Football writer Tom Hancock reviews Sunday's FA Cup third-round matches, with seven Premier League clubs in action.
Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (3-5 on penalties)
Altay Bayindir was the hero as 10-man FA Cup holders Manchester United beat Arsenal on penalties in a feisty and thrilling third-round tie at Emirates Stadium.
Man Utd’s back-up goalkeeper saved from Martin Odegaard during the match itself, preventing the Gunners from taking the lead, and Kai Havertz in the shootout, as Ruben Amorim’s team triumphed despite Diogo Dalot’s 61st-minute red card.
For the second time in as many games, Arsenal created chances worth 3.22 Expected Goals (xG), and while they fared better than in Tuesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg loss at home to Newcastle United, managing to find the net this time through another set-piece goal by Gabriel, Mikel Arteta’s side were ultimately left to rue missed opportunities again.
The visitors, who led through captain Bruno Fernandes seven minutes into the second half, appear to be turning a corner under new boss Amorim, having backed up last weekend’s impressive Premier League draw away to league leaders Liverpool.
And with bottom-placed Southampton next up in the league at home, Man Utd could scarcely wish for a better chance to secure their first win in a month, and their first at Old Trafford since 1 December.
Arsenal, meanwhile, must pick themselves up for the resumption of their title pursuit when they host Tottenham Hotspur in their third of five straight home encounters in all competitions on Wednesday.
The Gunners have now gone two consecutive home matches without victory for the first time since last April; they’ve not failed to win in three home outings for almost three years.
See: Arsenal line-up and report | Man Utd line-up and report
Tamworth 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur (AET)
Spurs reached the FA Cup fourth round for the 18th time in 19 seasons but were far from convincing as they scraped past National League Tamworth, who came close to inflicting an almighty shock in 90 minutes.
It took the eight-time winners until the 101st minute to break the deadlock, having become only the fourth Premier League side to be taken to extra time by non-League opposition in the FA Cup.
A well-worked free-kick ultimately ended up in the back of the net in scrappy fashion via Nathan Tshikuna’s own goal, with the fifth-tier part-timers tiring after putting in a superb performance to nullify their illustrious opponents, 96 places above them in the football pyramid, for the best part of two hours.
During normal time, Spurs were a shadow of the team who beat Liverpool in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-finals last time out, looking cautious on the artificial surface at the Lamb Ground which Ange Postecoglou said affected his side’s game. “The boys found it really hard to move the ball quickly the way we want to and it sort of slows the game up,” the Spurs head coach reflected post-match.
Postecoglou named a strong starting XI featuring the likes of James Maddison and Brennan Johnson but ultimately had to bring more big guns off the bench, introducing Dominic Solanke then Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski.
Kulusevski and Johnson made sure of progression with goals in the second half of extra time, but the scoreline ultimately flattered Spurs, who could have done without extra time ahead of their next Premier League match: the north London derby away to Arsenal on Wednesday.
See: Spurs' line-up and report
Crystal Palace 1-0 Stockport County
Crystal Palace are into the fourth round for the first time since 2022, making it four matches unbeaten since Christmas by edging a tight tie at home to League One play-off hopefuls Stockport.
In-form Eberechi Eze scored after four minutes for his second goal in three matches for Palace, who, after three straight home games, face two important away encounters in their bid to steer clear of the Premier League bottom three.
Oliver Glasner’s side travel to Leicester City on Wednesday then West Ham United on Saturday.
See: Crystal Palace line-up and report
Ipswich 3-0 Bristol Rovers
In a meeting of two sides battling relegation from their respective divisions, Ipswich Town cruised to a comfortable home win over League One Bristol Rovers.
Kieran McKenna took the opportunity to give minutes to a number of his squad players, including Ali Al-Hamadi and Jack Taylor, who combined for Ipswich’s third goal, ahead of two home league outings in four days against Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City.
See: Ipswich's line-up and report
Newcastle 3-1 Bromley
Newcastle survived a scare to League Two Bromley, recovering from going behind early on to run out 3-1 winners at St James’ Park.
Teenager Lewis Miley drew Eddie Howe’s team level, while fellow youngster William Osula made it 3-1 with his first goal for the club, after Anthony Gordon had put the hosts in front from the penalty spot.
It’s now eight wins on the spin for Newcastle in all competitions, who sit just a point off the Premier League top four ahead of back-to-back home encounters with Wolverhampton Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth.
See: Newcastle's line-up and report
Southampton 3-0 Swansea City
Goals from Kamaldeen Sulemana and Tyler Dibling gave Southampton their first win under Ivan Juric and just their fourth of the season, as the Premier League’s bottom side saw off Championship outfit Swansea City at St Mary’s.
Eighteen-year-old Dibling shone once more as one of the Saints’ few bright sparks in a tough 2024/25 campaign, bagging a brace to wrap up victory on the South Coast.
That winning feeling seems unlikely to last long, though: Southampton face daunting league trips to Man Utd and Nottingham Forest next week.
See: Southampton's 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
Tamworth 0-3 Spurs
Arsenal 1-1 (3-5 on penalties) Man Utd
Crystal Palace 1-0 Stockport
Ipswich Town 3-0 Bristol Rovers
Newcastle United 3-1 Bromley
Southampton 3-0 Swansea City
