27th January, 2013
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were both dumped out of the FA Cup by lower-league sides on Sunday, on a day of sensational fourth-round upsets that also saw Chelsea scrape a 2-2 draw at lowly Brentford.
The magnitude of the shocks seemed to increase as the day progressed, with Chelsea’s near miss followed by Spurs’ 2-1 loss at Championship side Leeds United before Liverpool went down 3-2 at third-tier Oldham Athletic.
Liverpool’s loss was the most remarkable, with 80 places in the English league pyramid having separated the sides prior to kick-off at a rain-soaked Boundary Park.
FA Cup semi-finalists in 1994, Oldham made an ideal start when Matt Smith headed them in front in the third minute from Youssouf M’Changama’s left-wing cross.
Liverpool replied in the 17th minute through stand-in captain Luis Suarez, only for Smith to restore the hosts’ lead in first-half injury time when he tapped in following a mistake by visiting goalkeeper Brad Jones.
A glorious Reece Wabara header further extended Oldham’s advantage early in the second period and Liverpool could find no way back despite the introduction of Steven Gerrard and a 79th-minute goal by Joe Allen.
Liverpool join Spurs, Aston Villa, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers in being knocked out of the tournament by lower-league opposition this weekend.
Fallen giants Leeds followed up their shock 2010 elimination of Manchester United by sending Spurs out of the competition at Elland Road.
The three-time English champions took a 15th-minute lead when Luke Varney scampered down the inside-left channel before calmly beating goalkeeper Brad Friedel.