Plymouth Argyle caretaker manager Kevin Nancekivell said they can use Saturday’s stunning 1-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Premier League club Brentford as a platform to climb off the bottom of the Championship and avoid relegation.
Morgan Whittaker’s 82nd winner snapped an 11-match winless run in all competitions for the visitors, who parted ways with manager Wayne Rooney last month.
Plymouth prop up the second-tier Championship with 20 points from 25 matches but are only three points behind Portsmouth, who sit just above the relegation zone.
“This is what Plymouth Argyle is all about, it’s built on spirit and resilience,” Nancekivell told reporters.
“We’ve shown that in the last couple of games and the lads and the football club should take that going forward for the rest of the season.
“But if we put in performances like that, there’s no reason why we can’t accomplish the challenge of staying in the league.
“I’m pleased for the supporters who travelled up to watch us. They’ve not had a lot of joy watching us on the road this season and they can go home happy tonight.”
Ten-man FA Cup holders Manchester United dispatched Arsenal in a third-round thriller decided by a penalty shootout on Sunday, while Tottenham Hotspur survived a major scare against non-league side Tamworth.
Premier League teams Newcastle United, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Southampton also punched their tickets to the fourth round with victories, while fourth-tier Doncaster Rovers advanced after a shootout.
Joshua Zirkzee struck the winning penalty for 10-man Manchester United after their hectic tie finished 1-1 after extra time at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal’s Kai Havertz was the only one of the first four penalty takers to miss, denied by a brilliant stop from Altay Bayindir, before Zirkzee — who was booed off the pitch in United’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle last month — stepped up to win the shootout 5-3.
“I just want to help this great team,” second-choice goalkeeper Bayindir told the BBC. “I want to make everyone happy for this great club … if you are not playing it doesn’t matter.
“You have to be ready every minute, every second – if you are a Man Utd player you have to be ready always.”
United took the lead in the 52nd minute through Bruno Fernandes’ curling effort from just inside the box after a great run by Alejandro Garnacho.
The game turned on its head 10 minutes later though, as United’s Diogo Dalot received a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Mikel Merino.
Two minutes later, Bayindir’s poor attempted punch fell at the feet of Gabriel, whose shot took a wicked deflection off Matthijs de Ligt and in to put the Gunners in charge of the tie.
Arsenal were awarded a questionable penalty after Havertz went down under minimal contact from Harry Maguire. But, after a brief melee which saw Maguire, Havertz and Gabriel booked, Bayindir produced a superb save from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard in the 72nd minute.
“I am working everyday,” Bayindir said. “I am patient. I just want to help this great team. I want to make everyone happy for this great club. I’m working here everyday.”
United needed penalties in last year’s semi-final against Coventry City en route to their 13th FA Cup triumph.
Premier League Fulham began their FA Cup campaign with a dominant victory against second-tier Watford to seal a fourth-round spot.
Barring a short-lived Watford fightback after Rocco Vata netted a stunning equaliser from around 30 yards to cancel out Rodrigo Muniz’ 26th-minute opener, the balance always seemed to be in home side’s favour.
Fulham had the bulk of the possession and far more promising chances as they mostly kept their Championship opponents penned back inside their own half.
Striker Raul Jimenez was introduced at half-time and swiftly restored the hosts’ lead, firing into the top corner from the penalty spot after Adama Traore was brought down near the edge of the box.
Defender Joachim Andersen extended their advantage with an excellent finish from a corner, rifling past Jonathan Bond on the volley after his initial effort was blocked.
Fulham were rampant and netted a fourth goal with five minutes left to cap off a confident performance when Timothy Castagne nodded home Martial Godo’s cross.
Watford just could not deal with the constant pressure as they suffered their eighth successive game without a clean sheet
TAMWORTH CLOSE TO SHOCK WIN
Spurs needed extra time to beat brave fifth-tier Tamworth, 96 places below them in the English football pyramid, 3-0, thanks to an own goal from Nathan Tshikuna and strikes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson.
The game had the makings of a huge upset from the opening whistle as Tamworth more than held their own on the artificial Lamb Ground pitch and had a couple of brilliant scoring chances late on. But the team of part-time players tired and were unable to secure one of the biggest shocks in the competition.
After a goalless 90 minutes, Nathan Tshikuna’s own goal in the 101st minute put Spurs ahead. Substitute Dejan Kulusevski doubled the lead when he latched onto a pass from Son Heung-min to shoot into the bottom corner and Johnson added a late third.
“Disappointed because we were that close to causing a massive upset, but equally be massively proud,” Tamworth manager Andy Peaks said. “Everyone put a shift in and when you look at the team we were up against, it was unbelievable from our boys. I am so proud of them.”
NEWCASTLE RALLY FOR WIN
Newcastle came from behind to beat fourth-tier Bromley 3-1, thanks to goals from Lewis Miley, Anthony Gordon from the penalty spot, and William Osula.
“I saw the goal light up and thought I’d have a strike,” Miley told the BBC. “Some of the lads were saying get a shot off. I’m buzzing with that. It was an unreal feeling.”
Ipswich, who are languishing in the Premier League relegation zone, made quick work of League One (third-tier) Bristol Rovers, with Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke and Jack Taylor all striking in the first half.
Phillips’ goal was his first that was not from the penalty spot in more than three years.
Eberechi Eze scored in the fourth minute as Crystal Palace held on to beat third-tier Stockport 1-0, and Southampton, who are bottom in the Premier League, celebrated a rare win with their 3-0 victory over the Championship’s Swansea City, thanks to Tyler Dibling’s brace and a strike from Kamaldeen Sulemana.
League Two Doncaster booked their fourth-round berth with a penalty shootout victory over Championship side Hull City. The tense shootout ended 5-4 after regulation and extra time ended in a 1-1 draw.
FA Cup Draw
Manchester United v Leicester City Leeds United v Millwall Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea Preston North End or Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers Exeter City v Nottingham Forest Coventry City v Ipswich Town Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers Mansfield Town or Wigan Athletic v Fulham Birmingham City v Newcastle United Plymouth Argyle v Liverpool Everton v Bournemouth Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Southampton v Burnley Leyton Orient or Derby County v Manchester City Doncaster Rovers v Crystal Palace Stoke City v Cardiff City Matches to be played across the weekend of Saturday, Feb. 8