The FA Cup third round certainly didn’t disappoint as it produced arguably the greatest shock in the competition’s history, a 10-goal haul, hat-tricks, and prolonged some miserable losing streaks.
Read on for the best of the stats from an action-packed round.
Stats you might have missed
Shock of shocks
- Macclesfield became the first non-league club to knock out the FA Cup holders since 1908-09.
What better place to start than what is being labelled as the greatest FA Cup shock of all time. You’ll know what happened by now. Macclesfield, of the sixth-tier, stunned FA Cup holders Crystal Palace 2-1.
In the process, the National League North outfit – managed by Wayne Rooney’s brother John – became the first non-league side to eliminate the FA Cup holders since 1908/09, when Wolves lost to…Crystal Palace.
Macclesfield, who reformed in 2020, became the first club to reach the fourth round in their first ever season since Harlow Town in 1979-80, and are also the first non-league side to beat a Premier League club in the competition since Lincoln City toppled Burnley in 2016/17.
Toffees fire blanks
- Everton became the second top-flight side to lose an FA Cup penalty shootout without scoring a single penalty.
Everton’s hopes of a cup run were ended in the third round by fellow Premier League side Sunderland.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time, before Sunderland prevailed 3-0 in a penalty shootout thanks to the brilliance of their keeper Robin Roefs.
Everton failed to convert any of their spot-kicks, which were all saved by Roefs, as they became only the second top-flight club to lose an FA Cup shootout without scoring, after Blackburn Rovers, who were also beaten on penalties by Sunderland.
Double-digit delight for City
- Manchester City became the first English top-flight side to score 10+ goals in a match since 1986.
Manchester City became the first English top-flight side to score 10 or more goals in a match since 1986 after they demolished poor Exeter City 10-1 at the Etihad. The previous occasion a club reached double figures was Liverpool’s 10-0 League Cup victory over Fulham back in 1986.
That third-round triumph also saw Man City equal another Liverpool record, matching the most consecutive home wins by a league club in FA Cup history with 16. During this remarkable run, Pep Guardiola’s side have netted 75 goals, averaging an astonishing 4.7 goals per game.
Boro’s capital punishment
- Middlesbrough have failed to win any of their last 23 FA Cup matches in London.
Middlesbrough took the lead away to Fulham but conceded three goals after the hour mark in a 3-1 defeat at Craven Cottage.
The London loss meant Boro have now failed to win any of their last 23 FA Cup matches in the capital, stretching back to a 1957 win over Charlton.
Stags stampede into 4th round
- Mansfield Town have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2007-08.
League Two side Mansfield Town pulled off a stunning 4-3 upset at Championship side Sheffield United in a memorable seven-goal thriller in Yorkshire.
The Stags have advanced to the FA Cup fourth round for the first time since 2007-08 and only the second time since 1987-88.
Gunners’ hat-trick hero
- Gabriel Martinelli is now Arsenal’s top goalscorer this season after he scored his first-ever hat-trick for the club.
Gabriel Martinelli scored his first-ever hat-trick for Arsenal in what was his 249th appearance for the club to help give them a 4-1 win away to Championship side Portsmouth, who they extended their unbeaten record against to 24 matches in all competitions.
The Brazilian, who scored two headers in a single game for the first time, is now Arsenal’s leading goalscorer in all competitions with nine, which puts him two ahead of Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Viktor Gyokeres.
QPR’s third round woes
- No club have suffered more FA Cup third exits than QPR.
West Ham ended their torrid 10-game run with a much-needed 2-1 victory at home to QPR, albeit it took an extra-time winner from new signing Taty Castellanos to get the job done against their Championship opponents.
Unfortunately for QPR, the defeat means they have now been dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round, a record-extending 53 times under the current competition format (since 1925-26).
United’s disastrous cup double
- Manchester United will play their fewest matches since 1914-15 following their FA Cup third round exit.
Manchester United’s hopes of silverware this season were extinguished by a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton.
United have been eliminated at the first hurdle in both domestic cups for the first time since 1981-82, leaving them set to play just 40 matches in all competitions this term, which will be their fewest tally since 1914-15.
