#fa-cup

#fa-cup

Image source, Getty Images A reward for promotion? A bye to the third round of the FA Cup. And the prize? A showcase clash with trophy-laden Chelsea under The Valley lights. For Charlton fans, it was the kind of glamorous tie that reminds you why the cup still matters. Yet as the fog rolled in to SE7 on a bitterly cold January night, you had to wonder, has the occasion come at a cost?

To come back after a big, big injury, to have him around is so good for everyone, for the atmosphere in the training ground,

Macclesfield must upstage another Premier League side if they are to continue their fairytale FA Cup run after drawing Brentford in the fourth round.

The FA Cup third round concludes with Liverpool's clash with Barnsley tonight, but both teams have discovered their potential opponents ahead of the game. Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all safely through to the next stage, while the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United have already been eliminated. Holders Crystal Palace also won't make a further appearance, after being knocked out by non-league Macclesfield.

Wrexham started it, by defeating Premier League opposition for the first time in 26 years, then tiny Macclesfield created worldwide headlines by eliminating holders Crystal Palace for the biggest shock in FA Cup history, and then Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United reminded us that some things never change. And yes, there was not even any VAR to spoil, or delay, the fun and anguish that comes with watching your team score or concede a crucial goal.

The Football Association bases the ball numbers for each FA Cup draw primarily on the tie numbers from the previous round. For example, the first two teams drawn out of the hat in the third-round draw will be tie number one. The winner of that game will subsequently be ball number one in the fourth-round draw. Wolves, who progressed with a 6-1 win against Shrewsbury, will be ball number one in this season's fourth-round draw as they were involved in tie number one.

Fancy an FA Cup quiz? After the weekend we've just had, we're in the mood to remind ourselves of every single lower league side to have pulled off the unlikely or in some cases, impossible in the FA Cup since 2020. For this quiz, we're giving you just five minutes on the clock, with 25 clubs to name. You may like Your mastery of recent FA Cup history proves you have a romantic soul and a sharp memory for drama.

Image source, Getty Images 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.

Forget the magic of the FA Cup, for West Ham the reality of what is likely to be a Championship fixture next season. An indicator that life in the second tier will be no cakewalk. That QPR took them to extra-time will do little for Nuno Espirito Santo's standing, despite a first win since 8 November. There were, though, positives to take in the performance of Taty Castellanos, the Argentinian striker who scored the Hammers' winning goal.

In a competition known for shock results, the FA Cup produced the biggest in its 154-year history on Saturday. Non-league Macclesfield FC stunned holders Crystal Palace with a well-deserved 2-0 victory -- the 117 places between the two sides in the football pyramid makes it the largest upset in the tournament has ever seen. It had every bit the feel of a classic cup tie, no more than when Macclesfield's captain, Paul Dawson, scored the game's opening goal.