LONDON – The FA Cup lived up to its so-called “giant-killing” reputation on Saturday when Chelsea and Manchester City were eliminated at home by lower-league opposition on a day of fourth-round shocks in the world’s oldest knockout competition.
Four of the English Premier League’s top six were ousted on a classic FA Cup day, with leader Chelsea squandering a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 to third-tier Bradford at Stamford Bridge in the biggest surprise of them all.
A virtually full-strength Man City lost 2-0 to second-tier Middlesbrough at Etihad Stadium, raising questions about the wisdom of the English champions’ decision to travel to Abu Dhabi for a five-day warm-weather training camp in the build-up to the game. They only returned late on Friday and the team faded in the second half.
“It’s easy to have an excuse,” City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, “but I don’t think (tiredness) was the case.”
Southampton, third in the Premier League, twice surrendered the lead to lose 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace, and Tottenham – sixth in the league – conceded an injury-time winner to lose 2-1 to Leicester. They were both all-Premier League games.
Swansea lost 3-1 at second-tier Blackburn in another fourth-round stunner, with the Welsh team finishing the match with nine men after getting players sent off in the early and late minutes. Liverpool were taken to a replay by Bolton after drawing 0-0 with the second-tier side.
The upsets began on Friday when star-studded Manchester United were embarrassingly held 0-0 by fourth-tier Cambridge.
Scores: (Home teams first)
Blackburn 3, Swansea 1
Birmingham 1, West Brom 2
Cardiff 1, Reading 2
Chelsea 2, Bradford 4
Derby 2, Chesterfield 0
Man City 0, Middlesbrough 2
Preston 1, Sheffield United 3
Southampton 2, Crystal Palace 3
Sunderland 0, Fulham 0
Tottenham 1, Leicester 2
Cambridge 0, Manchester United 0