FA Cup holders Manchester City have been handed a fourth-round trip to Tottenham, while sixth-tier Maidstone will head to Sky Bet Championship promotion-chasers Ipswich.

Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning City side, who cruised past Huddersfield 5-0 on Sunday in round three, have lost all five of their previous visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in all competitions.

Spurs have not won the FA Cup since 1991 and are without a trophy since lifting the 2008 League Cup. Ange Postecoglou’s men progressed to round four thanks to Pedro Porro’s stunning strike in a 1-0 triumph over Burnley on Friday night.

Vanarama National League South side Maidstone, who beat Stevenage 1-0 in the third round on Saturday, are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition.

Maidstone manager George Elokobi is relishing the trip to Portman Road to face the Tractor Boys, who sit second in the Championship table and were 3-1 third-round winners at AFC Wimbledon.

“It is a terrific draw for us,” Elokobi said on Sky Sports News. “It is a fantastic location geographically, it is reachable for our Maidstone United community.

“It is important we enjoy this draw. Ipswich are a Premier League club in the making, they are flying high in the Championship, so it is a great draw for us.

“I said if we didn’t draw a Premier League club, then the next best thing was a Championship club.

“To pick out Ipswich, who have a great support behind them, is going to be a great occasion for our club, for our community and our owners.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for our players to go out, express themselves and enjoy the day with our fanbase.”

Liverpool, who beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, will be at home against either Norwich or Bristol Rovers.

National League Eastleigh were also in the draw after earning a replay against League Two Newport.

The winners of that tie will go on to host Wigan or Manchester United, who are playing on Monday night, while League Two Wrexham will be away at Championship side Blackburn.

There will be more all-Premier League ties with Chelsea at home to Aston Villa, Sheffield United taking on Brighton and Fulham facing Newcastle.

Bournemouth will host Swansea, while the winner of Crystal Palace and Everton will be at home to Luton or Bolton.

West Ham and Nottingham Forest could also meet in round four if they come through their respective replays against Bristol City and Blackpool.

Brentford or Wolves will travel to West Brom, while Championship leaders Leicester will be at home against either Hull or Birmingham.

There will be all-Championship ties between Watford and Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry with Leeds at home against Plymouth.

The fourth-round ties will take place across the weekend of January 26-29.

Luton goalkeeper Tim Krul spoke of his side’s disappointment at having to settle for an FA Cup third-round replay against League One high-flyers Bolton.

The teams played out a drab goalless draw at Kenilworth Road on Sunday, despite the hosts coming close to winning at the death when Alfie Doughty struck a post before being controversially denied a penalty by VAR.

Prior to that, Andros Townsend and Jordan Clark had gone close with efforts that were deflected wide, as Ian Evatt’s Bolton gave a dogged defensive showing to earn themselves a second go at knocking out the Premier League outfit.

The additional match means Luton’s planned warm-weather training retreat will have to be rearranged, with their league game against Burnley having been brought forward three days to January 12 in order to accommodate the replay.

“Normally I’d be happy with a clean sheet but there’s a lot of disappointment that we didn’t get the win,” said Krul, who started in place of regular first-choice keeper Thomas Kaminski.

“I think in the first half we weren’t quite at it, we were about 80 per cent. The second half we really came out flying.

“We did enough to get over the line, we hit the post, had plenty of shots and maybe we could have had a penalty so I think we were a bit unlucky.

“I think it’s a good reminder that we need to be at it from the start in any game and every game, so we’re disappointed but I think we know on Friday at Burnley we need to be at it from the start.”

It was just Krul’s third appearance since joining the Hatters from Norwich in August, having mainly played back-up to the impressive Kaminski this campaign.

“I’m loving it,” he said of life at Kenilworth Road. “I do feel there’s a spirit around the club and a true belief that we can stay up.

“We have given the big teams, especially at home, a hard time and maybe we’ve deserved more points so there’s a lot to come from us.

“We know it’s going to be hard, but we’re going to give everything we’ve got.”

Vanarama National League South side Maidstone have been handed a trip to Sky Bet Championship promotion chasers Ipswich in the FA Cup fourth round.

Maidstone are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, having beaten Stevenage 1-0 in the third round on Saturday.

Ipswich, who sit second in the Championship table, were 3-1 winners at AFC Wimbledon.

National League Eastleigh were also in the draw after earning a replay against League Two Newport.

The winners of that tie will go on to host Wigan or Manchester United, who are playing on Monday night.

League Two Wrexham will be away at Championship side Blackburn, while holders Manchester City will travel to Premier League rivals Tottenham.

The fourth-round ties will take place across the weekend of January 27-28.

Maidstone became the latest non-league side to produce an FA Cup third-round upset on Saturday with victory over Stevenage.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some other famous wins that saw non-league sides make it into the competition’s fourth round.

Hereford 2-1 Newcastle – third-round replay 1972

This cup shock unfolded over 50 years ago, but remains an iconic upset that retains its place on any giant-killing list. Who can forget the Match of the Day footage of Ronnie Radford’s stunning late equaliser for Hereford, bludgeoned out of the Edgar Street mud, before Ricky George’s extra-time winner? After the two sides had drawn 2-2 at St James’ Park, top-flight Newcastle had led the replay through Malcolm MacDonald before the Southern League side’s heroics sparked a joyous pitch invasion.

Sutton 2-1 Coventry – third round 1989

Coventry, then in the top flight, had won the FA Cup in 1987 but were ambushed by Conference side Sutton at Gander Green Lane. Tony Rains headed the London minnows into a half-time lead and although David Phillips equalised for the Sky Blues 10 minutes into the second period, Matt Hanlon, a 22-year-old self-employed bricklayer, volleyed home Phil Dawson’s 70th-minute out-swinging cross and Sutton held on for an historic win. In the fourth round, they lost 8-0 at Norwich.

West Brom 2-4 Woking – third round 1991

Woking were in the Isthmian League – English football’s sixth tier – when they headed to The Hawthorns and no-one gave them a prayer as they trailed 1-0 to West Brom, then in the old Second Division, at half-time. But a stunning hat-trick from Tim Buzaglo, a computer specialist who had played cricket for Gibraltar, turned the tie on its head and after a fourth goal from Terry Worsfold secured a spectacular upset, Woking’s jubilant players were applauded by the Baggies fans off the pitch.

Macclesfield 2-1 Cardiff – third round 2013

Blue Square Bet Premier side Macclesfield dumped out Championship leaders Cardiff, 81 places higher in English football’s pecking order, to reach the FA Cup’s fourth round for the first time in their 139-year history. The Silkmen trailed to Cardiff striker Nat Jarvis’ close-range second-half finish, but Matthew Barnes-Homer struck twice in the final five minutes. He turned home Jack Mackreth’s cross and, with home celebrations still in full swing, converted a penalty to snatch an unlikely win.

Lincoln 1-0 Ipswich – third round replay 2017

Lincoln were National League leaders and on the rise when they clinched a place in the fourth round for the first time in 41 years. The Imps knocked out Ipswich, then in the Championship, thanks to Nathan Arnold’s stoppage-time winner. The Imps, who had drawn 2-2 at Portman Road, went on to beat Brighton, top of the Championship at the time, 3-1 in the fourth round and won 1-0 at then Premier League side Burnley in the fifth round to become the first non-league team in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals.

Maidstone United produced the biggest FA Cup upset at the weekend as the lowest-ranked team left in the competition beat Stevenage to reach the fourth round.

The sixth-tier club are waiting to learn who they face next after a 1-0 victory against the League One side sealed their sixth FA Cup win this season and a place in the hat for Monday night’s draw.

Here, the PA news agency turns the spotlight on The Stones, who have reached the fourth round for the first time.

Route to the fourth round

Second qualifying round – Steyning Town 1-4 Maidstone

Third qualifying round – Winchester City 0-2 Maidstone

Fourth qualifying round – Torquay 0-2 Maidstone

First round proper – Chesham United 0-2 Maidstone

Second round proper – Maidstone 2-1 Barrow

Third round proper – Maidstone 1-0 Stevenage

Upsetting the odds

Maidstone reached the third round proper for the first time since 1987 when coming from behind to beat League Two promotion-chasers Barrow 2-1 last month thanks to goals from Sam Corne and Bivesh Gurung, who fired a superb 74th-minute winner. Against Stevenage on Saturday, midfielder Corne kept a cool head to convert a first-half penalty and that was enough to dump out Steve Evans’ League One high-flyers, who are 69 places above The Stones in the league pyramid.

Elokobi eyes dream tie with Wolves

Manager George Elokobi said after his side’s win on Saturday that it would be a dream come true if they were drawn to play his former club Wolves in the fourth round. Elokobi, who moved to England from Cameroon aged 16, spent six years as a defender at Molineux before ending his playing career with The Stones and also had spells at Colchester, Oldham and Leyton Orient. “Whoever we draw, it’s a privilege and a great time to be a Maidstone United player, fan, for the management team, owners and backroom staff. It is a historic day,” he said.

Boom and bust

Maidstone won promotion to the Football League for the first time in 1989 but at the end of their third season in the old Fourth Division, the club’s debts had spiralled out of control and they were liquidated in 1992. A new club, Maidstone Invicta, was established in the Kent County League Fourth Division and in 1995 they changed their name to Maidstone United. They have had two spells in the National League since 2016 and were relegated to National League South last season.

Home from home

During their spell in the Football League, Maidstone were forced to play home games at Dartford as their ground was not up to standard and they were without a stadium of their own until 2012 when the £2.8million Gallagher Stadium was opened in the town on James Whatman Way. After several improvements, the ground now has a seated capacity of 4,200. Maidstone are currently fifth in the National League South table, 13 points behind leaders Yeovil.

Kevin De Bruyne admits he will need to hold himself back as he eases himself into action following a long lay-off.

De Bruyne made his first appearance in five months with an impressive substitute cameo in Manchester City’s 5-0 FA Cup third-round demolition of Championship Huddersfield on Sunday.

The Belgium playmaker was given the last 33 minutes of a one-sided tie at the Etihad Stadium and wasted no time as he set up his side’s fifth goal for another player returning from injury, Jeremy Doku.

De Bruyne had a hamstring operation in August after being troubled further by a problem that had affected him in the latter stages of last season’s treble-winning campaign.

“I worked hard and I’m happy to be back,” said the 32-year-old. “I felt good so I’m pleased about that but I’m still nowhere near where I need to be.

“It’s a good continuation of the process of the last few weeks. I feel good, the movements were good, I felt comfortable in what I was doing and that was the only thing I was really looking for.

“To get that ovation after being away for five months gives you more of a boost. There will be moments I want to play every game but I know in the back of my mind I need to take care of myself.

“It’s good being January where we have fewer games. I don’t expect to be playing too many games and Newcastle next week is a big game so I’ll expect to be back on the bench.”

Getting injured was an obvious frustration for De Bruyne but, given his heavy schedule for club and country in recent years, he tried to turn the situation into a positive.

He said: “To be honest I enjoyed it in a way.

“At the beginning it was a big blow but I knew I was going to be out for four or five months, so after the first reaction I thought to myself I needed to work hard when I’m working, but then I could enjoy the things that I’ve not been able to do with my family and friends.

“Maybe it was good to refresh a little bit. It’s not like I needed a break but I took it, to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.”

City were already well in control when De Bruyne entered the fray after first-half goals from Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez. A third goal came after an Oscar Bobb cross deflected in off Ben Jackson and Foden doubled his tally before Doku wrapped up the scoring.

Despite his return, De Bruyne confirmed Kyle Walker will remain as the team’s regular captain having worn the armband throughout the Belgian’s absence.

“I’m number two, Walks is number one,” said De Bruyne.

Huddersfield boss Darren Moore felt his team acquitted themselves well and hopes that spirit can be carried forward as they look to pull away from the bottom end of the Sky Bet Championship.

Moore said: “It’s no disgrace to lose against arguably the best team in the world.

“It is about what we can take into next week and the second half of the season. For me as a manager a lot has been learnt, and certainly the players learnt a lot.”

Mauricio Pochettino warned his Chelsea players they will come unstuck in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Middlesbrough if they begin the game as they did Saturday’s FA Cup meeting with Preston.

The Sky Bet Championship side did a comfortable job of containing the Blues during the first half at Stamford Bridge, with the hosts displaying little attacking threat against a team currently 14th in the second tier, before clicking into gear after the break to claim a 4-0 win.

Three goals in 11 second-half minutes from Armando Broja, Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling ultimately broke the resolve of Ryan Lowe’s side, before Enzo Fernandez added a fourth in the final moments.

It was a far cry from the stolid performance given in the first 45 minutes, with home supporters forced to endure another listless display in the final third, where Chelsea’s build-up play typically broke down.

And Pochettino said a repeat performance at the Riverside against Michael Carrick’s team on Tuesday could see his side miss out on the opportunity to claim their first trophy since 2021.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “Middlesbrough is a very good team that we need to respect. (Saturday) was a great example that we need to respect the opponent if we want to beat them.

“If we start the game like (against Preston), we will find it difficult. We need to use this as an example that we need to start like we played the second half.

“We need to be respectful, not to approach the game showing not the right attitude. (The first half) upset me, but the players were disappointed also at half-time. The attitude was completely different in the second half.”

Chelsea last lifted silverware in December 2021 when they beat Brazilian side Palmeiras to win the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, seven months after victory in the Champions League final against Manchester City in Porto.

Pochettino said he is not allowing his players to think about the Carabao Cup final at Wembley while there is still a final hurdle to clear.

“I don’t want to think on (the final),” he said. “I prefer to think only about Middlesbrough. I know that it’s important for the club and for this team because it’s going to be a boost of energy if we get to the final.

“But we need to go step by step because if we think too much long-term, even if it’s only two months, I think we will expend energy and we will be not right.

“What the group needs is to build their confidence step by step. (Saturday) is a good example, in a good way but also not in a good way. We need to realise that on Tuesday we need to play 90 minutes like we played in the second half.”

Erik ten Hag has blamed injuries for ruining Donny van de Beek’s spell at Manchester United and insisted his experience should not put off other players from signing for the club.

Van de Beek, 26, has joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan until the end of the season, having failed to establish himself under any of three different managers – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag – at United since joining from Ajax in the summer of 2020.

The £35million midfielder made only 23 starts during his three and a half years at Old Trafford, and already spent time away on loan when he joined Everton for the second half of the 2021-22 campaign, again being limited by injuries at Goodison Park.

Ten Hag worked with Van de Beek at Ajax but hopes that a reunion in Manchester might revive the midfielder’s fortunes proved misplaced.

“He has had many injuries, first of all,” Ten Hag said. “From the first moment I came in here at Manchester United, he wasn’t the player he was at Ajax because he was injured. So many times he was not available and then he struggled for a long time to recover from that injury.

“That is probably the main reason why he was not playing. We decided for a loan in the summer but it didn’t come and then his opportunities are few because also we make appointments and we make agreements with players and contract players in that position. The competition was high.”

Van de Beek is among a number of players who have joined United in big-money deals in recent seasons but then struggled to live up to the billing, with £72million winger Jadon Sancho also close to leaving on loan in this transfer window after a public falling out with Ten Hag.

But asked if others might look at Van de Beek’s experience and be wary of moving to Old Trafford, Ten Hag disagreed.

“That is always on those players and how much confidence you have in your capabilities,” he said. “But I can tell you one thing – the Premier League is tough. Man United, that is tough to play there because it’s more easy to play in almost any other team than Man United because the pressure is that high always.

“You have to deal with that. But if you have confidence in yourself, this is the best challenge and this is definitely the best club you want to be at as a player. It depends on player to player, and it depends especially on the character of the player, their personality.”

Ten Hag will take his United side to Wigan on Monday night for their FA Cup third-round tie.

Andre Onana will be in the squad and should also be available to face Tottenham next weekend before joining up late with Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations.

But Onana’s back-up Altay Bayindir is yet to make his debut after a summer move from Fenerbahce and the trip to the DW Stadium could be an opportunity to give the Turkey goalkeeper a taste of first-team action before he is needed more regularly.

Ten Hag insisted he had confidence in all of his goalkeepers despite the decision not to use Bayindir in the Carabao Cup before Christmas.

“At some point Andre will go,” he said. “We are totally happy and we constructed this group of keepers because we are comfortable with this. We have confidence in them both and both are very good goalkeepers, both experienced at the highest levels.

“I think we can have a lot of belief that we have coverage, but not only coverage but competition between two or three. We are sure that if Andre has to go that we are good, we are in a good place and have a good replacement to fill that gap.”

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal need a psychological “reset” after they could not capitalise on chances in their 2-0 FA Cup third-round loss to Liverpool at the Emirates.

The Gunners dominated the first half but Jakub Kiwior conceded an own goal after 80 minutes before Luis Diaz’s neat finish in second half added-time was enough for Jurgen Klopp’s men to claim victory.

Arteta’s side now have just one win in seven matches across all competitions and the boss agreed his side risk falling into a mental slump after failing to find the finishing touch.

He said: “Probably it has (become a psychological issue). Especially after today, more than it was against Fulham or West Ham before that. That’s why I think we need to reset. This break is good. It comes in a good time.

“We’re going to as well feel how we feel and how I feel about them in difficult moments. Hopefully I can see that from other people too. When things are going well they jump on the train. Now things are difficult, let’s see where they stand.

“We haven’t capitalised. Not just today, but in the last few games as well. That’s why we’re not winning games. Merit-wise there is no question that we deserve to win the games but the results are very different.

“But when my team plays with that courage and attitude against probably the best team in Europe right now in terms of momentum what can I do but stick by them and support them?

“What we need to do now is stick behind those players, give them some love, train them and make sure they visualise something very different to what is actually happening now. They’ve done it. We’re not going to reinvent the wheel, because they’ve done it.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was delighted by his side’s second-half reply, but brushed aside any suggestion he might look at the result as a harbinger for the Premier League title race, or even a boost for the Reds’ confidence in that chase.

He said: “No. I can’t (read into it). It doesn’t mean nobody can, but I can’t. We don’t have a problem with belief and confidence, we are not really bothered about the things you are talking about because we can read the calendar.

“We see it’s January; it’s cold outside, stuff like this, and you just have to stay warm and play as good as you can, and that’s what we try.”

Klopp was more forthcoming about his squad, rattling off a list of injured and absent, including Virgil van Dijk, who was ruled out with illness before the contest but remains a “hopeful” return for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Fulham.

He added: “It’s a tough game, nobody comes to Arsenal and wins just like this [clicks fingers], so in this game there will be difficult moments [and] if we start in these moments – which humans very often do – [looking] for excuses and then we realise who else is not here, it’s normal that we have these problems, then we are screwed.

“But if you know these kinds of things you can avoid it – and that’s what we did. The boys enjoyed the game, at least in the second half. That’s really cool. Staying in a game that looked in the first half like that, then growing into a game, is a pretty special thing to do.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold hailed Liverpool’s late victory after their 2-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup third round.

Jakub Kiwior conceded an own goal after 80 minutes before Luis Diaz’s neat finish in second half added-time was enough for Jurgen Klopp’s men to claim victory.

Liverpool struggled to get going in the opening 45 before they found their rhythm late on to book their place in the fourth round.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Alexander-Arnold said: “It was a huge win. We had a lot of players missing today. We came here with one objective, which was to win and to get into the next round and we have done that with two late goals.

“We had chances and we changed things at half-time internally. We came out and played football, created chances, the changes we made had an impact for us.

“There were times in the first half where we were a bit naive. We had mistakes, a sloppy pass here and there.”

Alexander-Arnold’s whipped corner led to Kiwior nodding the ball past Aaron Ramsdale and into his own net.

He added: “The inswingers (crosses) you want to make as difficult as possible and that’s the aim, to make it as hard as possible for them to clear the ball. Any flick from one of their players could potentially go in.”

Liverpool continue to battle on four fronts after Jakub Kiwior’s own goal and a stoppage-time strike by Luis Diaz sent them through to the FA Cup fourth round with a 2-0 win at Arsenal.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were without captain Virgil van Dijk and Mohamad Salah, but after they were able to ride their luck in north London, stand-in skipper Trent Alexander-Arnold’s excellent late cross forced the opener and Diaz was able to wrap up a hard-fought victory with a powerful late finish.

It inflicted a fourth defeat in seven matches on Arsenal, who fired another blank despite creating a plethora of chances at the Emirates to leave manager Mikel Arteta with problems to solve ahead of their short mid-season break.

The two Premier League title rivals – choosing not to wear red in support of Arsenal’s anti-knife crime initiative – played out a 1-1 draw at Anfield a fortnight ago and while both managers picked strong teams, a handful of changes were made with Aaron Ramsdale given the nod.

The Gunners goalkeeper was immediately into the thick of the action but in an attacking sense with a wonderful pass sending Reiss Nelson through on goal although he could only fire into the side-netting after rounding Alisson.

Nelson had been given a rare starting berth with Eddie Nketiah dropped and Gabriel Jesus out with a knee injury, which resulted in Kai Havertz leading the line.

Havertz tested Alisson with an early curled effort before the opener should have arrived in the 11th minute.

Bukayo Saka robbed Joe Gomez of possession and found the unmarked Havertz, who teed up Nelson and while Ibrahima Konate slide in, Martin Odegaard was first to the loose ball but he crashed an effort against the crossbar and Liverpool survived.

Klopp’s side waited until midway through the first half for their opening chance when Darwin Nunez headed wide from a Harvey Elliott corner.

It did not mark a shift in the ascendancy though with Havertz wasting a fine opening before Alisson tipped over a stinging drive from Ben White.

From the resulting corner Saka picked out Havertz at the back post, but the Germany international headed wide from six yards.

Not even treatment for Liverpool’s young defender Jarell Quansah halted Arsenal’s momentum with Havertz again denied by Alisson a minute before half-time.

Arsenal very nearly paid for their first-half profligacy when Cody Gakpo teed up Alexander-Arnold but the stand-in captain struck the crossbar with his superb 16-yard strike to ensure it remained goalless at the break.

Liverpool initially came out with improved intent for the second half and Curtis Jones curled over before Nunez flashed an effort wide.

Normal service soon resumed with Saka only able to hook over from a Havertz cross, before Alisson showed his class on the hour mark. Another Havertz delivery took a deflection off Quansah and looked to be heading in until the Reds goalkeeper brilliantly clawed the ball away, with Saka slicing wide on the follow-up.

Frustration was growing at the Emirates and as Klopp turned to his bench with Diogo Jota and Ryan Gravenberch introduced, Arteta made his first roll of the dice.

Gabriel Martinelli’s entrance injected renewed hope for an agitated home crowd, but Ramsdale was called upon with 13 minutes remaining to push wide a low effort by Diaz.

Jota headed against the bar from Alexander-Arnold’s resulting corner and yet his next delivery produced the breakthrough.

Odegaard fouled Gravenberch close to the byline and Alexander-Arnold’s fine inswinging cross was headed beyond a diving Ramsdale by the unfortunate Kiwior.

Arsenal pushed for a late leveller but Liverpool’s place in round four was confirmed when Diaz smashed home after a slick counter-attack in the fifth minute of added-time.

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo said his side’s winter break plans were in disarray after they were forced to an FA Cup third-round replay by Blackpool at the City Ground.

Forest needed to come from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with the League One side, who beat them 4-1 at this stage last season, meaning the tie will be decided at Bloomfield Road in the week commencing January 15.

The Premier League side were not due to play again until January 20 and were set to spend time together at St George’s Park, but plans will now change, as Nuno became the latest top-flight boss to bemoan third-round replays.

“We have to reorganise that,” Nuno said of the bonding trip to Burton. “When we decided that, we looked at what was best for the team. Now what is best for the team is to start preparing for the replay in Blackpool. That is the priority.

“It changes the plan. Now we have to reorganise and we won’t get a break because now the priority is the replay. We have to reorganise our plans.

“It is a reality. Everybody is aware there is a big congestion of games, fixtures are every day. It is something we have to look at.

“If you ask me personally, I think it should be finished on the day, extra time, penalties, and allow the players to have a little bit more time to recover.

“Premier League teams are suffering with that. You know the issues with injuries and one of the things is the amount of fixtures.

“Now the best for team is to start preparing for the replay.”

Forest could consider themselves lucky to get a second chance after conceding two goals in three first-half minutes through Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Albie Morgan.

Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White scored either side of half-time but Forest could not find a winner, condemning them to a trip to the Fylde coast, where they were well beaten last term.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley suggested Premier League managers who have spoken out against replays, including Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Brentford’s Thomas Frank, should “get on with it” as his side completed their 35th game of the season.

“I can’t go against Jurgen Klopp, he’s the boss!” the former Liverpool academy manager quipped. “But I can’t wait – replay at Bloomfield Road.

“I don’t think they should be scrapped at all. It is so important for football in general. The level now between the Premier League and the rest is getting wider and wider – it is harder to cause an upset.

“It is such an achievement to cause an upset. So if you get a second chance to do it, we’d rip your hand off for that. We are delighted we have got a replay. Yeah it’s a busy schedule, but so what, get on with it.

“This was our 35th game of the season. The Premier League teams haven’t played that. They get international breaks, time off. We don’t. I remember going when there was third games and fourth games – brilliant.

“Get on with it. Look at the resources, the finance, the staffing… we don’t have that. It’s tough, get on with it, let’s play football.”

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson said it was “a day for our supporters” after his side beat Shrewsbury 1-0 to secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Croud Meadow witnessed something of an upset as the Sky Bet League Two side got the better of the League One Shrews thanks to a Thomas O’Connor goal.

Parkinson said: “Today was a day for our supporters and not just the ones that were here but the ones back at home.

“It’s a local derby, and 16 years ago, Shrewsbury beat us to all but condemn the club to the National League.

“When you have had that pain of being a Wrexham fan during that period, it’s great that we give our supporters a day to celebrate.

“It was always going to be a tough game. I saw Shrewsbury play against Fleetwood, and I thought they played really well.

“They’re an established League One team, and it was interesting to see us go toe-to-toe with a team that were right up for the game.

“As the first half wore on, we looked better and better and I thought, in general, we controlled the second half.

“There was a couple of chances towards the end, but we rode our luck with those, but we probably deserved it with the effort the lads have given us today.”

The contest was settled 18 minutes from time when George Evans played the ball into O’Connor’s path and the midfielder’s deflected strike found the back of the net.

Mal Benning made a surging run from the halfway line into the box just past the hour mark, but his effort clipped the crossbar.

Shrewsbury went close to a late equaliser twice, with Taylor Perry sending the ball inches wide of the post on both occasions

Shrews boss Matt Taylor said: “We dominated a game of football today.

“The supporters and I will leave here extremely frustrated, as I’m sure everyone connected with the football club will.

“The fact of the matter is they have had one shot on target, and Marko (Marosi) has not had a save to make as the goal took a deflection and gone in.

“We have had two, if not three, fabulous opportunities. Two from inside seven yards and not put the ball in the back of the net.

“We should go in at half-time 1-0 up at least, but we don’t. Second-half, I thought Wrexham played in our half better, but still, we had opportunities.

“I cannot complain about the performance or the effort but what I can say is the big chances we had today we didn’t take.”

Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne as exceptional and unique after his impressive return to action in Manchester City’s FA Cup stroll against Huddersfield.

The Belgian playmaker appeared as a 57th-minute substitute and set up a goal as the holders breezed past the Championship strugglers 5-0 in a one-sided third-round tie at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

It was De Bruyne’s first outing in five months after a long lay-off following hamstring surgery and his comeback is timely as City step up the intensity for the second half of the campaign.

City manager Guardiola said: “He played really good minutes. We thought it was better to play the second half than from the beginning when the game was tighter.

“It was so difficult to find space. They defended so so deep and were really well organised, compact.

“It was really good and now, as I said before, he needs to accumulate training sessions and more training sessions, more than games. Still he is not ready for 90 minutes.

“Kevin helps to win games and there are few (like him) in the world. We can play good football-wise but Kevin, (Erling) Haaland, Phil (Foden), Julian (Alvarez) – these guys win games.

“That’s why it’s so important to have him back. Kevin is exceptional, he is unique.

“He was a long time out with surgery. His first minutes, the quality of the assist for the Jeremy (Doku) goal – it’s really good to have him back.”

De Bruyne put the seal on City’s performance by teeing up City’s fifth goal for Doku, who was also making his return from injury.

Foden had already struck twice with Alvarez also on target and City benefiting from a Ben Jackson own goal.

Haaland was again absent through injury but, with a lighter schedule this month, Guardiola is hoping to get all his top names back as treble winners City again chase glory on three fronts.

He said: “What I want is to arrive in the second part of the season with everyone fit. I want Erling back, Kevin back, Jeremy and John (Stones). When they are back we have a team that can compete in different competitions until the end.”

Huddersfield manager Darren Moore hopes his side will learn from a difficult experience.

Moore said: “It was always going to be a tough game. We tried to come here and nullify the areas where Man City are excellent in and thought we did that to start off with.

“You have to try and start on a positive note and disrupt their passing rhythm, but when the first goal goes in and then there is quickfire second one, the game runs away from you a bit.

“The boys were just talking about the quality they were coming up against. Sometimes in moments of defeat it about the learning perspective and that is what we have taken from today.”

Rob Edwards believes Luton should have been awarded a late penalty at Kenilworth Road as they were made to settle for a goalless draw against League One Bolton in the FA Cup third round.

Alfie Doughty went down in the closing moments under a challenge from defender Will Forrester, seconds after he had been denied a likely winner when his shot came back off a post.

Edwards fielded a near full-strength side but it was not enough to find a way past the team currently second in the third tier.

Substitutes Andros Townsend and Jordan Clark both saw second-half efforts deflected wide as Luton laboured in vain to avoid a replay.

Chances for Ian Evatt’s side were at a premium, Josh Sheehan briefly worrying stand-in goalkeeper Tim Krul in the first half with a rasping drive that cleared the crossbar, but by and large this was a result earned via a determined, organised defensive effort.

Yet Edwards felt his team had been unfairly denied the chance to win the tie from the penalty spot after referee Andrew Madley was advised by VAR that Forrester had not committed an infringement in challenging Doughty for the ball.

“The big decision was a penalty on Alfie Doughty,” he said. “I never moan about decisions going against us but I’m not sure what VAR was thinking there with that one.

“I think Andrew Madley should have been told to go to the screen. I think that was a big mistake.

“Credit to Bolton. They’ve got a result and we go and do it again.”

The result means a replay which in turn will force a rearrangement of Luton’s upcoming Premier League visit to Burnley, now brought forward three days to January 12.

Edwards had hoped to take his players away on a warm-weather training camp after the game at Turf Moor, but that will now have to wait until after the rematch against Bolton.

“I’m disappointed that we’ve not managed to get the job done today,” he said. “The reality is we haven’t, and we have to go again.

“We’re on a different schedule now, we were going to be off (Monday), have a bit more time to plan for Burnley, but now we play them away on Friday night. That’s just the reality and we’ve got to deal with it.

“I respect the (FA Cup) hugely, it’s one I love and have grown up watching. I want us to progress in it. I respect Bolton Wanderers and everything (Ian Evatt) has done there.

“I genuinely feel whatever team I would have picked would be strong and be capable of winning the game.”

Bolton boss Evatt reflected that the decision not to award Luton a late penalty was fair.

“The referee made the decision and there were two experienced officials in the VAR hub who looked at it as well and both of them thought it wasn’t a penalty, so it wasn’t a penalty,” he said.

“There were enough guys looking at the incident to know whether it is or isn’t.”