The third round of the Emirates FA Cup is always a highlight in the sporting calendar and this year’s did not disappoint.
With Boreham Wood and Kidderminster Harriers beating AFC Wimbledon and Reading respectively, it is the first time there will be at least two non-league clubs in the FA Cup fourth round since 2016-17, when Sutton United and Lincoln City achieved the feat.
And there were several major cup upsets across the weekend, as League One Cambridge United became the latest side to shock Newcastle United in the competition, and Championship sides Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town knocked out Premier League opposition in Arsenal and Burnley.
There was also penalty drama at Queens Park Rangers versus Rotherham, as it went to 8-7 from the spot in the R’s favour, after their game finished 1-1.
You can read more about the third round matches and see the fourth round draw here and below we have picked out a selection of the standout statistics from some of the weekend’s matches courtesy of Opta.
Birmingham City 0-1 Plymouth Argyle AET
- Championship side Birmingham City's 1-0 defeat to League One's Plymouth is the first time they've lost to lower league opposition in the FA Cup since a 2-1 third-round loss in January 2008, when they were a Premier League side against League One Huddersfield Town.
Bristol City 0-1 Fulham AET
- Fulham manager Marco Silva has won all four of his FA Cup third round ties, winning with different clubs each time: Hull City in 2016-17 (2-0 v Swansea), Watford in 2017-18 (3-0 v Bristol City), Everton in 2018-19 (2-1 v Lincoln) and Fulham this weekend.
- Since netting his first senior goal in February 2018 at Hull City, Fulham’s Harry Wilson has scored more goals from outside the box than any other player within in the top four tiers in English football (21 in all competitions).
Burnley 1-2 Huddersfield Town
- Huddersfield’s 2-1 win against Burnley was their first FA Cup away win against top-flight opposition since January 1964, when they beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Charlton Athletic 0-1 Norwich City
- Norwich have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in three consecutive seasons for the first time since a run of seven from 1988-89 to 1994-95.
Chelsea 5-1 Chesterfield
- Chelsea have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in each of the last 24 seasons, with their last elimination at the third round stage coming back in 1997-98, losing 5-3 to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
- Chesterfield became the first non-league side to score an FA Cup goal against Chelsea since Swindon Town in January 1915.
- Lewis Baker came on to make his first appearance for Chelsea since an FA Cup third round tie against Derby County in 2014, eight years and three days before the match with Chesterfield on Saturday
Hull City 2-3 Everton AET
- Everton’s Demarai Gray has six goals and two assists in all competitions for Everton this season. He has not been involved in more goals as a top-flight player in his career (also eight in 2019-20).
- Andros Townsend has been involved in more goals (nine, with six goals and three assists) than any other Everton player in all competitions this season.
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury Town
- Aged 17 years and 96 days, Kaide Gordon became the second youngest goalscorer in Liverpool's history, after only Ben Woodburn against Leeds in November 2016 (17y 45d).
Millwall 1-2 Crystal Palace
- Michael Olise (20y 27d) became the youngest player to score an FA Cup goal for Crystal Palace since Sean Scannell (18y 119d) versus Leicester City in January 2009.
Newcastle United 0-1 Cambridge United
- Cambridge United won their first ever FA Cup away game against a top-flight side, with this their seventh such fixture in their history (D2 L4).
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Arsenal
- Arsenal were eliminated in the FA Cup third round for just the second time in the last 26 seasons – both of these defeats have come away against Nottingham Forest, with the other 4-2 in January 2018.
- Nottingham Forest have won four of their last six FA Cup home games against Premier Leagues sides (D1 L1), beating Charlton in 2007, West Ham in 2014 and Arsenal in 2018 and 2022.
- Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban scored his first FA Cup goal in over a decade, having not found the net in the competition since December 2011 for Rotherham against Shrewsbury.
Port Vale 1-4 Brentford
- Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo became the first substitute to score a hat-trick in the FA Cup since Joe Garner for Preston North End against Ipswich Town in January 2014.
Stoke City 2-0 Leyton Orient
- Stoke have reached the FA Cup fourth round for the first time since the 2015-16 season, ending a run of five straight third-round eliminations.
Swansea City 2-3 Southampton AET
- Southampton’s Nathan Redmond has been directly involved in eight goals in his last eight appearances in the FA Cup, scoring six and assisting two.
- Shane Long both scored and assisted in a single game for Southampton for the first time since April 2016, which came against Aston Villa in the Premier League, with both his goal and his assist this weekend coming in extra-time.
West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion AET
- Callum Robinson has scored six goals in his six starts in the FA Cup, now netting on his first appearance in the competition for Preston North End, Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion.
West Ham United 2-0 Leeds United
- West Ham have progressed from the third round of the FA Cup in seven of the last eight seasons, with their only elimination in this run coming when they faced Manchester City in January 2017.
Wigan Athletic 3-2 Blackburn Rovers
- Reda Khadra (20y 188d) became the youngest player to score an FA Cup goal for Blackburn Rovers since Jemal Johnson (19y 271d) versus Colchester United in January 2005.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Sheffield United
- Daniel Podence scored his third and fourth goals of the season, surpassing his tally from 2020-21. All four of his goals this campaign have come in domestic cup matches, scoring in all of Wolves’ games across the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
