Category Sports News

If anyone required any convincing that the FA Cup still matters, this season’s record-breaking third round provided all the necessary evidence.

The FA Cup’s rich 155-year history has been defined by magical moments, giant killings and edge-of-your-seat drama.

It is a competition famous for producing stories worthy of retelling on stadium concourses around the country, and across generations.

Only three times have more goals been scored in the third round of the FA Cup since that stage of the competition first featured 32 ties in 1925-26 (excluding 1945-46, when two-legged ties were played).

In total, 124 goals were scored across Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s 30 fixtures – an average of 4.1 goals per game – with two more ties still to be played, between Premier League champions Liverpool and League One Barnsley on Monday, and League Two Salford City and Swindon Town on Tuesday.

Just four of those goals were scored in extra time.

Manchester City contributed more than their fair share to that tally by thrashing League One Exeter City 10-1 at Etihad Stadium.

Premier League strugglers Wolves hit six past League Two Shrewsbury Town, while Chelsea, Burnley, Bristol City, Burton Albion and Norwich City all scored five goals.

League One Mansfield Town edged a seven-goal thriller at Championship side Sheffield United, while Wrexham and Newcastle United both won penalty shootouts following entertaining 3-3 draws.

Undoubtedly the story of the round was non-league Macclesfield’s stunning FA Cup upset of holders Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Despite being ranked five divisions and 117 places below their Premier League opponents, Macclesfield were fully deserving of their remarkable 2-1 victory.

Macclesfield are the first non-league team to eliminate the FA Cup holders since Crystal Palace knocked out Wolves in the 1908-09 first round.

It was also only the ninth occasion in the past 100 years that a non-league side has beaten a top-flight opponent.

The packed away ends witnessed across the country also suggested the FA Cup has not lost its appeal.

FA Cup rules allow for an away allocation of up to 15% of the home stadium – a much larger share than is usual at league matches.

While there was never a hint of an upset at Manchester City, third-tier Exeter were backed by a near 8,000-strong away support.

Sunderland were able to celebrate their penalty shootout win at Everton with 7,732 travelling fans, while Leeds United had more than 5,000 supporters in the away end as they won at Derby County on Sunday.

The video assistant referee system (VAR) and semi-automated offside technology will not be introduced until the fifth round of this season’s FA Cup, as was the case in the previous campaign.

According to the Football Association, that is to ensure a consistent refereeing approach for all clubs in the third and fourth rounds, given the technology and infrastructure that it requires at stadiums.

Despite the increasing use of technology at the top level of the game, many decisions remain controversial, while lengthy waits for reviews to take place are another source of frustration for fans.

The third round passed without any controversial incidents stealing headlines and overshadowing results.

When FA Cup replays were scrapped from the first round onwards last season, many clubs from the EFL and lower down the football pyramid criticised the decision for taking away a traditional revenue stream.

The decision was made to help ease the demands of a congested fixture calendar on Premier League clubs, with nine top-flight clubs qualifying to play European football this season.

The average number of changes among Championship and League Two clubs in third-round action was also up from last season, with only League One bucking the trend.

But so far this season, no lower-league team has been knocked out by Premier League opposition on penalties when they would have had a replay in the old days.

League Two MK Dons were the only club denied a replay against opposition from a higher division, losing out to Championship Oxford United on penalties.

Norwich boss Philippe Clement has said Josh Sargent will not be leaving the Championship club in January, after claiming the striker made himself unavailable to play in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round win against League Two side Walsall.

United States international Sargent, 25, had started the previous three Championship games for Norwich but was absent from the squad that won 5-1 against the Saddlers at Carrow Road.

Sargent was the subject of interest from clubs during the summer and MLS side Toronto FC have been linked with a move in this window.

Clement said: “Josh sent me a message [on Saturday] evening saying he would not be available because of transfer things in his head.

“This is obviously not something we want, and will have consequences.

In a separate interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, Clement added: “Josh sent me a text yesterday [Saturday] evening, because he was normally in the selection, that he was not available for this game.

“But I don’t want to make too much attention around that because the guys who were here, they deserve the praise for the performance they did, what they are doing during training sessions and in the games they play, so I want to focus on that.”

Sargent joined Norwich in August 2021 from German side Werder Bremen and has scored 56 goals for the Canaries in 157 games.

Without him, Norwich were convincing winners against the Saddlers, with Jovon Makama scoring a hat-trick to help the Canaries into round four.

The 21-year-old has overtaken Sargent as Norwich’s top scorer with 12 goals against the American’s eight.

“Jovon is improving a lot,” said Clement. “The staff is working a lot with him, like with the other players, with all the details of how to become better.

“He’s already scored more goals [this season] than he scored last season in the lower league [with Lincoln] and that’s positive.

Claudio Braga watched the replay, clasped his hands over his mouth in disbelief, then stood in the dugout with them on his head.

The Hearts forward’s strike from the edge of the box was a superb bit of quality – and was ultimately what gave the Scottish Premiership leaders victory at Dundee – but his moment had just been usurped by the man who replaced him.

Craig Gordon, 43 years young, having not played a minute of competitive football since Scotland’s World Cup qualification heroics over Denmark, had just produced the save of the season. Perhaps any season.

Not only did he somehow scoop Emile Acquah’s net-bound header away, he also preserved all three points for Hearts to keep them clear at the top of the table.

Pundits and punters alike cut a similar shape to Braga on the bench. Disbelief abound. Just how had Gordon done that? Even the man himself wasn’t sure.

“Sometimes you surprise yourself as a goalkeeper,” Gordon told BBC Scotland. “That was definitely one that I thought was a goal, but decided to go after it anyway and somehow managed to claw it out.

“That really does feel as if it was one of my best.”

Not half. There was talk of Gordon Banks v Brazil, David Seaman v Sheffield United and… well, Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers.

Former team-mate Steven Pressley was in the opposite dugout, and couldn’t help but enthuse about the Hearts goalkeeper.

“I spoke to Craig at length before the game,” the Dundee head coach said. “He’s been starved of opportunity and you wonder if it’s going to affect his performance… wow, it seems to have improved it.

“He made a couple of big saves today. That’s the reason they’re top of the league, they have a second-choice goalkeeper who’s world class.”

Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty, and could barely believe his eyes: “That’s save of the season. Every player is running to Craig Gordon. That is one of the best saves I have ever seen.

“That dressing room will be electric. Against any other goalkeeper in the league, that is a goal and Dundee get a draw.”

In the frenzy of the post-save aftermath, it became clear that it was more than just a superb piece of goalkeeping or moment of individual brilliance.

It showed why Hearts’ unbelievable title charge continues to hold water.

“Craig has always been capable of that big save, that big moment,” head coach Derek McInnes said. “When he was called upon, he stood up. “I thought it was past him. Magnificent moment for him.

“For Craig, to be 43 years of age, throwing himself about a training ground… obviously, there’s a lot of motivation this season in terms of the World Cup, and trying to be part of something special here.

“It’s first class, and good on him. I’m pleased for him. It’s a wee reminder everyone that he’s still got a role to play and when we needed him, he was there.

How many times has Gordon been written off in his career?

In 2012 – 14 years ago, lest we forget – he was released by Sunderland after injuries plagued an already-sterling career. Had he given up then, just short of his 30th birthday, it would have been understandable.

Yet after being without a club for three years – spending his days as a part-time goalkeeping coach at Dumbarton – he came back to win everything that could be won with Celtic domestically and return to the Scotland set-up.

In 2020, he returned to first club Hearts, became captain, and won the Scottish football writers’ player of the year award for his performances in 2021-22.

Then injury struck again. A horror leg break a week shy of his 40th birthday left him celebrating Christmas Day in a Dundee hospital. Surely enough to pack it all in?

Nope, not for Gordon.

After recovering, he spent half a season as understudy to Zander Clark at Tynecastle and seemed set for a place on the plane to Germany and Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke didn’t see it that way. Perhaps thinking of the future, and the fact Gordon had hardly played in 18 months, the Scotland head coach afforded him a Hampden friendly farewell against Finland instead before the squad departed.

Surely, this time, that was it?

But what about at Hearts?

Gordon’s summer was ruined by injury, again. It kept him out of the final throes of last season, and meant he only played a minute of his testimonial against Sunderland in July.

When Clark’s form dipped, Gordon was not ready to return and Alexander Schwolow was signed. He has been solid, not giving Gordon a look in. Until now.

The German goalkeeper’s mistake against Dundee – bringing down Tony Yogane on the edge of the box after the winger beat the offside trap – allowed Gordon his first minutes on the pitch since that magical night at Hampden.

Immediately, he was forced into a save. Cameron Congreve lined up a free-kick and curled it low, but Gordon was down quickly to beat the ball away.

The second-half was mostly a watching brief. Balls were shelled into the box and headed away by the Hearts defence. It wouldn’t be until the final kick – or header – of the ball, that Gordon got his moment.

Acquah’s header looked laser-guided into the net. Gordon was going the other way.

Gez: Craig Gordon won an award for the best ever save in the EPL when at Sunderland after defying physics to stop the ball already behind him. I think we’ve just seen the exact same thing for the SPFL Premiership. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And still don’t.

Tony: Craig Gordon, absolute legend, had one potentially career-ending injury and didn’t play for ages before ripping it up at Celtic and then another potentially career-ending injury before coming back and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. He made the best save in Premier League history and now one of the best saves in Scottish Premiership history. And he’s 43 and hopefully starting at the World Cup.

Robert: Steve Clarke has the goalie sorted. I’ve watched that guy since he broke into the first team at Tynecastle and he can still get me out of my seat. He’s a phenomenon, one of the greatest ever.

Alfie: Sometimes you’ve just got to put your hands up and say fair play. Sensational. Never mind being on the plane, he should be starting in the summer.

Tony: Wow, sub goalkeeper on at half-time makes literally one of the best saves of all time to win a crucial match in the 93rd minute. Not a bad storyline.

Claudio Braga watched the replay, clasped his hands over his mouth in disbelief, then stood in the dugout with them on his head.

The Hearts forward’s strike from the edge of the box was a superb bit of quality – and was ultimately what gave the Scottish Premiership leaders victory at Dundee – but his moment had just been usurped by the man who replaced him.

Craig Gordon, 43 years young, having not played a minute of competitive football since Scotland’s World Cup qualification heroics over Denmark, had just produced the save of the season. Perhaps any season.

Not only did he somehow scoop Emile Acquah’s net-bound header away, he also preserved all three points for Hearts to keep them clear at the top of the table.

Pundits and punters alike cut a similar shape to Braga on the bench. Disbelief abound. Just how had Gordon done that? Even the man himself wasn’t sure.

“Sometimes you surprise yourself as a goalkeeper,” Gordon told BBC Scotland. “That was definitely one that I thought was a goal, but decided to go after it anyway and somehow managed to claw it out.

“That really does feel as if it was one of my best.”

Not half. There was talk of Gordon Banks v Brazil, David Seaman v Sheffield United and… well, Craig Gordon v Bolton Wanderers.

Former team-mate Steven Pressley was in the opposite dugout, and couldn’t help but enthuse about the Hearts goalkeeper.

“I spoke to Craig at length before the game,” the Dundee head coach said. “He’s been starved of opportunity and you wonder if it’s going to affect his performance… wow, it seems to have improved it.

“He made a couple of big saves today. That’s the reason they’re top of the league, they have a second-choice goalkeeper who’s world class.”

Former Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson was on punditry duty, and could barely believe his eyes: “That’s save of the season. Every player is running to Craig Gordon. That is one of the best saves I have ever seen.

“That dressing room will be electric. Against any other goalkeeper in the league, that is a goal and Dundee get a draw.”

In the frenzy of the post-save aftermath, it became clear that it was more than just a superb piece of goalkeeping or moment of individual brilliance.

It showed why Hearts’ unbelievable title charge continues to hold water.

“Craig has always been capable of that big save, that big moment,” head coach Derek McInnes said. “When he was called upon, he stood up. “I thought it was past him. Magnificent moment for him.

“For Craig, to be 43 years of age, throwing himself about a training ground… obviously, there’s a lot of motivation this season in terms of the World Cup, and trying to be part of something special here.

“It’s first class, and good on him. I’m pleased for him. It’s a wee reminder everyone that he’s still got a role to play and when we needed him, he was there.

How many times has Gordon been written off in his career?

In 2012 – 14 years ago, lest we forget – he was released by Sunderland after injuries plagued an already-sterling career. Had he given up then, just short of his 30th birthday, it would have been understandable.

Yet after being without a club for three years – spending his days as a part-time goalkeeping coach at Dumbarton – he came back to win everything that could be won with Celtic domestically and return to the Scotland set-up.

In 2020, he returned to first club Hearts, became captain, and won the Scottish football writers’ player of the year award for his performances in 2021-22.

Then injury struck again. A horror leg break a week shy of his 40th birthday left him celebrating Christmas Day in a Dundee hospital. Surely enough to pack it all in?

Nope, not for Gordon.

After recovering, he spent half a season as understudy to Zander Clark at Tynecastle and seemed set for a place on the plane to Germany and Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke didn’t see it that way. Perhaps thinking of the future, and the fact Gordon had hardly played in 18 months, the Scotland head coach afforded him a Hampden friendly farewell against Finland instead before the squad departed.

Surely, this time, that was it?

But what about at Hearts?

Gordon’s summer was ruined by injury, again. It kept him out of the final throes of last season, and meant he only played a minute of his testimonial against Sunderland in July.

When Clark’s form dipped, Gordon was not ready to return and Alexander Schwolow was signed. He has been solid, not giving Gordon a look in. Until now.

The German goalkeeper’s mistake against Dundee – bringing down Tony Yogane on the edge of the box after the winger beat the offside trap – allowed Gordon his first minutes on the pitch since that magical night at Hampden.

Immediately, he was forced into a save. Cameron Congreve lined up a free-kick and curled it low, but Gordon was down quickly to beat the ball away.

The second-half was mostly a watching brief. Balls were shelled into the box and headed away by the Hearts defence. It wouldn’t be until the final kick – or header – of the ball, that Gordon got his moment.

Acquah’s header looked laser-guided into the net. Gordon was going the other way.

Gez: Craig Gordon won an award for the best ever save in the EPL when at Sunderland after defying physics to stop the ball already behind him. I think we’ve just seen the exact same thing for the SPFL Premiership. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And still don’t.

Tony: Craig Gordon, absolute legend, had one potentially career-ending injury and didn’t play for ages before ripping it up at Celtic and then another potentially career-ending injury before coming back and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. He made the best save in Premier League history and now one of the best saves in Scottish Premiership history. And he’s 43 and hopefully starting at the World Cup.

Robert: Steve Clarke has the goalie sorted. I’ve watched that guy since he broke into the first team at Tynecastle and he can still get me out of my seat. He’s a phenomenon, one of the greatest ever.

Alfie: Sometimes you’ve just got to put your hands up and say fair play. Sensational. Never mind being on the plane, he should be starting in the summer.

Tony: Wow, sub goalkeeper on at half-time makes literally one of the best saves of all time to win a crucial match in the 93rd minute. Not a bad storyline.

From being branded an “idiot” to scoring a hat-trick, Gabriel Martinell’s name has been in the headlines over the past few days.

The Arsenal winger was heavily criticised for trying to push the injured Conor Bradley off the pitch in the closing stages of Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Thursday, something he apologised for on social media.

But the 24-year-old’s first hat-trick for Arsenal – as they came from behind to beat Championship outfit Portsmouth and reach the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday – showed “personality”, according to his boss.

“It’s part of football and then it’s how you take it,” Mikel Arteta when asked how Martinelli has dealt with being the subject of so much discussion.

“But he knew inside the reason why he did what he did.”

Arteta also praised Liverpool boss Arne Slot for his considered response to the incident, when he defended the Brazilian.

“I think Arne Slot spoke brilliantly after the game – speaking of your opponent in the manner that he explained the situation and the fact that Gabi had no intention whatsoever to damage any player,” added Arteta.

“That’s personality. Come in and talk on the pitch, which is the best part of it.”

Martinelli has had a mixed season, losing his starting place in the Premier League to Leandro Trossard after a drop in form and confidence.

He has started just six times for the Gunners, who are six points clear at the top of the table.

However, the winger has been a key player this season for Arsenal in Champions League, scoring five goals in as many appearances. And after his hat-trick against Portsmouth, he is now his side’s top scorer.

“That’s why to play for a big club, you need a big personality because it can be bad… it can be an action that you miss, it can be something that costs you a game,” Arteta added

“And three days later, there is a game. So you need to lift yourself up and make it count.

“I love it. Gabi, in every context that you throw him in, he plays, he doesn’t play. He performs well, not well. Today, he scored three goals.

Martinelli’s hat-trick was the first scored by an Arsenal player in the FA Cup since Theo Walcott did so against Southampton in January 2017.

It was also his first in 249 games for the Gunners and the first time that he has scored more than two goals in a game for a year.

Arteta was not surprised that Martinelli, who is not known for his aerial ability, was able to score twice with his head from corners as “his timing in the box is really good”.

Arsenal are well-known for their threat from set-pieces since the appointment of coach Nicolas Jover. They have scored 17 goals from corners in all competitions this season; the most by any Premier League team.

But even by the Gunners’ impressive standards, scoring three in a game is a rare occurrence – this was the first time they had done so since May 2022 against Everton.

The game against Portsmouth was the first of four away games in four different competitions for Arsenal – with tests in the Carabao Cup, Premier League and Champions League to come.

They are hoping to end their wait for a trophy – with their last coming when Arteta led them to the 2020 FA Cup, where they beat Portsmouth on the way to lifting the cup.