Monday 5 January 2015 10:39, UK
Eight Premier League sides made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday but QPR were ousted by League One Sheffield United.
Stoke survived an almighty scare against visiting minnows Wrexham before winning 3-1, while Manchester City needed a last-minute goal from James Milner to beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at the Etihad.
Arsenal beat Hull 2-0 in a repeat of last season's final but the big shock of the day came at Loftus Road where Sheffield United beat QPR 3-0.
Non-league Wrexham were just 10 minutes away from a massive third-round upset before late heartbreak against Premier League Stoke at the Britannia Stadium.
Mark Carrington put the lowly Vanarama Conference team 1-0 up against a club that is 95 places above them in the football pyramid on 73 minutes. But Marko Arnautovic levelled on 80 and Stephen Ireland fired home on 88 - and again in injury time - to spare Stoke’s blushes.
There was to be no fairytale either for the other surviving Conference side Dover Athletic, who were thumped 4-0 at home by Crystal Palace, who gave Alan Pardew a flying start in what was his first match in charge.
Manchester City hammered the Owls 7-0 in the Capital One Cup earlier this season, but their FA Cup game could hardly have been more different.
Wednesday took a shock lead through Atdhe Nuhiu on 14 minutes, and they stayed in front until the 66th minute, Milner equalising, and the City midfielder grabbed the winner in the last minute.
The lone upset came in west London, where QPR were beaten convincingly at home by League One’s cup specialists Sheffield United.
The Blades - who are also through to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup, where they face Spurs - took the lead through Marc McNulty and Jamal Campbell-Ryce added two more after the break for Nigel Clough’s team.
Manchester United were made to battle all the way by Yeovil Town, who are bottom of League One, before emerging 2-0 victors.
United had to wait until the 64th minute at Huish Park to take the lead, Ander Herrera’s fine strike breaking the deadlock, and Angel di Maria sealed it in the final minute.
Chelsea also had to fight hard against Watford before running out 3-0 winners. The Championship side held on for 58 minutes before Willian finally broke through. Two goals in three minutes from Loic Remy (70) and Kurt Zouma (72) ended the resistance at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal had it easier than they did in May against Hull, goals either side of half-time from Per Mertesacker and Alexis Sanchez booking thier fourth-round place.
Premier League high-flyers Southampton were held to a 1-1 draw by in-form Championship side Ipswich.
Darren Ambrose gave Town the lead at St Mary’s but the lead lasted just 15 minutes before Morgan Schneiderlin equalised, and the two teams will have to try again at Portman Road.
Christian Benteke's goal a minute from time earned Aston Villa a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Blackpool.
Sunderland beat Leeds 1-0, in a repeat scoreline of the most famous match between the two clubs, the 1973 FA Cup final, Patrick van Aanholt scoring the only goal of the game at the Stadium of Light on his return from injury.
