It was a third round that was compromised and simultaneously enriched

Derby County predictably exited at the hands of sixth-tier Chorley Town having had to field a youth team with their entire first-team squad, manager Wayne Rooney and most of the Under-23 team missing due to a Covid-19 outbreak. The Championship side's starting line-up had an average age of 19 – nine of whom were making their first-team debuts – and fell behind early on before a killer second six minutes from time. The gap between the sides was 83 places but as far as conventional giantkillings go this probably wasn't it. Nevertheless it ensured that the fourth round contained at least one representative from non-league football. Chorley's players didn't care and celebrated lustily afterwards. On Friday night, there was a similarly magical story for the Aston Villa teenagers who took on champions Liverpool following the loss of 14 players to the virus. The academy youngsters duly relished the chance to shine, holding Jurgen Klopp's to 1-1 at the half with 17-year-old Louie Barry scoring Villa's goal. That they eventually succumbed to a 4-1 defeat mattered little. Indeed, the significance of their result was given further context when Villa tweeted out a picture of 10 of the squad preparing to board a mini-bus back to their digs a few hours after the game.

The only way is Sussex

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Chorley might have pulled off the biggest upset in terms of distance between sides when it came to respective league positions but the honour for the most impressive win of the weekend belonged to Crawley Town in not just knocking out Leeds United but humiliating them. The tie had threatened to become something of a circus with the presence of The Only Way Is Essex star Mark Wright on the bench for Crawley but any cynics were swiftly disabused of that notion when the League 2 side blew the Premier League side away with three goals in 20 second-half minutes. The pick of those was from Nick Tasaroulla who spun in midfield, drove past three Leeds defenders and arrowed a shot into the bottom corner. The Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, a one-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, got a hand to the ball but couldn't keep it out. He was more culpable for the second when Ashley Nadeson made it two but the Spaniard bundled the ball over the line at his near post. A third came from Jordan Tunnicliffe which again Casilla might have done better with. Marcelo Bielsa has rightly received plaudits for the manner in which his team has entertained this season but his side looked bereft of ideas in Sussex – there was even time for Wright to get a run out.

It was a victory summed up by Tsaroulla, who choked back tears when he was interviewed post-match as he recounted the journey that had taken him tumbling down the leagues following a car crash which forced him to miss a season in 2017, rejection by Tottenham a year later and latterly the Brentford B team.

Attitude matters

The feelgood factor that surrounded the build-up to Marine's game against Tottenham had warmed the heart during the recent cold snap. Liverpool and Everton had provided training facilities for the Northern Premier League club, Jamie Carragher and host of others had provided sponsorship, Paul Leary, the Marine chairman had spoken glowingly about Spurs and their fans – and those of many other clubs – who had bought a staggering 30,697 virtual tickets and the relationship that had been built between the two clubs.

The bonhomie ended as soon as the teams took to the pitch, however. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho had told his players “if you lose a Premier League match it is my fault, but if you lose here it is your fault”. It was a warning that his players heeded. Dele Alli, who has been singled out for his attitude by Mourinho, took the game by the scruff of the neck and set up the first two goals for Carlos Vinicius as Spurs set about dismantling their eighth-tier opponents with ruthless professionalism. Lucas Moura added a third before Alli set up Vinicius for his hat trick.

Spurs made a number of changes after the break, one of whom, Alfie Devine became the club's youngest ever scorer at 16 years, 163 days when he made it 5-0.

The magic of the cup

As much as the game itself failed to spark as a contest, the sideshow around it was a sight to behold. One man scaled a tree to watch the action, families huddled in back gardens around sound systems and charging glasses of wine, dogs barked as substitutes warmed up and one onlooker stood with his arm locked around a cardboad cut out of Jurgen Klopp – who was also the subject of a proposition from an amorous local by way of a banner pleading for a telephone number. It was a reminder of happier, pre-Covid times. The romance of the cup is often an overused, cliched and inaccurate term but on this occasion, it was a fitting description of a night those from Crosby, whose houses back on to the Marine Travel Arena, will never forget.

Chelsea play it safe and Gilmour shines

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Perhaps with one eye on events at his old club Derby, Frank Lampard took no such risks with his team selection, albeit there was a place in his starting line-up for hapless goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. He was rewarded with a 4-0 win over Morecambe thanks to goals from Mason Mount, Callum Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz. There was another chance for Billy Gilmour to show what he is capable off and he duly obliged with his usual display of control in midfield. The figures backed that up with Gilmour recording 110 touches, 92% pass accuracy and a completion rate of eight from nine on long balls. Each time he features for Chelsea the inescapable conclusion is that it is a matter of when, rather than if, he becomes a first-team regular – and, subsequently, a member of Steve Clarke's Scotland squad.