was needed. " Parker added that he remains confident about his job despite the disappointment.
Newcastle's tie against Aston Villa was chaotic. The visitors were forced to contend with a straight red card for Villa goalkeeper causing a momentum shift, but ultimately Newcastle rallied from behind to secure passage to the next round. Sandro Tonali played a pivotal role in driving his side back into the tie, and the comeback underlined Newcastle's resilience under pressure.
Lower-league giant-killing threats almost continued elsewhere. Burton pushed West Ham to the limit, only for Crysencio Summerville to come off the bench and strike in extra time to rescue the Hammers and prevent penalties. The substitute's finish compounded a tense closing period that included a red card shortly after the interval of extra time for a crunching challenge, leaving Burton rueing missed chances that might have sealed one of the cup's biggest shocks.
Southampton edged Leicester 2-1 in an entertaining affair that featured an acrobatic equaliser from Oliver Skipp and an extra-time winner from James Bree, completing a swift cup double for the Saints after a recent league victory over the same opponents. Norwich advanced with a 3-1 win over West Brom, thanks to late interventions from the bench that swung the tie their way.
Manchester City maintained momentum with a 2-0 victory over Salford City. The tie offered a chance for squad players to stake claims, and the winners did enough to avoid an upset and move on to the last 16.
Talking points and what's next
Key moments from the fourth round will linger: a stunning bicycle kick that levelled a cup tie; goalkeepers sent off at pivotal moments; substitutes turned match-winners; and a League One side advancing at the expense of a Premier League opponent. The mix of expected results and genuine shocks encapsulates the competition's magic — established names progressed, but the path to the latter stages remains perilous for any side that underestimates its opponent.
As the FA Cup moves toward the fifth round, managers will regroup, rotation decisions will be scrutinised and lower-league clubs will dream of further giant-killing acts. For now, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester City can focus on the next round while the victors from this weekend savour the drama that only the FA Cup reliably produces.
