Crystal Palace, the reigning FA Cup champions, suffered a shocking elimination in the third round against sixth-tier Macclesfield Town, 2-1. Meanwhile, Manchester City crushed Exeter City 10-1 with a goal from Rodri after 601 days without scoring. This cup round highlighted the unpredictable charm of England's oldest tournament.
The third round of the FA Cup, played in part this Saturday, brought one of its biggest surprises with Crystal Palace's elimination by Macclesfield Town. The London side, 14th in the Premier League and competing in Europe as reigning FA Cup and Community Shield champions, lost 2-1 to a National League North rival, the sixth tier of English football, who sit 14th in their division.
Palace fielded mostly substitutes, with Christantus Uche starting and only Yeremy Pino, Adam Wharton, and Marc Guéhi as regulars. Coached by John Rooney, Wayne Rooney's brother, Macclesfield pulled off the upset in a match that exemplifies the 'grace' of the English Cup, despite its recent lesser prominence. "IT’S DAVID WHO BEAT GOLIATH 😮💨AGAINST ALL ODDS 💙 FT - Macclesfield FC 2-1 Crystal Palace", tweeted the winning club.
In contrast, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City fulfilled their favorite role with a 10-1 thrashing of Exeter City from League One (third division). Spaniard Rodrigo Hernández, known as Rodri, scored his first goal for City since May 19, 2024, in the Premier League finale against West Ham, after 601 days sidelined by a knee ligament tear last season and fitness issues this year. His rocket from outside the box in the 24th minute made it 2-0 in an easy game for the Citizens.
Other Saturday results included Wolverhampton's 6-1 win over Shrewsbury, with a hat-trick from Jorgen Strand Larsen and a goal from Colombian Jhon Arias; Leicester City's 2-0 over Cheltenham; Aston Villa's 2-1 against Tottenham; and Chelsea's 5-1 versus Charlton. The round concludes Sunday with matches involving Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool, upholding the tradition of a tournament that levels giants and minnows.
