As a football fan, there’s nothing quite like the FA Cup Third Round. There are always intriguing matchups with the potential for an upset and, on occasion, you get two Premier League juggernauts unexpectedly facing off. The 2023/24 edition stuck to the script. Here are the biggest talking points from across the weekend.
Light work for Newcastle against Sunderland
Heading into this game, the pressure was on Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. The Magpies had one win in eight and had been knocked out of Europe entirely after finishing bottom of their Champions League group. Defeat to neighbours Sunderland at the Stadium of Light could’ve sealed his fate.
By comparison, it was a chance for new Sunderland boss Michael Beale to become a cult hero by masterminding a victory over the Toon Army.
The hosts couldn’t deliver though and suffered a 3-0 defeat on Saturday afternoon. Daniel Ballard scored an own goal before Alexander Isak scored twice at either end of the second half.
Sunderland failed to have a single shot from inside the penalty area while the visitors dominated the ball (64%) and created high-value efforts, finishing the game with an Expected Goals haul of 1.92. This win could be a springboard for Howe and his players in the second half of the campaign.
A scare for the Seagulls
On multiple occasions throughout this game, it appeared as though Championship side Stoke City might take Brighton to a replay.
Steven Schumacher’s side took the lead in the first half courtesy of a Jan Paul Van Hecke own goal. Roberto De Zerbi’s men hit back in stoppage time of the opening 45 minutes with Pervis Estupiñán levelling things up. Lewis Dunk put the Premier League team ahead in the 52nd minute but Stoke pegged them back just after the hour mark. Lewis Baker converted from the spot.
João Pedro, once again, proved to be the match-winner for the Seagulls, scoring twice in the final 19 minutes to give the away side a 4-2 win and book their place in the next round of the FA Cup.
It was a deserved win for Brighton but the scoreline did paint a picture of a more dominant display, and that simply wasn’t the case.
Bournemouth bounce back
There was another scare at Loftus Road as Championship side QPR took a 2-0 lead against Premier League club Bournemouth.
The Cherries had been in fine form, losing just one of their last eight matches, and Andoni Iraola named a fairly strong team for the FA Cup tie.
Despite an even first half, Bournemouth found themselves two goals down at the break after the hosts scored twice in the space of two minutes just before the halftime whistle.
The away side dominated the second half though. For starters, they limited the hosts to zero shots and just 99 passes. Iraola’s men halved the deficit just three minutes after the break before levelling things up before the hour mark. Marcus Tavernier and Kieffer Moore, who started in place of Dominic Solanke, found the back of the net.
Justin Kluivert scored what turned out to be the winner with just 11 minutes remaining to complete a remarkable turnaround. Under Iraola, the Cherries really have clicked.
Forest extend their unbeaten run to three
On paper, a 2-2 draw with a League One side should be a disappointing result for Premier League team Nottingham Forest. Yet manager Nuno Espírito Santo will no doubt be thrilled with the spirit shown by his players at the City Ground.
Against the run of play, Blackpool took a 2-0 lead inside of the opening 30 minutes. It really was against the run of play too, with the visitors having just two efforts on goal in the first half. Both found the back of the net.
The hosts clawed one back before the break before Morgan Gibbs-White found the back of the net for the second successive match. Given how the game played out, the fact Forest found a way to get back into this game will be viewed as a positive. The fact they avoided defeat gives them something to build on and momentum really does matter at this stage of the season, regardless of what competition you are playing in.
Wrexham delight
Wrexham, of League Two fame, went toe-to-toe with League One side Shrewsbury Town at New Meadow. Not only that though, Phil Parkinson’s men actually won the match.
On one hand, it was a fairly even game, with both sides having 11 shots. However, Wrexham controlled possession (62%) while Shrewsbury had the better opportunities, finishing the match with an Expected Goals total of 1.65 to the away side’s 0.65.
A goal in the final 20 minutes was enough to separate the two rivals. It was an unlikely goalscorer with defender Thomas O’Conner popping up to be the match-winner for the Red Dragons. Cup games are difficult to analyse but Wrexham didn’t look out of place against a team from League One. And they’ll want to pit themselves against better opposition in the next round.
The Emirates silenced
Arsenal had a real opportunity on Sunday evening to make a statement. The Gunners had lost two on the bounce following the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in mid-December and questions were being asked of Mikel Arteta and his players.
They welcomed a weakened Liverpool team to the Emirates, with Jürgen Klopp without the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk, Thiago, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas.
The hosts started well and should’ve been ahead in the first half but multiple chances were wasted.
Klopp made tactical tweaks at the break and the visitors grew into the game. They took a deserved lead in the 80th minute when Jakub Kiwior headed a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick past Aaron Ramsdale before Luis Díaz added an exclamation point in stoppage time to give the Reds a 2-0 win.
Arteta and Arsenal are now without a win since December 17th.
(Images from IMAGO)
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