The FA Cup fourth round delivered a mix of statement wins and stubborn resistance, as title contenders flexed their depth while underdogs chased history.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City progressed comfortably, but Mansfield produced a genuine upset, and Newcastle’s fightback under pressure kept their campaign alive.
Arsenal 4-0 Wigan
Arsenal surged into the fifth round for the first time since lifting the trophy in 2020, dismantling League One strugglers Wigan with four goals inside 27 minutes at the Emirates.
Noni Madueke opened the scoring after Eberechi Eze’s incisive pass, before Gabriel Martinelli doubled the lead. Jack Hunt’s own goal compounded Wigan’s misery and Gabriel Jesus added a delicate chip to complete a ruthless first-half display.
Mikel Arteta rotated but maintained intensity, with his side still leading the Premier League, through to the League Cup final and into the Champions League last 16.
Leeds 1-1 Birmingham (Leeds win 4-2 on pens)
Leeds needed penalties to overcome Championship side Birmingham after a tense 1-1 draw at St Andrew’s.
Lukas Nmecha’s opener was cancelled late on by substitute Patrick Roberts. After extra-time failed to separate the sides, Leeds converted four spot-kicks to advance, keeping alive hopes of a first quarter-final appearance since 2003.
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Wolves 1-0 Grimsby
Wolves avoided embarrassment at fourth-tier Grimsby, grinding out a 1-0 win on a difficult surface at Blundell Park.
Santiago Bueno struck just after the hour with Wolves’ first shot on target, securing their first away win since April and ending Grimsby’s hopes of another cup scalp.
Liverpool 3-0 Brighton
Liverpool eased past Brighton at Anfield with a controlled 3-0 victory.
Curtis Jones opened the scoring in an unfamiliar right-back role before Mohamed Salah provided an assist for Dominik Szoboszlai and converted from the penalty spot for his 252nd Liverpool goal. Brighton, who eliminated Manchester United in round three, struggled to contain the hosts.
Man City 2-0 Salford
Manchester City overcame League Two Salford 2-0 in a tighter contest than last season’s 8-0 meeting.
An early own goal set the tone, but it was Marc Guehi’s late strike that sealed progress after a disciplined defensive effort from the visitors.
Aston Villa 1-3 Newcastle
Newcastle fought back to beat 10-man Villa. Tammy Abraham struck first, but Marco Bizot’s red card shifted momentum.
Sandro Tonali scored twice, including a deflected free-kick, before Nick Woltemade added a third as Newcastle advanced.
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Burnley 1-2 Mansfield
The shock of the round came at Turf Moor. Third-tier Mansfield overturned Burnley’s lead through Rhys Oates and a late Louis Reed free-kick to reach the fifth round for the first time since 1975.
West Ham also progressed after extra-time against Burton.
The takeaway
The fourth round reinforced familiar themes: elite squads can rotate and still dominate, but complacency carries risk. Arsenal and Liverpool look sharp, City remain efficient, and Newcastle showed resilience. Yet Mansfield’s upset proved the FA Cup still punishes miscalculation and rewards belief.
– AFP
Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
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