FA Cup Third Round Recap: Drama Everywhere As Premier League Sides Crumble Under Pressure

‎The FA Cup never fails to produce drama, but this year’s third round delivered a weekend that will live long in the memory.

‎With top-flight clubs entering the competition, the expectation is usually for routine victories. Instead, football fans witnessed a series of remarkable upsets, emotional triumphs, and record-equalling performances across England.

‎From Wrexham’s shocking victory over Nottingham Forest to Macclesfield’s legendary win against the reigning champions Crystal Palace, the third round showed everything that makes the FA Cup a globally cherished competition.

‎Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest

‎The third round burst into life on Friday night as Championship outfit Wrexham shocked Premier League side Nottingham Forest in a dramatic clash that ended 3–3 after extra time, before Wrexham sealed a 4–3 victory in the penalty shootout.

‎It was a pulsating match filled with momentum swings and dramatic moments, but it ultimately belonged to goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. His two saves in the shootout sparked euphoric celebrations and secured Wrexham’s passage to the fourth round.

‎The Welsh club, co-owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, stormed into a two-goal lead at halftime courtesy of strikes from Liberato Cacace and Ollie Rathbone.

‎Forest rallied through Igor Jesus and a late brace from Callum Hudson-Odoi, but Wrexham refused to bow. Even after James MacLean missed in the shootout, Okonkwo’s heroics from the spot against Igor Jesus and Omari Hutchinson ensured a famous night for the rising club.

‎The victory marks Wrexham’s fifth consecutive win and extends their remarkable ascent, now sitting ninth in the Championship and dreaming big once again.

‎Macclesfield vs Crystal Palace: The Greatest Upset in FA Cup History

‎If Wrexham lit the fuse, sixth-tier Macclesfield delivered the true explosion by knocking out defending champions Crystal Palace in what many consider the greatest upset in FA Cup history.

‎The gap between the clubs was enormous, with 117 places separating them in the English football pyramid. Yet Macclesfield showed no fear and refused to be intimidated.

‎The emotional weight of the afternoon was immense. Macclesfield played their first FA Cup match since the tragic death of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who died in a car crash on December 16.

‎His family sat in the stands as a banner with his name hung behind the dugout, injecting deep meaning into every moment of the match. Captain Paul Dawson gave Macclesfield the lead before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts added a second just after the hour mark.

‎Yeremy Pino’s late free kick for Palace created a nervous finale, but Macclesfield held firm.

‎At the final whistle, fans poured onto the pitch at Moss Rose, lifting Dawson and Duffy into the air in a scene of pure jubilation.

‎Manager John Rooney, brother of Wayne Rooney, was visibly moved, saying he felt Ethan “was looking down on us today.” It was an FA Cup miracle raw, emotional, and unforgettable.

‎Manchester City vs Exeter 

‎While underdogs stole headlines across the country, Manchester City quietly delivered one of their most dominant cup performances ever with a 10–1 demolition of third-tier Exeter.

‎The emphatic victory equalled City’s biggest ever win and showed the attacking depth available to Pep Guardiola’s squad, even with the manager serving a touchline ban.

‎New signing Antoine Semenyo, who completed an $87 million move from Bournemouth just a day earlier, marked his debut with a goal.

‎Rico Lewis contributed two more as City’s relentless waves of attack overwhelmed Exeter. In a classy gesture, Semenyo had taken out a full-page advertisement in the Bournemouth Echo thanking his former supporters.

‎Despite the impressive scoreline, City’s rout was not the defining story of a weekend dominated by underdog heroics.

‎Newcastle vs Bournemouth 

‎Another all-Premier League thriller saw Newcastle edge Bournemouth after a dramatic 3–3 draw at St. James’ Park.

‎Anthony Gordon’s late penalty brought Newcastle level deep into stoppage time, and both sides traded blows again in extra time.

‎Harvey Barnes put Newcastle ahead before Marcus Tavernier forced penalties with a last-gasp equalizer. In the end, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale delivered the decisive moment by saving Bafodé Diakité’s kick to seal a 7–6 shootout win.

‎Spurs’ Troubles Deepen

‎Tottenham endured another miserable afternoon as they fell 2–1 to Aston Villa, capping off a turbulent week for the club.

‎After their midweek Premier League loss to Bournemouth and tensions with supporters, Spurs were desperate for a response but conceded two first-half goals from Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers.

‎Wilson Odobert pulled one back after the break, but Tottenham could not muster an equalizer. The frustration was palpable, and the FA Cup exit only compounds the growing concerns around the squad.

‎Manchester United vs Brighton 

‎Manchester United’s FA Cup journey came to an abrupt end on Sunday after a 2–1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford.

‎With Ruben Amorim dismissed earlier in the week and the team without a permanent manager, United produced another unconvincing display that drew loud jeers from the home crowd.

‎Brajan Gruda opened the scoring early before former United striker Danny Welbeck doubled Brighton’s advantage in the second half.

‎Benjamin Sesko pulled one back late on, but the momentum stalled when substitute Shea Lacey was sent off just minutes later.

‎United have now exited both domestic cup competitions at the earliest possible stage and sit seventh in the league, 17 points behind leaders Arsenal. With Champions League qualification the main target and several interim coaching candidates under consideration, the club faces yet another season without silverware unless an unlikely league turnaround occurs.

‎Martinelli’s Hat-Trick Leads Arsenal Through

‎Arsenal avoided the fate of several Premier League rivals, recovering from an early setback to beat Portsmouth 4–1 at Fratton Park.

‎After Colby Bishop’s early goal shocked the visitors, Arsenal equalized quickly through an Andre Dozzell own goal. From there, Gabriel Martinelli took complete control of the match, scoring a superb hat trick, his first for the club, and guiding Arsenal into the next round.

‎Manager Mikel Arteta praised his side’s composure after the sloppy start, noting that the team remains alive in all four major competitions, the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup. It was a performance that reaffirmed Arsenal’s depth and resilience in challenging circumstances.

‎Leeds vs Derby

‎Leeds United found themselves behind against Championship opponents Derby but rallied with confidence in the second half to secure a 3–1 victory at Pride Park. It was a composed response from a side that has embraced its Premier League return with belief.

‎Mansfield vs Sheffield United 

‎The upsets kept coming as third-tier Mansfield shocked Sheffield United 4–3.

‎It was a free-flowing match that saw Mansfield repeatedly exploit defensive lapses, adding further turmoil to a difficult season for the Blades.

‎Makama’s Hat-Trick Headlines Big Win

‎Norwich cruised to a 5–1 victory over Walsall, driven by a hat trick from Jovon Makama.

‎After the match, head coach Philippe Clement revealed that U.S. international Josh Sargent had refused to play, adding an unexpected twist to an otherwise dominant afternoon for the Canaries.

‎Relief at Last for the Hammers

‎West Ham ended a painful 10-match winless run by defeating QPR 2–1 after extra time.

‎Valentin “Taty” Castellanos provided the decisive goal, giving Nuno Espírito Santo a desperately needed moment of positivity.

‎Hull, West Brom, and Others Advance on Penalties

‎Hull City and West Bromwich Albion advanced after coming through tense draws that were settled by penalty shootouts.

‎Several Premier League sides, including Brentford, Fulham, Burnley, and Wolves, also secured their places by seeing off lower-league opposition.