Lower league clubs continue to upset the top-flight hierarchy. Wigan Athletic are on a roll after the FA Cup Fourth Round by beating Premier League survival hopefuls West Ham United 2-0 at home. The 2013 winners showed the Hammers why they are still top of League One courtesy of two superb goals by Northern Ireland international, Will Grigg. If that didn't cause enough pain for West Ham, then Arthur Masuaku being sent off for spitting in the second half rubbed salt into the wounds.
League Two side Newport County
League Two side Newport County also hoped to spring a surprise when they hosted Tottenham Hotspur at Rodney Parade.
Mike Flynn's men sent shockwaves around the stadium when Padraig Amond scored just minutes before half-time. The Exiles held onto their lead for much of the second half, but Harry Kane equalised for Tottenham in the 82nd minute. For Newport, a replay against Spurs at Wembley on 7th February beckons. They last played there in the 2012/13 Conference (now National League) play-off final and beat Wrexham 2-0 for promotion to the EFL.
Current League Two runners-up Notts County entertained Swansea City, who are another club fighting to stay in the Premier League. However, the Swans struck the first blow first as Luciano Narsingh scored just before the whistle for half-time. Notts County got their own back in the second half, as veteran striker Jon Stead levelled the game shortly after the hour mark.
The Magpies will face Swansea again at the Liberty Stadium on February 6th.
Peterborough United (League One) and Yeovil Town (League Two) also had high hopes in their respective home ties against Premier League opposition, but both clubs failed to deliver. Peterborough lost 5-1 to Leicester City and Yeovil also succumbed to defeat on their own turf when Manchester United thumped them 4-0.
West Brom shine against Liverpool despite VAR controversy
West Bromwich Albion pulled off another Fourth Round surprise by winning against Liverpool at Anfield 3-2. However, this was a game when the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) caused much confusion. Roberto Firmino opened the scoring for Liverpool in the sixth minute, only for Jay Rodriguez to equalise a minute later.
Rodriguez then made it two for West Brom within four minutes and a Craig Dawson header should have extended the Baggies' lead.
But the use of the VAR ruled the goal out as Gareth Barry was seen to be offside. Things got very chaotic not long afterwards, as a penalty was awarded to Liverpool in the 23rd minute. Match referee Craig Pawson actually walked over to the VAR monitor on the touchline and after looking over the footage confirmed the penalty. Firmino could not convert his spot kick into a goal and things only got worse for Liverpool, when Joel Matip inadvertently poked the ball into his own net, trying to clear away a shot from Dawson. Mo Salah did reduce the goal deficit by one in the second half, but it had come too little, too late for Liverpool and West Brom won through.
Remainder of Fourth Round matches
- Out of the remaining Fourth Round matches, only two will go to a replay. A 90th-minute equaliser made it 2-2 between Millwall and Rochdale, and Huddersfield Town's early one goal lead against Birmingham City was levelled in the 54th minute by Lukas Jutkiewicz.
- Championship high-flyers Cardiff City were keen to show Premier League leaders Manchester City they weren't afraid of anyone but lost 2-0 at home.
- Javi Gracia's first match as Watford manager ended in disappointment as the Hornets lost 1-0 away to Southampton.
- Coventry City continued their habit of beating clubs in divisions above them by winning 1-0 against MK Dons at the Stadium MK. The 1987 winners made the Fifth Round for the first time since 2009.
- Middlesbrough held Brighton & Hove Albion at the Riverside until a 90th minute Glenn Murray strike assisted by Markus Suttner ended their hopes.
- Chelsea had a convincing 3-0 victory at home against Newcastle United, courtesy of two first-half Michy Batshuayi goals and a Marcos Alonso free kick.
- Hull City beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 with first-half goals by Jarrod Bowen and Nouha Dicko. Apostolos Velios pulled a goal back for Forest late in the game, but it was too late to force a replay.
- Sheffield Wednesday easily dispatched Reading 3-1 at Hillsborough. Ironically, Reading's only consolation was an own goal by Owls keeper Cameron Dawson.
- An 80th-minute penalty ensured Sheffield United a 1-0 win over Preston North End at Bramall Lane.
Fifth Round draw
- The draw for the Fifth Round is as follows:
- Sheffield Wednesday v Notts County or Swansea City
- West Bromwich Albion v Southampton
- Chelsea v Hull City
- Leicester City v Sheffield United
- Huddersfield Town or Birmingham City v Manchester United
- Millwall or Rochdale v Newport County or Tottenham Hotspur
- Brighton & Hove Albion v Coventry City
- Wigan Athletic v Manchester City
- The Fifth Round will take place on the weekend of 17th-18th February.
