The fourth round of the FA Cup is not over yet, but it has already delivered its share of surprises and intense clashes, pitting Premier League sides against lower-league teams eager to pull off an upset. From heroic performances by underdogs to spectacular goals, here’s a look at the key results from the latest round of the world’s oldest and most prestigious football competition.
Leyton Orient comes close to an upset against Manchester City.
Leyton Orient nearly caused a major shock against Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola’s men eventually secured a 2-1 victory. The League One outfit took a surprise lead through a sensational strike from Jamie Donley from the center circle, his shot bouncing off the crossbar and past Stefan Ortega. It was a stunning goal that kept the hosts dreaming for a long time, especially with their defense making crucial saves. However, City’s relentless pressure finally paid off. Rico Lewis’ shot was inadvertently deflected by Abdukodir Khusanov for the equalizer—his first goal for the club. Then, substitute Kevin De Bruyne sealed the win with a poacher’s finish in the box. Despite a valiant effort, Leyton Orient bowed out with their heads held high after an inspiring display.
Newcastle edge past Birmingham in a thriller.
With a rotated squad, Newcastle struggled but eventually secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Birmingham City. Ethan Laird put the hosts ahead just 40 seconds into the match, setting the tone for an electric encounter. However, Joe Willock quickly brought the Magpies level before Callum Wilson, who had not scored since May, gave the visitors the lead. Birmingham refused to back down, and Tomoki Iwata’s long-range effort restored parity before halftime. With a replay looming, Willock struck again in the 87th minute, crushing Birmingham’s hopes and securing Newcastle’s place in the next round—just days after they reached the League Cup final.
Brighton dump Chelsea out, Millwall stun Leeds.
Brighton eliminated a Chelsea side that rested some key players, claiming a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma—both coming 12 minutes into each half. This defeat marks yet another disappointment for the Blues, who now see the Europa Conference League as their only realistic shot at silverware this season. Meanwhile, Millwall, sitting 14th in the Championship, pulled off a shock by defeating league leaders Leeds United 2-0. Femi Azeez was the hero, scoring both goals to overturn the expected hierarchy of the second tier. In another significant result, Burnley became the first EFL club (covering the second, third, and fourth divisions) to eliminate a Premier League side, beating Southampton 1-0. A Marcus Edwards strike, capitalizing on a defensive mistake by the Saints, was enough to send the Clarets through.
Plymouth stun Liverpool in a historic upset.
The biggest shock of the fourth round took place at Home Park in southwest England, where Plymouth Argyle pulled off a sensational 1-0 victory over Liverpool. Despite making a few changes, the Reds still started with the likes of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, and Federico Chiesa, but it was Ryan Hardie who scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after a handball by Harvey Elliott. Liverpool dominated late on but failed to break down a resolute defense, with Conor Hazard putting in a heroic display in goal. The Plymouth keeper denied a powerful strike from Jota and a stoppage-time header from Darwin Núñez to preserve his side’s lead. This historic win sends Plymouth into the fifth round for the first time in 18 years, while Liverpool’s dream of a quadruple comes to an end.
Wolverhampton through thanks to a quickfire double.
Wolverhampton overcame Blackburn Rovers (2-0) with two goals in 100 seconds in the first half. Blackburn thought they had taken the lead through Dominic Hyam, but his goal was ruled out for offside. Wolves then punished them with relentless pressing, as João Gomes fired in a precise strike to open the scoring. Moments later, Matheus Cunha doubled the lead from a Nelson Semedo assist. Solid at the back, Wolves managed the game well and are now within touching distance of the quarter-finals, one year after being knocked out at this stage by Coventry City.
Aston Villa defeat Tottenham, Everton bid farewell to Goodison Park with a loss.
Aston Villa overcame Tottenham 2-1 at Villa Park. Jacob Ramsey put Villa ahead early, and Morgan Rogers—first providing an assist—doubled the lead in the second half. Mathys Tel, making his debut, pulled one back in stoppage time, but it was too late to prevent Spurs from crashing out, just days after their League Cup exit. Meanwhile, Everton suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth in what was their final FA Cup match at Goodison Park before moving to their new stadium.
Maguire the hero as Manchester United scrape through.
Manchester United had to dig deep to eliminate Leicester City (2-1) and book their place in the fifth round. The Foxes, led by Ruud van Nistelrooy, took the lead just before halftime through Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who followed up on a save from André Onana. However, the Red Devils responded in the second half as Joshua Zirkzee equalized, before Harry Maguire dramatically headed in a Bruno Fernandes free-kick in stoppage time to snatch the win. The goal secured United’s progression, though VAR—absent at this stage of the competition—would have ruled it out for offside, as the towering England defender was in an illegal position.
Two one-sided ties still to be played.
While the fifth-round draw is set to take place later this afternoon, not all fixtures have been completed. Doncaster Rovers, third in League Two, will host Crystal Palace, while Exeter City, 18th in League One, will also face Premier League opposition—none other than third-placed Nottingham Forest. On paper, it’s hard to see the top-flight sides slipping up, but as the FA Cup has shown time and again, nothing can be taken for granted.
