Aston Villa and the other Premier teams avoid an FA CUP surprise

The six Premier teams in action this Saturday in the round of 32 of the English Cup avoided any surprises and qualified for the next round, such as Maidstone United, from the sixth division, which for the first time in its history placed in the fourth round of the competition.

Maidstone United are the lowest category club remaining in this edition of the FA Cup. They made history. They beat Stevenage, from League One -third division- by winning 1-0. For the first time he will play a round of 32 in the event.

Unai Emery and Andoni Iraola also progressed in the tournament with their respective teams, Aston Villa and Bournemouth, respectively.

Emery’s Birmingham side needed a goal scored by Polish Matty Cash from Douglas Luiz’s pass in the 87th minute to eliminate, away from home, Michael Carrick-led Middlesbrough in the Championship.

It also cost Bournemouth, who had to come back from two goals down against Queens Park Rangers, in the Second Division. Sinclair Armstrong, in the 40th minute, and Lyndon Dykes, in the 42nd minute, put the hosts ahead at half-time. Iraola’s team reacted to the return from the locker room, changing the situation thanks to Marcus Tavernier, in the 48th minute, Kieffer Moore, on the clock, and Justin Kuivert, in the 69th minute, who gave a pass to the guest

The rivalry between Sunderland, who play in the second division, and Newcastle is special. A rivalry between two eternal rivals who haven’t seen each other in eight years. Amid a great atmosphere at the Stadium of Light, with 6,000 Newcastle fans, Eddie Howe’s team won with authority (0-3).

The Magpies beat their ‘enemy’ (3-0) for the first time since 2011. An own goal from Daniel Ballard in the 35th minute and a double from Swede Alexander Isak reflected the current superiority of Newcastle to their opponent.

Chelsea beat Preston (4-0) at Stamford Bridge. Mauricio Pochettino’s team found relief, without the pressure of the Premier. Albanian Armando Broja opened the scoring and Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling and Argentine Enzo Fernandez completed the win for the London team.

Brighton accelerated in the last half hour and ended the fightback of Stoke, from the Championship (2-4). The local team took the lead through an own goal from Dutchman Jan Paul Van Hecke but Ecuadorian Pervis Estupiñán equalized in extra time in the first half. Lewis Dunk put Roberto de Zerbi’s Premier side in front but a penalty converted by Lewis Baker established a two-goal tie. It was through a double from Joao Pedro in the final stretch that Brighton qualified for the fourth round.

Sheffield United was the other Premier team that did not fail and qualified after defeating Gillingham, from the fourth division (0-4) with two doubles, from Dane William Osula and James McAtee.

Third round resultsa (32nd final)

Thursday January 4

Crystal Palace 0 – Everton 0 (‘replay’ – tiebreaker – January 17)

– Friday January 5

Brentford (1) 1 – Wolverhampton (1) 1 (‘replay’)

FULHAM (1) 1 – Rotherham United (2) 0

TOTTENHAM (1) 1 – Burnley (1) 0

Saturday January 6

Wimbledon (4) 1 – IPSWICH TOWN (2) 3

Milwall (2) 2 – LEICESTER (2) 3

COVENTRY (2) 6 – Oxford (3) 2

MAIDSTONE (6) 1 – Stevenage (3) 0

Sunderland (2) 0 – NEWCASTLE (1) 3

Stoke City (2) 2 – BRIGHTON (1) 4

Norwich (2) 1 – Bristol Rovers (3) 1 (replay)

SOUTHAMPTON (2) 4 – Walsall (4) 0

WATFORD (2) 2 – Chesterfield (5) 1

BLACKBURN ROVERS (2) 5 – Cambridge (3) 2

Gillingham (4) 0 – SHEFFIELD UNITED (1) 4

Queens Park Rangers (2) 2 – BOURNEMOUTH (1) 3

PLYMOUTH (2) 3 – Sutton United (4) 1

Newport (4) 1 – Eastleigh (5) 1 (replay)

Hull (2) 1 – Birmingham (2) 1 (replay)

Middlesbrough (2) 0 – ASTON VILLA (1) 1

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (2) 4 – Cardiff (2) 0

SWANSEA (2) 2 – Morecambe (4) 0

CHELSEA (1) 4 – Preston North End (2) 0

Sunday January 7

Luton Town (1) – Bolton Wanderers (3)

Shrewsbury Town (3) – Wrexham (4)

West Ham (1) – Bristol (2)

West Bromwich Albion (2) – Aldershot Town (5)

Peterborough United (3) – Leeds United (2)

Nottingham Forest (1) – Blackpool (3)

Manchester City (1) – Huddersfield Town (2)

Arsenal (1) – Liverpool (1)

Monday January 8

Wigan (3) – Manchester United (1)

– In parenthesis, club category.

— Qualified for the fourth round: Fulham (1), Tottenham (1), Ipswich Town (2), Leicester (2), Coventry (2), Maidstone (6), Newcastle (1), Brighton (1), Southampton (2), Watford (2), Blackburn (2), Sheffield United (1), Bournemouth (1), Plymouth (2), Aston Villa (1), Sheffield Wednesday (2), Swansea (2) and Chelsea ( 1).

— Replay (‘tiebreaker): Brentford-Wolverhampton, Crystal Palace-Everton, Norwich-Bristol Rovers, Newport-Eastleigh, Hull-Birmingham.