As the top clubs join the competition in the third round, the phrase “the magic of the FA Cup” is frequently used as the new year gets underway. With lower-ranked teams eager to leave their mark and go down in history, the renowned competition never lets fans down and consistently produces a cup upset every season.
The oldest football competition in the world is so fantastic and enjoyable to watch because some of the biggest names in English football have taken a giant-killing or two. It’s difficult to find the distinctive narratives the competition generates in the football world elsewhere. GIVEMESPORT has now examined 11 of the most significant upsets in the history of the tournament.
Factors that rank
Divisional gap
Media coverage
Competition advancement
Some teams have risen in the rankings as a result of winning the FA Cup after delivering a giant-killing. Even while it will be remembered, a cup upset in a previous round will not be as high as the teams that have won the trophy. The ten biggest upsets in FA Cup history are listed here, keeping all of things in mind.
Ranking the FA Cup’s greatest upsets
Rank
Play the game
The year
Round
One
Liverpool
0–1
Wimbledon AFC
1988
Lastly
2.
City of Manchester
0–1
Wigan Sports
2013
Lastly
3.
Hereford
2-1
Newcastle United
1972
Round Three
4.
Chelsea
2-4
City of Bradford
2015
Round Four
5.
City of Norwich
0–1
Town of Luton
2013
Round Four
6.
United Manchester
0–1
Leeds United
2010
Round Three
7.
Wrexham A.F.C.
2-1
The Arsenal
1992
Round Three
8.
United Sutton
2-1
City of Coventry
1989
Round Three
9.
Oldham Athletic
3-2
Liverpool
2013
Round Four
10.
Stoke City
2–3
Blyth Spartans
1978
Round Four
11.
Plymouth Argyle
1-0
Liverpool
2025
Round Four
11Plymouth Argyle 1 Liverpool 0
A day after Manchester City narrowly defeated Leyton Orient 2-1 to escape being added to this list, Liverpool’s matchup with Championship underdog Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round definitely qualifies. Arne Slot’s team, which was heavily rotated, lost to Ryan Hardie’s penalty shot in the 53rd minute. Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Mohamed Salah were not participating, and the club’s lack of senior leadership was evident.
While the team in the second division was struggling for their lives, the Reds were six points ahead of the other teams in the Premier League and had already guaranteed their place in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. Despite all of Slot’s modifications, no one anticipated anything except Liverpool to succeed.
10Stoke City 2 Blyth Spartans 3
Fourth Round, 1978
Stoke City was celebrating winning the League Cup and playing Ajax in the UEFA Cup six years prior. But by 1978, things had completely changed. A loss to Blyth Spartans, the last remaining non-league team in the competition, made the Potters’ first season outside the top level in fifteen years even worse.
A wet pitch caused the game to be postponed twice, but when it finally happened, the visitors were ready for the match. Terry Johnson gave Blyth the lead in the first half, but goals from Garth Crooks and Viv Busby in the second half appeared to have put Stoke on the attack. Before Johnson volleyed in the game-winning goal two minutes from time to send the away fans wild, Steve Carney raced home an equaliser to pull Blyth back into the match. Blyth advanced to the FA Cup’s fifth round.
9Oldham Athletic 3 Liverpool 2
Fourth Round, 2013
With a formidable squad that featured Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, and Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool showed Oldham the utmost respect. They had little need to be afraid of a League One team who had dropped seven of their last eight games. Oldham’s league problems were diverted by the FA Cup, as the home team took a 2-1 lead thanks to braces from Matt Smith and a brilliant solo strike from Suarez that threw the home crowd into a state of euphoria.
At Boundary Park, Reece Wabara increased Oldham’s advantage before Joe Allen gave the visitors a response. Before sealing their spot in the fifth round, they had to face a few nerve-racking minutes. Oldham supporters were left feeling uneasy after Steven Gerrard smashed the crossbar. The home team was rewarded with another home match against Merseyside rivals Everton after holding on for a historic victory. Oldham was ultimately defeated at Goodison Park after forcing a replay. Nonetheless, their victory over Liverpool endures.
8Sutton United 2 Coventry City 1
Third Round, 1989
The more time passes, the more this upset grows. Coventry was in Division One at the time and had won the FA Cup only eighteen months before. However, when Tony Rains gave the home team a halftime lead, Sutton brought them back to earth with a bang. Coventry was unstoppable and demonstrated their abilities with a fantastic counterattacking equaliser, which David Phillips scored seven minutes into the second half.
A resolute Sutton would ultimately win the match as Matthew Hanlan volleyed home to regain the lead. Until Luton Town defeated Norwich City in 2012–13, Coventry’s loss was the first occasion a non-league team had defeated a top-flight team in the competition. In the fourth round, Sutton’s reward for eliminating Coventry from the FA Cup was an 8-0 hammering at the hands of Norwich.
7Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1
Third Round, 1992
In a match that many believed would only go one way—and not in favour of the team atop the Division Four table—Wrexham visited Arsenal, the English top division champions at the time, in the third round. Thoughts of an FA Cup thrashing were raised after Alan Smith gave Arsenal the lead, but Wrexham changed the tide of the match in the typical fashion of this wild cup.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney would be pleased of the story of how Steve Watkin headed in a late victory for Wrexham after Mickey Thomas struck an incredible free-kick ten minutes from time. It is hardly surprise that the documentary ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ features the win, which is still celebrated today.
6Manchester United 0 Leeds United 1
Third Round, 2010
Leeds United, who were playing in the third division of English football and had been demoted five years before to this match, were having a terrible time. The bitter rivals had not played one another in a long time due to Leeds’ decline, but the FA Cup draw did its magic once more.
