First the FA Cup’s most successful team – and now the holders.
Nottingham Forest will go into the fifth round after ousting FA Cup winners Leicester 4-1 on Sunday (Monday NZT), having previously eliminated the record 14-time winners Arsenal.
It’s an incredible cup run for Championship side Forest, reviving memories of their prowess in the last century before being relegated from the Premier League in 1999.
The only titles since then came in the League Cup in 1989 and 1990, but now there’ll be hope of another deep FA Cup run for the team that reached the 1991 final against Tottenham, as they’ve drawn fellow second-tier club Huddersfield next up.
The blot on the day came when Joe Worrall headed in from a corner in the 32nd minute and Forest forward Keinan Davis was targeted amid the goal celebrations by a pitch invader throwing a punch.
Police arrested the man, who emerged from the away section of the City Ground before striking out at Forest players.
“Investigations are in the very early stages and our enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing,” said Chief Inspector Neil Williams of Nottinghamshire Police.
Leicester said the fan was facing a lifetime ban and offered to support the police investigation.
“The club is appalled by such behaviour and offers its apologies to Nottingham Forest and its players whose safety was compromised,” Leicester said in a statement.
“We applaud the swift action taken by City Ground stewards in apprehending the individual involved.”
It was the first game between the East Midlands rivals since 2014 when Leicester were last in the Championship before gaining promotion and winning the Premier League in 2016 so unexpectedly.
This fourth-round game drifted away from Leicester. Although Kelechi Iheanacho pulled one back in the 40th minute, there was no comeback with Djed Spence restoring the three-goal cushion to rock Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Non-league side pull off huge shock to land dream tie
It wasn’t the biggest upset of the fourth round.
“I ran out of steam towards the end but the adrenaline kept me going,” Ricketts said. “There will be even more interest drummed up in the club and I think it’s fantastic.”
Bournemouth’s focus now is on the quest to return to the Premier League after two years.
Liverpool ease through
At Anfield, teenager Harvey Elliott returned from five months out injured to score his first Liverpool goal in a 3-1 victory over Cardiff.
Elliott produced a swivelled finish in front of the Kop in the 76th minute for Liverpool’s third goal, capping the 18-year-old midfielder’s recovery from a left ankle fracture dislocation.
The lead came via Diogo Jota’s 15th goal of the season in the 53rd against the second-tier side, heading in a free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Colombia international seized possession and Takumi Minamino met his cutback before striking under goalkeeper Dillon Phillips in the 68th minute.
Cardiff substitute Rubin Colwill pulled one back 10 minutes from time but Liverpool held on to set up a meeting with Norwich in the first week of March.
Fifth-round draw throws up some intriguing ties
Following the draw on Sunday morning, the only other all-Premier League match-up in the next round is Southampton’s home game against West Ham.
Premier League champions Manchester City will go to second-tier side Peterborough, who have reached the last 16 for the first time since 1986.
Middlesbrough’s reward for knocking out Manchester United is a home match against Tottenham, European champions Chelsea will travel just north of London to Luton and Crystal Palace will host Stoke.
