Our FA Cup Awards celebrate the best – and worst – of the weekend’s third-round action, featuring Macclesfield, Manchester City and Louis Reed.
Moment of the Week
There’s only one place to start. The lowest-ranked team left in the tournament, knocking out the holders? Upsets don’t come much better than this.
The weekend’s best viewing was found at Moss Rose, where non-league Macclesfield eliminated Crystal Palace in a stunning shock.
Just four-and-a-half years ago, the phoenix side played their first game in the ninth tier. Now, they’ve just reached the fourth round of the FA Cup after beating the holders. It’s the first time since 1909 that the holders have been knocked out by a non-league side.
The FA Cup third round, something Macclesfield used to know 😂 pic.twitter.com/VnPtwmabqV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 10, 2026
Macclesfield’s magic win as a fitting tribute to Ethan McLeod, the club’s forward who tragically passed away in a car accident, aged just 21, last month. McLeod’s parents were in attendance to watch the win over Crystal Palace and joined the squad post-match in celebration.
Credit John Rooney and his players. For anyone who doubts the magic of this competition, just remember this.
Player of the Week
Bristol City booked their place in the fourth-round with a 5-1 thrashing of Championship rivals Watford. The visitors arrived in the contest sat four places above Bristol City in the second-tier table, but exited the cup after an emphatic loss.
Emil Riis produced an almost single-handed destruction of Watford, scoring three times and providing an assist. The Dane headed in an early opener with his first touch of the game, before unselfishly squaring for Anis Mehmeti for the second.
🇩🇰 Bristol City‘s 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨: Emil Riis Jakobsen (27)! He practically single-handedly secured the FA Cup round 3 win against Watford:
○ 83‘ min
○ 3 goals
○ 1 assist
○ 8 touches in opp box
○ 3/7 total duels wonPerfect performance. ✨ pic.twitter.com/xFgJjsEPsj
— danishballers (@danishballersx) January 10, 2026
Two excellent finishes from the forward after half-time concluded a perfect performance.
Goal of the Week
Mansfield booked their place in the fourth round for the first time since 2008, after upsetting Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. It was a familiar face who stuck the knife in against the Blades, as Louis Reed scored twice against his former team.
Reed’s early opener was a beauty, as he looped a dipping effort into the far corner.
What a goal from @mansfieldtownfc‘s Louis Reed 🚀
📺 Watch live on @discoveryplusUKpic.twitter.com/SeUdd1QY0U
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 11, 2026
Stat of the Week
It was a 10/10 performance from Manchester City against Exeter this weekend.
10 – Manchester City are the first English top-flight side to score 10+ goals in a match in any competition since Liverpool beat Fulham 10-0 in the League Cup in September 1986, and first to do so in the FA Cup since Tottenham Hotspur beat Crewe 13-2 in February 1960. Rampage. pic.twitter.com/V5Wd5qBs2Q
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 10, 2026
Meanwhile on the other side of Manchester… things aren’t quite so rosy.
Man Utd have been eliminated from both cup competitions at the first hurdle for the first time since 1981-82 ❌ pic.twitter.com/hqwqSHaoHr
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 11, 2026
A week to forget for…
David Moyes. The Everton manager could only watch on in despair as his side failed to convert a single penalty in their shootout defeat to Sunderland.
Everton’s 31-year wait for a major trophy goes on, while there’s growing unrest at recent results.
0 – Everton are only the second top-flight side to lose an FA Cup penalty shootout without scoring any of their penalties in that shootout, after Blackburn against Sunderland in February 2003. Tame. pic.twitter.com/NydB5RcC2R
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 10, 2026
Moyes has steadied the ship since his return 12 months ago, but a recent dip has threatened to unravel that progress. A second meek cup exit of the season will do little to lift the mood.
Read – The biggest wins in FA Cup history as Manchester City hit 10
See more – Five of the biggest FA Cup third round upsets
