London: West Ham and Aston Villa restored order by winning through to the last 16 of the FA Cup on Sunday as they avoided becoming the latest Premier League clubs to be knocked out by lower league opposition.
Both sides kicked-off with English football still reeling from a sensational Saturday that saw Premier League leaders Chelsea beaten 4-2 by third-tier Bradford City at Stamford Bridge, while Manchester City lost 2-0 at home to Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough.
But Diafra Sakho’s header nine minutes from time was good enough to see West Ham to a 1-0 win away to third-tier Bristol City, for whom striker Matt Smith went close on several occasions.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game and it was exactly that,” West Ham manager Sam Allardyce told the BBC. “Bearing in mind what has happened this weekend, it is a big result for us.”
Meanwhile second-half goals from Carles Gil and Andreas Weimann secured a 2-1 victory for Villa at home to Bournemouth, the leaders of the second-tier Championship.
Spanish winger Gil put the hosts ahead in the 53rd minute at Villa Park with a stunning first goal in English football.
He received the ball out wide on the right, cut inside the full-back and lofted the curling effort into the top corner from at least 25 yards out.
Villa have been struggling for goals this season but Weimann scored the Birmingham club’s second 19 minutes from time.
Leandro Bacuna found Alan Hutton on the right, and his clipped ball was turned in, left-footed, by Weimann.
Callum Wilson pulled a goal back for the Cherries in the 90th minute and the south coast club nearly had an equaliser in stoppage-time when Ashley Westwood’s low shot was well-saved by Lee Camp.
That left holders Arsenal, the joint-record 11-times winners, looking to complete a Premier League clean sweep — away to another Championship side in Brighton - in the last of Sunday’s three FA Cup ties.
With Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton — defeated 3-2 by top-flight rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday — all beaten, none of the Premier League’s top three remained in the FA Cup.
Swansea and Tottenham also failed to make it into Monday’s fifth-round draw.
Manchester United, fourth in the Premier League, face a replay against fourth division Cambridge after a goalless draw on Friday.
The same scoreline also saw Liverpool held by Championship club Bolton at Anfield on Saturday.
