Leeds boot Man U out of FA Cup
LONDON, England (AFP) — Third-tier Leeds United produced the shock of the third round by knocking record 11-times winners Manchester United out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford yesterday.
Leeds, the League One leaders who are 43 places below English champions Manchester United, won thanks to Jermaine Beckford’s 19th minute goal and will now face Tottenham in the fourth round.
Arsenal, who’ve lifted the FA Cup 10 times, were themselves 12 minutes away from a third- round exit against Premier League and London rivals West Ham after Alessandro Diamanti had put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time.
But two goals in five minutes from teenage midfielder Aaron Ramsey and striker Eduardo stunned the Upton Park faithful as Arsenal
won 2-1.
FA Cup holders Chelsea, who lead the Premier League by two points from Manchester United, cruised through with a 5-0 thrashing of second division Watford at Stamford Bridge.
Defeat was the first time Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had lost in
the third round since he arrived at Old Trafford 24 years ago.
Not since 1984, when beaten by third-tier Bournemouth, had Manchester United lost at
this stage.
Victory was also fallen giants Leeds’s first win at Old Trafford since 1981.
Their goal came after Jonny Howson’s superb 50-yard pass over the head of Wes Brown found striker Beckford and he outpaced the defender before sliding the ball left-footed into the far corner and beyond goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
This loss was not what United wanted ahead of Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final, first leg, tie against local rivals Manchester City and Ferguson said: “We have to get this result out of our system as quickly as possible.”
Leeds manager Simon Grayson hailed his “outstanding” side after they produced one of the great FA Cup shocks.
Chelsea were 3-0 infront by the 22nd minute thanks to Daniel Sturridge, a John Eustace own-goal and Florent Malouda’s deflected shot.
England midfielder Frank Lampard made it 4-0 in the 64th minute with a 25-yard strike and four minutes later 20-year-old striker Sturridge had his second and Chelsea’s fifth goal.
Yesterday’s all second-tier Championship clash between Sheffield United and QPR ended in a 1-1 draw.
Jay Simpson gave QPR the lead but it lasted just six minutes, with Richard Cresswell equalising for the Blades.
Premier League Wolves face League One strugglers Tranmere Rovers in the weekend’s final third round tie after the match between Notts County and non-league Forest Green was postponed because of a frozen pitch.