The FA Cup fourth round produced some classic cup ties and following a weekend of wonderful action, we’ve compiled a best XI from the stars who shone.
Here is our FA Cup fourth-round Team of the Week.
Goalkeeper: Lucas Covolon – Maidstone United
Maidstone United produced the result of the round as the non-league side’s fairytale run through the competition continued. Having upset Barrow and Stevenage to reach this stage, George Elokobi’s team stunned Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town with a 2-1 win at Portman Road.
Maidstone were forced to weather a significant storm, with Lucas Covolon inspired in goal. Ipswich had 78% of the possession and fired 38 efforts on goal, though Covolon proved to be a formidable barrier with 12 saves – including NINE from shots inside the box – to frustrate the hosts.
Covolon’s ‘keeping set the foundation for Maidstone to win the game on the counter-attack, eliminating a side that sat 98 places above them in England’s football pyramid.
Right-back: Conor Bradley – Liverpool
An excellent outing from the Reds right-back who is thriving in the senior side. Injuries have handed Bradley a chance in recent weeks and the 20-year-old has taken it, showing he can be a dependable option for Jurgen Klopp – and his future successor.
Bradley was full of endeavour down the flank and set up two goals in the 5-2 win over Norwich, first regaining possession to assist Darwin Nunez, before a volley across goal for Ryan Gravenberch to nod in late on. His emergence has been a real positive of late.
Centre-back: Teden Mengi – Luton
Luton won at Everton for the second time this season, following up a Premier League victory in September with FA Cup progress at Goodison Park this weekend.
Teden Mengi was in exceptional form for the Hatters, with the centre-back leading the contest for interceptions (7) and clearances (8) in Luton’s 2-1 win. The 21-year-old has been an astute addition to Rob Edwards’ side since arriving from Manchester United in the summer.
Centre-back: Nathan Ake – Manchester City
Manchester City’s curse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was finally lifted as the holders progressed to the fifth round in North London. Nathan Ake’s goal, the club’s first-ever scored at the stadium in six attempts, was the difference between the teams and handed City a deserved win.
Ake’s winner, scrambled in after Guglielmo Vicario failed to claim Kevin De Bruyne’s corner, was the highlight of a strong performance from the Dutch defender, which included a brave (or mad!?) piece of defending as he threw his head at Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s feet to intercept a loose ball.
.@NathanAke breaks the cycle, scoring our first goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium! ???? pic.twitter.com/QdJciDace0
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 27, 2024
Left-back: Dan Burn – Newcastle
Excellent on his return to his former club, Dan Burn was involved in both goals as Newcastle reached round five for only the second time since 2005/06.
Burn’s aerial threat at a set-piece kept the ball alive in the build-up to Sean Longstaff’s opener at Fulham, before the towering defender slammed in from close range after a corner fell invitingly at his feet. The 31-year-old also racked up a huge 11 clearances at Craven Cottage, as Newcastle’s local lads booked the club’s place in the next round.
Midfield: Mateo Kovacic – Manchester City
Manchester City’s most impressive performer in their win at Spurs, the Croatian was at his elusive best in midfield.
Kovacic glided through challenges in midfield all evening, using that familiar ability to shift through the gears effortlessly. Spurs, in the absence of Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr, couldn’t live with him.
Midfield: Sam Corne – Maidstone United
Maidstone’s hero, again.
Sam Corne scored in the second and third-round upsets of Barrow and Stevenage, before producing the goods once again in The Stones’ victory over Ipswich. The midfielder galloped forward on the counter-attack to score Maidstone’s winner at Portman Road, firing in a composed finish to continue his magic run in the competition this season.
Maidstone rode their luck and were saved three times by the woodwork, but held on to claim a famous win. Their 2-1 win came despite just two efforts on goal, with Corne’s decisive moment on the break the difference.
Midfield: Alex Scott – Bournemouth
A brilliant performance from the Bournemouth midfielder who was at the centre of an impressive performance from Andoni Iraola’s side, who beat Swansea 5-0 on Thursday night.
After missing the start of the season through injury, the summer signing from Bristol City is beginning to impress in a Bournemouth shirt with two goals and three assists in his last five appearances.
Swept home by @AlexScott_7 ????????pic.twitter.com/AujDEuM5Fi
— AFC Bournemouth ???? (@afcbournemouth) January 25, 2024
He scored one against the Swans, sweeping home from David Brooks’ cut-back, before capitalising on a defensive error to roll in Luis Sinisterra to score the third. The 20-year-old’s potential is clear.
Forward: David Brooks – Bournemouth
Bournemouth blitzed Swansea City to ease into the fifth round on Thursday night, with a punishing first-half performance setting the tone for a 5-0 rout. David Brooks was in delightful form for the Cherries, a welcome sight given an off-field battle that saw the midfielder diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021.
Brooks set up the first two goals and scored with a composed finish of his own for Andoni Iraola’s side, sending a message to the manager after just two starts in the Premier League this season. The 26-year-old outlined his desire for more minutes at full-time, having missed 536 days of Premier League fixtures as he recovered from his cancer diagnosis. A welcome return to form for Brooks, and food for thought for Iraola moving forward.
David Brooks brought the HEAT to the #EmiratesFACup fourth round ????@afcbournemouth pic.twitter.com/dzGZFQ0vUS
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 25, 2024
Forward: Lamar Reynolds – Maidstone United
Lamar Reynolds wrote his name into FA Cup history after scoring a sensational opener in Maidstone’s shock win over Ipswich. The winger lifted a fantastic finish over Christian Walton as George Elokobi’s side stunned the Championship promotion hopefuls on the counter.
Reynolds had failed to score since his summer move to The Stones from Braintree Town but took his chance with sublime confidence at Portman Road. It was a moment of magic in a cup run that will not be forgotten in a hurry at Gallagher Stadium. It’s Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry up next in round five.
The finish ????
Lamar Reynolds, what a way to score your first goal for @maidstoneunited ????#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/bqGaAp4hMm
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 27, 2024
Forward: Joao Pedro – Brighton
Brighton broke their transfer record to sign Joao Pedro last summer, with the £30m fee surprising some given the Seagulls’ tendency to unearth low-cost bargains.
Pedro has proven to be a snip at that fee and already looks like a player that is set to bank Brighton an almighty profit should he move on. The Brazilian scored his first hat-trick in English football during the club’s 5-2 win at Sheffield United, taking his total to 18 goals in all competitions this season.
One of the best penalty-takers in Europe right now with two more converted at Bramall Lane, his goals are just a small part of his game as the 22-year-old tormented Sheffield United with confident forward-thinking football.
Joao Pedro is on FIRE in the #EmiratesFACup this season ????@OfficialBHAFC #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/PZwGiiA7tE
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 28, 2024
Read – Tweets of the Week: Jurgen Klopp sends Liverpool into meltdown
See more – Jurgen Klopp: The manager who brought Liverpool back
