January 8 – Maidstone United from the sixth tier of English football, have progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup after a giant killing 1-0 win over high-flying League One side Stevenage thanks to a first-half penalty converted by Sam Corne.
The non-league side reached the fourth round for the first time since it was reformed in 1992, and remain the lowest-ranked side in the competition.
“If you’d been through what I’d been, in terms of my life when I was growing up in Cameroon, then you’ll understand where my resilience comes from,” Maidstone United manager George Elokobi told BBC Radio Kent.
“I was backed by our owners. Some people might have thought they were crazy and there were some mixed emotions. Some people didn’t believe I could do it because I wasn’t the glamorous choice.
“I had people coming up and abusing me by the dugouts. I took it and it hurt, but what I wanted to do was restore pride at the football club and identity – and make sure we rebuild as a club.
“It was good to see after all the hurt that happened last season for our supporters, they deserve this today and they were incredible.”
Elsewhere in the round, current holders Manchester City thrashed Huddersfield Town 5-0 in a match that meant much more than just progression to the next round of the competition.
The contest saw Kevin De Bruyne return to action after over four months on the sideline with injury, which will give the Cityzens a big boost in the pursuit of the Premier League title. Quick-footed winger Jeremy Doku also made a return after recovering from injury, scoring the fifth and final goal of the match from a trademark De Bruyne assist.
The return of the 32-year-old Belgian is a season-defining moment for the current Premier League holders, emphasised by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s comments on the playmaker last week: “When Kevin De Bruyne is warming up, the whole country is starting to shake”.
Liverpool themselves might have started shaking after they were drawn against Arsenal at the Emirates for their annual introduction to the FA Cup, especially with key players Mohamed Salah and Waturo Endo ruled out due to national team duty at the AFCON and Asian Cup.
With captain Virgil Van Dijk also ruled out due to illness, the Reds turned to 20-year-old Jarell Quansah to fill the Dutchman’s boots and make his FA Cup debut in the packed-out Emirates stadium. Courtesy of two late goals, Klopp’s makeshift side progressed to the next round and dumped 14-time winners Arsenal out of the competition, despite the Gunners’ first-half dominance.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1714338595labto1714338595ofdlr1714338595owedi1714338595sni@g1714338595niwe.1714338595yrrah1714338595