FA Cup fourth round: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

The lack of pressure on Scott Parker this season, despite a collection of desperate performances and an impending relegation, has been mystifying. Plenty at Turf Moor feel a strong sense of loyalty to Parker, especially the chairman, Alan Pace, but support in the stands is dwindling. The lack of backing in the winter transfer window left the squad short of quality and with limited routes out of their current predicament. The Burnley head coach’s Premier League record is miserable and the style of play is devoid of entertainment. At the weekend he had the chance to follow a first league victory in 17 matches at Crystal Palace with FA Cup progress against third-tier Mansfield, but instead Burnley were deservedly eliminated. The second-half efforts of the Clarets bordered on embarrassment in a half-full ground and it feels like things cannot continue like this much longer. Will Unwin

Beyond a refereeing performance that embraced farce, Villa Park raised deeper questions on the use of video assistants. How tuned in to the protocol have players become? When Tammy Abraham escaped to score Aston Villa’s opener from an offside position, the lack of response from Newcastle’s defenders suggested they were waiting for a VAR saviour. Semi-automated offsides offer close to zero margin for error for players and bail out blind-sided assistant referees. The arcane concept of playing to the whistle is now lost in the brave new world of delayed flags. What was supposed to be a safety net has altered the psyche of how the game is played in elite leagues. No VAR at Villa Park was less a nostalgic trip down officiating’s memory lane than a reveal of how much has changed. A shame that Chris Kavanagh’s performance deflected from a well-executed Newcastle comeback, with Sandro Tonali impressively assuming responsibility in the absence of Bruno Guimarães. John Brewin

The officiating became the story at Villa Park instead of Newcastle’s impressive fightback. Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Dominik Szoboszlai reached double figures for the season – a first for his Liverpool career – with an exceptional goal that sealed Brighton’s fate at Anfield. Mohamed Salah described the midfielder as “one of the best players in the world right now” post-match. High praise indeed. The output is in keeping with Szoboszlai’s status as Liverpool’s outstanding performer this term and is even more impressive considering the variety of positions he has occupied. Arne Slot agreed that Szoboszlai is now among the “elite” of world football and backed Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké to follow the same trajectory at Liverpool next season. “That is what you get if you sign young players and you give them a bit of time and you let them play a lot,” said Slot, in a pointed reference to some of this season’s problems. Elite footballer means elite wages, however, and the here-and-now for Liverpool is to ensure Szoboszlai does not become the latest big name to approach the end of his contract. The 25-year-old’s deal expires in 2028 but talks on an extension are under way and an early resolution must be a priority. Andy Hunter

Jarrod Bowen was the headline absentee from West Ham’s nervy extra-time win at League One strugglers Burton but it was the omission of another player that felt telling. Mads Hermansen, whose West Ham career appeared to be heading in only one direction after a difficult start to the season following his £16.5m move from Leicester, was also not in Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad. Alphonse Areola was in goal and the 20-year-old Finlay Herrick, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Boreham Wood, was on the bench. Hermansen, who started West Ham’s previous two league games is seemingly back in favour. Until the start of this month Areola was Nuno’s regular No 1. “That is the decision that we made,” Nuno said. “It is how we approach the competition normally; the goalkeeper who doesn’t play in the Premier League plays in the cup.” Ben Fisher

It was a straightforward night for Chelsea at Hull on Friday evening, but an intriguing one in the battle to become Liam Rosenior’s frontline striker. Liam Delap was handed an opportunity to lead the line in the FA Cup and it looked as though his night would be defined by an awful moment in the first half, as he blocked a Dillon Phillips clearance, the ball bounced on the line and the forward somehow failed to put the rebound away. Although he failed to score his third Chelsea goal, Delap finished the night with three assists of extremely high quality. With the right service he can offer plenty to Rosenior’s system and is a credible option to lead the line every week, but the question now is whether or not he can add the goals to make him first choice. Aaron Bower

Liam Rosenior embraces Liam Delap as the Chelsea striker leaves the field after laying on three assists against Hull. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Manchester City will accept whatever the ruling is regarding Rodri’s charge of misconduct by the Football Association for his questioning of Robert Jones’s neutrality after the referee allowed Dominic Solanke’s first goal in City’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham. After that match, Rodri said: “I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. It’s not fair because we work so hard.” Speaking after his side’s routine win in the FA Cup fourth round, Pep Guardiola said: “Absolutely we will respect the decision. We accept everything, what the big hierarchies decide.” In May 2023, Jürgen Klopp received a two-game ban for criticising the referee, Paul Tierney, after Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham. Jamie Jackson

Crowds make atmospheres and, at St Andrew’s, two sets of English football’s most impassioned followings helped frame a cracking FA Cup tie. Birmingham proved yet again how they “keep right on till the end of the road”, equalising in the 89th minute, but it was Leeds who go “marching on together” after they prevailed on penalties. During the match, home fans did their best to goad the second-half substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin but without notable success. The striker, mooted as a potential back-up to Harry Kane at this summer’s World Cup, grinned in response and did not let it affect his performance, before he scored in the shootout. Indeed, with his 10 Premier League goals this season and an improved fitness record, the Leeds fans’ response of “England’s No 9” seemed rather more fitting. Peter Lansley

Dominic Calvert-Lewin continued his good form as Leeds squeezed past Birmingham. Photograph: Richard Martin-Roberts/CameraSport/Getty Images

Will the unfortunate loss of Riccardo Calafiori in the warm-up provide Mikel Arteta with a blueprint for a bolder Arsenal? Bukayo Saka’s being summoned from the bench meant he joined Eberechi Eze, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus in an attacking starting XI that blazed to a 4-0 lead inside half an hour. Wigan, in the mire of tumultuous League One season, are not a good avatar for the well-drilled opposition Arteta is faced with week-to-week in the Premier League. But given the Arsenal manager is often criticised for prioritising control over risk, this was a look at what happens when he lets his team off the leash. Saka, Martinelli, Madueke and Jesus were all rewarded for direct runs in behind, with Eze able to show some of the creativity he was signed for. Wolves are next and present a decent opportunity for Arteta to continue his adventurous streak. Tom Bassam

If Rob Edwards is to take Wolves straight back up next season, he will need a team who are prepared to put their bodies on the line against some awkward opponents. In defeating Grimsby, Edwards’s side showed the kind of collective desire that he hopes will be the springboard for a promotion assault in the Championship. In awful conditions, Wolves could have easily buckled against a League Two side who had dumped Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup earlier this season. But Wolves proved they had the stomach for the fight with an impressive victory sealed through Santiago Bueno’s second-half winner. Edwards, who is patiently writing a new chapter at Molineux, will hope this display is the sign of things to come moving forward. Wolves are going down, but they need to go down fighting and they also have an FA Cup fifth-round tie in their sights now. Ross Heppenstall

Santiago Bueno scores the only goal of the game for Wolves at Grimsby. Photograph: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Wolves/Getty Images

There were so many impressive auditions from Régis Le Bris’s attacking understudies during Sunderland’s victory over Oxford that it’s hard to rank them. Romaine Mundle was a candidate for man of the match in just his fourth start of the season, the left winger looking electric with the ball at his feet. Chemsdine Talbi almost matched him on the right-hand side and was unplayable in moments. The Moroccan was replaced by January signing Jocelin Ta Bi, who used his cameo to torment the Oxford defence too. Eliezer Mayenda also had his moments in a rare runout, and Wilson Isidor led the line effectively. Sunderland’s transfer business has been lauded for providing Le Bris with a number of signings who were ready to hit the Premier League running. Sunday’s showing against Oxford was a reminder of the promise that could yet be unleashed in the future. Paul MacInnes