A round-up of Sunday's FA Cup action...
Liverpool continue to battle on four fronts after Jakub Kiwior’s own goal and a stoppage-time strike by Luis Diaz sent them through to the FA Cup fourth round with a 2-0 win at Arsenal.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were without captain Virgil van Dijk and Mohamad Salah, but after they were able to ride their luck in north London, stand-in skipper Trent Alexander-Arnold’s excellent late cross forced the opener and Diaz was able to wrap up a hard-fought victory with a powerful late finish.
It inflicted a fourth defeat in seven matches on Arsenal, who fired another blank despite creating a plethora of chances at the Emirates to leave manager Mikel Arteta with problems to solve ahead of their short mid-season break.
Nottingham Forest had to come from two goals down to avoid FA Cup third-round history repeating itself as they earned a 2-2 draw with League One Blackpool.
Forest looked like heading out to the Seasiders at this stage for a second straight year when they conceded twice in three first-half minutes, with Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Albie Morgan getting the goals.
But the Premier League outfit hit back with goals from Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White either side of the break.
They could not find a winner, though, meaning the tie will be settled with a replay at Bloomfield Road, where Forest were beaten 4-1 last season.
Phil Foden struck twice as holders Manchester City thrashed Huddersfield 5-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku were also on target as City – further aided by an own goal – swept aside their Championship opponents in a one-sided third-round tie at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The impact of the in-form Foden was again impressive but Kevin De Bruyne’s comeback, after five months out, was arguably of greater significance.
Huddersfield, not surprisingly given their struggles in the second tier this season, could not match the intensity of City who, without hitting top gear, comfortably outplayed them.
West Brom cruised into the FA Cup fourth round after a first-half blitz against Aldershot.
Early goals from Nathaniel Chalobah and Jovan Malcolm set the Baggies on course for a 4-1 win and ended any thoughts the National League visitors had of a shock.
Daryl Dike – making his first appearance since April following a serious Achilles injury – added a third before half-time with the gulf between the Championship promotion-chasers and the Shots obvious.
There were never any hopes of a comeback and Tom Fellows’ first senior goal completed the scoring late on before Ollie Bray’s consolation.
Patrick Bamford’s moment of brilliance lit up Leeds’ smooth FA Cup passage as they eased to a 3-0 win at Peterborough.
The forward was handed only his second start of the campaign as boss Daniel Farke rang the changes.
And Bamford responded by delivering a stunning strike shortly after half-time to double an advantage provided by Ethan Ampadu’s first goal in Leeds colours.
Captain Ampadu then sealed the win late on as his sudden taste for scoring continued.
SIMPLY. BREATHTAKING.
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
PATRICK BAMFORD. OH MY WORD. 🤯🤯🤯@LUFC #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/0xVnnDfXRv
Thomas O’Connor’s goal secured Wrexham a 1-0 FA Cup win at Shrewsbury as they reached the fourth round for the second year running.
The hosts went close midway through the first half when Jordan Shipley floated a cross to the back post for Tunmise Sobowale to run on to but he skied his effort over the bar.
Wrexham had an effort just after half-time through Paul Mullin, who won the ball wide and cut in to the box from the left, but Marko Marosi parried away the danger.
Mal Benning made a surging run from the halfway line into the box just past the hour mark, but his effort clipped the crossbar and went out.
The Red Dragons found the breakthrough in the 72nd minute as George Evans played the ball into O’Connor’s path and the midfielder’s deflected strike found the back of the net.
Shrewsbury went close to a late equaliser as the ball fell to Taylor Perry just yards out, but his effort went inches wide.
David Moyes faces a trip back to his former club after West Ham were held to a 1-1 FA Cup draw by Bristol City.
The Hammers looked on course for a comfortable afternoon when Jarrod Bowen fired them into an early lead.
It proved to be anything but, however, after a second-half equaliser from Tommy Conway secured a replay for the rocking Robins.
West Ham’s squad would have been given a whole a week off had they won this third-round tie, but they will now be dragged back in on Friday as Moyes, who reached Wembley twice as a player with City, prepares for a return to Ashton Gate.
Luton were frustrated by League One high-flyers Bolton as the teams played out a drab goalless draw in the FA Cup third round at Kenilworth Road.
Rob Edwards fielded a near-full strength side in spite of the hosts’ ongoing fight to survive in their debut Premier League campaign, but they were unable to break down the side currently sitting second in the third tier.
Alfie Doughty struck a post in the final moments, the nearest Luton came to finally picking Bolton off, that after substitutes Andros Townsend and Jordan Clarke had both gone close in the second half.
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