The FA Cup's biggest shock: Palace's fall, Semenyo's rise, and Frank's future in doubt
Holders Crystal Palace suffered a historic 2-1 defeat to sixth-tier Macclesfield on Saturday, the biggest shock in FA Cup history. This comes as Antoine Semenyo, fresh from his £65 million move to Manchester City, scored in a 10-1 rout of Exeter. Meanwhile, Tottenham's Thomas Frank faces questions over his future after a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa, while Newcastle beat Bournemouth on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Palace's historic win over City in May was a triumph for the underdogs, but this time, they fell to the lowest-ranked team in the competition. Macclesfield's victory was a testament to the unpredictability of the FA Cup, with a 117-place gap between the two teams in the English football pyramid. John Rooney's side, the younger brother of former England captain Wayne Rooney, capitalized on Palace's lack of 'pride' and 'slapstick' defending.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner was furious, describing his team's performance as a lack of 'pride' and 'slapstick' defending. Tottenham's recent form has also been poor, with just three wins in 14 games, and their wait for an FA Cup win since 1991 continues. Aston Villa dominated the first half with two goals, but Wilson Odobert pulled one back early in the second half. Despite Spurs' efforts, they couldn't find an equalizer, leading to boos for Frank at the final whistle.
Semenyo, who joined Manchester City from Bournemouth for £65 million, was on target in City's 10-1 victory over Exeter. Erling Haaland started but was not among the goals, being substituted at half-time. Rico Lewis, Max Alleyne, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O'Riley, and Ryan McAidoo also scored for City, while Exeter netted two own goals. Newcastle's Anthony Gordon scored a 95th-minute penalty to equalize against Bournemouth, leading to a penalty shootout. The Magpies prevailed 7-6, with Aaron Ramsdale saving three spot-kicks.
Sunderland also needed penalties to beat Everton after a 1-1 draw, with Robin Roefs saving all three of Everton's spot-kicks. Wolves, struggling in the Premier League, are now unbeaten in four games after thrashing Shrewsbury 6-1, thanks to Jorgen Strand Larsen's hat-trick. Fulham needed three goals in the final half hour to beat Middlesbrough 3-1, while Burnley found Championship opposition easier, thrashing Millwall 5-1. Brentford cruised to a 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, and Liam Rosenior takes charge of Chelsea for the first time in a 2000 GMT kick-off away at Charlton.
