The Greatest FA Cup Quarter-finals Of All-Time

The FA Cup. The world’s oldest football competition and Wembley Stadium, the home of English Football. As teams battle year by year for the cup, the quarter-finals is the round that each team dred – it’s either a trip to Wembley or a 90-minute trip to heartbreak. Looking towards this weekend’s action, after Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have booked their place at Wembley next month – we’ve looked at some of the classic fixtures in this round of the cup over the years.

Leicester City 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers – 2000/01

Arguably, the biggest upset in FA Cup quarter-final history was a 2000/01 meeting between a third-tier Wycombe Wanderers side and Premier League outfit Leicester City.

The Wanderers travelled and triumphed against the top-flight host's thanks to a late winner in additional time for Roy Essandoh, who had joined the club days before thanks to a television advert.

Starting as they meant to go on, Wycombe took a shock lead in the game in the 50th minute thanks to Paul McCarthy before Muzzy Izzet levelled up for the hosts 18 minutes later.

Essandoh, would then finally write his name in the history books, providing the game's decisive twist as the striker came off the bench to head in a winner for the Chairboys in the 90th minute.

The striker’s story with Wycombe was like no other – the club being hit by a striker injury crisis before the tie and playing a desperate advert for a non-cup-tied attacker on Teletext. Essandoh was the man to respond, scoring a synonymous goal 20 minutes into his debut.

Wycombe would advance into the competition's final four, being beaten by Liverpool – the FA Cup’s eventual winners.

Chelsea 3-3 Tottenham Hotspur – 2006/07

A gigantic clash between two of London’s top teams – Chelsea vs Tottenham is always a mouth-watering fixture, but their quarter-final tie in the 2006/07 season was a classic.

Chelsea, having been led by the upcoming and successful Jose Mourinho, went behind twice against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. The Lilywhites would lead thanks to Dimitar Berbatov, before Frank Lampard would level for the Blues.

However, an own goal from Michael Essien and a third from Hossam Ghaly would give Spurs breathing room before the end of the first half. It looked bleak for the hosts at the half-time mark, without Makelele and skipper John Terry who was out with an injury.

Nevertheless, it would be the trusty midfielder in Lampard scoring again for Chelsea, guiding the ball into the corner to make it 2-1. With four minutes remaining, Salomon Kalou would come on and rescue the hosts, heading the back into the back of the net from Didier Drogba’s assist to make it 3-3.

After stating before the game that he did not want one, Mourinho’s side would have to face Spurs in a replay – the Blues winning the game 2-1 and going on to be the 2006/07 FA Cup winners.

Barnsley 1-0 Chelsea – 2007/08

Another quarter-final giant-killing was in the 2007/08 season, with Simon Davey’s Barnsley side knocking out Premier League Chelsea.

Barnsley, who finished the season 18th place in the Championship, had also previously beaten a fellow Premier League powerhouse Liverpool in the fifth round.

But the Yorkshire side would do it again as they would win 1-0 against a Chelsea side who sat as one of Europe’s best – pushing Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table.

Kayode Odejayi’s header shocked fans at Oakwell as he would punch Barnsley a ticket into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1912. The striker had recently joined the club in the summer from Cheltenham and ended his goalless streak of 29 games without a goal against the Blues.

Odejayi went on to score four goals throughout the entire season but knocked out a star-studded Chelsea squad with the likes of John Terry, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, and Joe Cole sent to pack their bags.

Barnsley would not be able to repeat their magic in the semi-finals, losing against Cardiff.

Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool – 2023/24

The most recent clash on the lists and a game in several years that many will look back on as a classic spectacular is the meeting of Manchester United and Liverpool in the 2023/24 FA Cup.

An under-scrutiny Erik ten Hag United side met a quadruple-chasing Liverpool side at Old Trafford, coming out as dramatic seven-goal thriller winners in extra time.

United started the game with an early lead – Scott McTominay bundling the ball home for the hosts within 10 minutes. Liverpool would quickly re-assert their dominance through Alexis Mac Allister, who would equalise before Mohammed Salah would make the game 2-1, scoring his 13th goal in 14 appearances against United.

Liverpool continued to dominate after the home side’s early goal, but the Reds were made to rue their wasted chances, Anthony drawing United level with just three minutes left on the clock to take the game to extra time.

With 105 minutes played, Liverpool would re-take the lead, Harvey Elliot being the goal-scorer after a deflected shot flew past Andre Onana.

Carrington graduate Marcus Rashford would supply the goods for the home side in the 112th minute, adding another twist to this tale to make the game 3-3. But Amad Diallo would have other ideas, sending United to Wembley and solidifying this fixture as an all-time spectacle, the Ivorian cooly finishing in the 121st minute to make the game 4-3, also receiving a second yellow card for his celebration.

Manchester United would go on to defeat Coventry City in the semi-final before a victory over local foes Manchester City in the final to win the 2023/24 FA Cup.