LONDON: Holders Crystal Palace succumbed to the biggest shock in FA Cup history with a 2-1 defeat at sixth-tier Macclesfield on Saturday as Antoine Semenyo started his Manchester City career by scoring in a 10-1 rout of Exeter City.
In their last FA Cup outing at Wembley in May, Palace made history by beating City to win the club’s first ever major trophy.
They entered the record books for the wrong reasons this time at Moss Rose as captain Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored either side of half-time for the side managed by John Rooney, the younger brother of former England captain Wayne Rooney.
The 117 places that separate Premier League outfit Palace from Macclesfield of the National League North in the English football pyramid is the most ever overcome by an underdog in FA Cup history.
“I can’t believe it, we never thought we would be in this position,” said Rooney “I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day.”
Palace boss Oliver Glasner was furious at what he described as a lack of “pride” and “slapstick” defending by the Eagles, who are now winless in nine games.
“I have no explanation for what I have seen today,” said the Austrian, who has been linked with the vacant managerial role at Manchester United.
Just a day after securing his 65 million ($87 million) move from Bournemouth, Semenyo was among the scorers as City put League One Exeter to the sword at the Etihad.
Erling Haaland started but was remarkably not among the goals before being withdrawn at half-time.
Rico Lewis scored twice, while Max Alleyne, Rodri, Rico Lewis, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O’Riley and Ryan McAidoo were also on target for City and Exeter netted two own goals.
Sunderland won another of the all Premier League ties on penalties against Everton afrer a 1-1 draw. Robin Roefs saved all three of the Toffees spot-kicks in the shootout to send the Black Cats into round four.
Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers are now unbeaten in four games after thrashing Shrewsbury Town 6-1 thanks to a Jorgen Strand Larsen hat-trick.
Fulham needed three goals in the final half hour to beat Middlesbrough 3-1 at Craven Cottage, but Burnley found Championship opposition an easier proposition in thrashing Millwall 5-1.
Brentford cruised to a 2-0 win at financially stricken Sheffield Wednesday while Championship side Leicester City beat League Two’s Cheltenham Town 2-0.
On Friday, second-tier Wrexham knocked out Nottingham Forest 4-3 on penalties after a 3-3 draw to reach the fourth round, eliminating a Premier League side for the first time in 26 years in another chapter of their Hollywood story.
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo was the hero for the hosts, saving Forest’s fifth penalty by Omari Hutchinson to ensure the win, which was another highlight for the Welsh club that has climbed from non-league football to the second tier in three seasons under the ownership of Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
In Friday’s other ties, Championship side Oxford United beat League Two’s MK Dons on penalties after their match ended 1-1, while a couple of League One teams moved on, with Wigan Athletic, shock winners of the 2013 FA Cup, beating Championship side Preston North End 1-0, and Port Vale defeating League Two’s Fleetwood Town 1-0.
The third round of the FA Cup is the stage where teams from the Premier League and Championship, English football’s top two divisions, enter the world’s oldest senior knockout football competition.
Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2026