Sunday saw most results go as expected in the FA Cup, but there was a touch of the old magic as the competition got its new youngest scorer.
Fresh-faced 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon scored the winner for Fulham against Cardiff in a poorly attended game watched by just 5,199 fans.
Onto the next round 😀 @FulhamFC, thanks to the traveling fans, safe trip home 👏👍 pic.twitter.com/rWOIwA3sqf
— Ryan Sessegnon (@RyanSessegnon) January 8, 2017
Premier League leaders Chelsea cruised past League One Peterborough with a comfortable 4-1 win. Michy Batshuayi, Willian and Pedro all made the scoresheet.
Returning captain John Terry saw red on his first start since October when the Blues were already 3-0 up.
3 - Three of the last six red cards for Chelsea have been shown to John Terry; including each of the last two. Bath.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 8, 2017
There was better news for another ex-absentee, however, with Kurt Zouma making his first appearance in almost a year after a serious injury
Kurt Zouma makes the Chelsea starting XI for the first time in 336 days.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 8, 2017
Welcome back, Kurt! pic.twitter.com/9QHNYbdnMs
Spurs spurrsed things up with a victory over Aston Villa, though it took them a while to find their feet.
BREAKING: Spurs 1-0 Aston Villa. pic.twitter.com/tSVzJg1wyV
— SPORF (@Sporf) January 8, 2017
Ben Davies scored the first (his maiden goal for the club) on 71 minutes which was followed by a late second courtesy of Son Heung-min.
Elsewhere, 10-man Middlesbrough put on an imperious display to crush Championship side Sheffield Wednesday 3-0.
Captain Grant Leadbitter put Boro ahead with a classy free-kick, but just seconds later defender Daniel Ayala was sent off for pulling down the attacking Fernando Forestieri.
Alvaro Negredo took advantage of the second-worst goalkeeper clearance of the weekend for his goal, while Marten de Roon added an injury-time third.
Look away Joe Wildsmith! Negredo scores one of his easiest goals after a moment to forget for the @swfc keeper. 🙈 https://t.co/Fxh5ghelNW
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) January 8, 2017
And, in the early kick-off, Liverpool face a replay at Plymouth after fielding their youngest ever side and playing a drab 0-0 draw.
Plymouth punish lacklustre Liverpool. Kids taken to school by the league 2 pros...a pilgrimage well worth it for the 9000 away fans...👍🏻⚽️😉
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) January 8, 2017
The draw for the fourth round will take place on Monday and is due to be shown on BT Sport 2 and BBC 2 from around 7:10pm.
Here are the ball numbers:
1 Ipswich Town or Lincoln City
2 Rochdale
3 Manchester United
4 Hull City
5 Sunderland or Burnley
6 Blackburn Rovers
7 Millwall
8 Manchester City
9 Brighton & Hove Albion
10 Blackpool or Barnsley
11 Wigan Athletic or Nottingham Forest
12 Birmingham City or Newcastle United
13 Chelsea
14 Middlesbrough
15 Derby County
16 Leicester City
17 Liverpool or Plymouth Argyle
18 Wycombe Wanderers
19 Watford
20 Arsenal
21 Fulham
22 Wolverhampton Wanderers
23 Cambridge United or Leeds United
24 Bristol City or Fleetwood Town
25 Huddersfield Town
26 Tottenham Hotspur
27 Brentford
28 Bolton Wanderers or Crystal Palace
29 Norwich City or Southampton
30 Sutton United or AFC Wimbledon
31 Accrington Stanley
32 Oxford United
