Manchester United played the role of party poopers on a weekend of sporting upsets by overcoming Newport County 4-2 in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.
After non-league Maidstone made the fifth round on Saturday, England’s cricketers won the first Test in India and Jannik Sinner fought back to win the Australian Open final, Newport came from two down to set up a potential giant-killing at a raucous Rodney Parade.
But Antony’s tap-in and a stoppage-time fourth from Rasmus Hojlund saw the Premier League visitors through against their League Two hosts and into a tie with Bristol City or Nottingham Forest.
“The first 35 minutes was very comfortable, it should have been three or four-nil. Then they scored out of nothing. After half-time we made a mistake and we had to start again, but we did,” said United manager Erik ten Hag.
Twelve-time FA Cup winners United raced into a 2-0 lead after just 13 minutes through Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo, and Alejandro Garnacho also smashed the bar.
But Newport got a foothold through a deflected Bryn Morris strike from distance before half-time and equalised just after the restart when top scorer Will Evans poked home.
The Welsh club banked more than £300,000 from their cup run but missed out on another huge payday in the form of a replay at United, whose last hope of silverware is this competition.
“We have to understand that our chance to win a trophy is the FA Cup and we have to give everything to get to the final,” said captain Fernandes.
“To make the season look not as bad as it has been we need to try to win this trophy.”
Liverpool join United in fifth round but crowd trouble mars Wolves win
Earlier, Liverpool thrashed Norwich City 5-2 in the first match since Jurgen Klopp announced he will step down at the end of the season.
Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch all scored for the Reds, who will face the winner of a replay between Watford and Southampton.
The Football Association is investigating after three people were arrested and one man hospitalised with head injuries in violent scenes marred Wolves’ win at West Bromwich Albion.
Trouble broke out in the stands and spilled onto the field, causing play to be suspended for more than half an hour after Matheus Cunha made it 2-0 and set up a tie with Brighton.
Sixth-tier Maidstone, the lowest-ranked team left in the FA Cup, will travel to either Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry City in the fifth round.
Holders Manchester City are at Luton in the fifth round, Chelsea or Aston Villa will host Leeds or Plymouth and Newcastle face a trip to Blackburn or Wrexham, who play on Monday night.
