FA Cup: What we learned in Saturday's matches

Football writer Tom Hancock reviews Saturday's FA Cup third-round matches, with nine Premier League clubs in action.

Liverpool 4-0 Accrington Stanley

Liverpool won for the first time in 2025 as a much-changed side comfortably dispatched North West neighbours Accrington Stanley at Anfield, through goals from Diogo Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jayden Danns and Federico Chiesa.

Alexander-Arnold was the only Reds player named in the first XI who also started their previous league outing against Manchester United, captaining the team and enjoying a confidence-boosting performance, albeit against League Two opposition, which he capped with a stunning 20-yard strike to score the hosts’ second goal.

But arguably the biggest headline-maker for Liverpool was Rio Ngumoha, who, at the age of 16 years and 135 days, became the club’s second-youngest player, after Jerome Sinclair (16 years and six days), and the youngest to start a match for the Reds.

There was also a first Anfield appearance since September for summer signing Federico Chiesa, scoring his first Liverpool goal on 90 minutes after an injury-disrupted first campaign for the club.

Arne Slot’s men will look to extend their six-point lead over Arsenal at the top the Premier League table when they travel to third-placed Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, and they should enter that contest at the City Ground with near enough a full set of fresh legs.

See: Liverpool line-up and report

Chelsea 5-0 Morecambe

Chelsea recovered from Christopher Nkunku’s saved penalty to thrash League Two side Morecambe, halting a four-game winless stretch.

Tosin Adarabioyo bagged a brace to score his first domestic goals, while Joao Felix also netted twice for the Blues, whose starting XI had an average age of just over 21.

Enzo Maresca handed a first start to 18-year-old winger Tyrique George, whose match-high four chances created included assists for Tosin’s second goal and Joao Felix’s first.

Tosin, Axel Disasi and Pedro Neto aside, none of Chelsea’s starters is likely to keep their places for Tuesday’s home Premier League meeting with AFC Bournemouth.

However, a sustained FA Cup run could prove invaluable to Maresca’s mission to keep his extensive squad happy.

See: Chelsea line-up and report

Bristol City 1-2 Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers made it three wins from five in all competitions under Vitor Pereira with a narrow victory at Championship playoff hopefuls Bristol City.

Pereira made just two changes from Monday’s 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, handing a debut to January signing Emmanuel Agbadou in defence.

Such continuity could be crucial to Wolves as they head into a tricky-looking run of league fixtures which sees them face Newcastle United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Liverpool.

See: Wolves line-up and report

Leicester 6-2 QPR

Leicester snapped a five-match losing streak with their first win since Ruud van Nistelrooy’s maiden game in charge, comfortably defeating Championship side QPR at King Power Stadium.

Three Foxes players recorded two goal involvements apiece – James Justin (two goals), Facundo Buonanotte (one goal and one assist) and Bilal El Khannous (two assists) – while Jamie Vardy’s penalty on his 38th birthday took him to double figures for goals and assists combined for the 12th season in a row.  

This comprehensive victory ought to give Leicester a much-needed lift ahead of Wednesday’s home Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace.

See: Leicester report

AFC Bournemouth 5-1 West Brom

Bournemouth extended their longest unbeaten run since the autumn of 2021, making it nine games without defeat by coming from behind to thump Championship playoff contenders West Brom at Vitality Stadium.

Andoni Iraola’s men could make it a magic 10 undefeated and draw level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea if they beat Enzo Maresca’s side at Stamford Bridge in their next Premier League match on Tuesday.

See: Bournemouth line-up and report

Brentford 0-1 Plymouth

Brentford became the second Premier League casualty of the 2024/25 FA Cup, suffering a shock home defeat to Plymouth Argyle, who are currently bottom of the Championship.

Having seen his team win just one of their last seven games in all competitions, Thomas Frank risked making six changes to his starting line-up. There was good news for the Bees, with left-back Rico Henry making his first appearance since September 2023 after recovering from a knee injury, playing just over an hour on his return.

Evidently, that decision didn’t pay off, and the Bees find themselves in less than ideal form ahead of a league double-header against Manchester City and Liverpool next week.

See: Brentford line-up and report

Norwich 0-4 Brighton

Following four consecutive Premier League draws, Brighton & Hove Albion returned to winning ways by dispatching Norwich City at Carrow Road.

Georginio Rutter’s first-half brace sent the Seagulls on their way against the Championship side, and doubled his goal tally for the club, while Solly March scored his first goal since his return from a 14-month injury lay-off.

Fabian Hurzeler’s team are back in East Anglia on Thursday, taking on Ipswich Town as they target a first league win since late November.

See: Brighton line-up and report

Nottingham Forest 2-0 Luton

Sitting pretty in third in the Premier League after 20 games, Nottingham Forest are understandably prioritising the league, but the FA Cup will continue to provide Nuno Espirito Santo with an opportunity to give his squad players minutes, thanks to a straightforward win over Championship side Luton Town.

Nuno changed his entire starting XI from Monday’s 3-0 victory at Wolves, although it was one of his regulars who opened the scoring in captain Ryan Yates.

Yates is one player who could retain his starting spot at the City Ground on Tuesday, when Forest play their biggest game of 2024/25 so far against Liverpool – whose Premier League lead could be cut to three points if they are beaten by Forest for a second time this season. Nuno’s men remain the only side to have defeated the Reds in the league in 2024/25.

See: Forest report

Man City 8-0 Salford

Resurgent Manchester City gathered further momentum with a drubbing of League Two neighbours Salford City at the Etihad Stadium.

It was an evening for Man City’s young stars to shine: there was a debut goal for Divin Mubama up front, while Nico O’Reilly scored his first for the club and James McAtee hit a hat-trick for his first goals at the Etihad.

The impressive McAtee, a dynamic and creative presence in midfield, could well see much more involvement in the second half of the season as Pep Guardiola’s side continue to fight on three fronts.

Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were also on the scoresheet, both registering from the penalty spot, with Grealish scoring his first goal for City since December 2023. Grealish also assisted Doku’s opener, recording multiple goal contributions in a match for the first time since April 2023.

Victory means Man City have won three on the spin in all competitions for the first time since late October, the starting point of a damaging run of just one win in 13 matches.

But, despite Guardiola’s recent claim that his team were “at risk” of missing out on Champions League qualification, a top-four finish is still very much within reach.

In fact, the reigning Premier League champions could go fourth as soon as Tuesday with a win at Brentford.

Guardiola revealed after the match that club captain Kyle Walker has asked to leave the club.

"Two days ago, Kyle [Walker] asked to explore the options to play abroad and end his career," Guardiola said.

See: Man City line-up and report

PL clubs’ FA Cup third-round matches (all times GMT)

9 January
Everton 2-0 Peterborough United
Fulham 4-1 Watford
10 January
Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham
11 January
Bristol City 1-2 Wolves
Liverpool 4-0 Accrington Stanley
Leicester City 6-2 QPR
Bournemouth 5-1 West Brom
Brentford 0-1 Plymouth
Chelsea 5-0 Morecambe
Norwich 0-4 Brighton
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Luton
Man City 8-0 Salford City
12 January 
12:30 Tamworth v Spurs
15:00 Arsenal v Man Utd
15:00 Crystal Palace v Stockport
15:00 Ipswich Town v Bristol Rovers
15:00 Newcastle United v Bromley
16:30 Southampton v Swansea City