Liverpool sunk deeper into their mid-season rut as Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers claimed a deserved 2-1 FA Cup fourth round victory at Anfield as the competition lived up to its reputation for shocks on Saturday.
Goals by Richard Stearman and Andreas Weimann proved enough for Wolves, 18th in the second tier, to inflict a third home defeat in a week on Juergen Klopp’s faltering side.
Fourth tier Wycombe Wanderers were on course to trump Wolves with a genuine giantkilling away to Premier League title hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur as two goals by Paul Hayes gave them a 2-0 halftime lead at White Hart Lane.
Garry Thompson then restored their lead seven minutes from time after Tottenham had battled back but Dele Alli equalised and an own goal salvaged a 4-3 victory for Tottenham.
Lincoln City, one of two survivors from outside the Football League, continued their dream run with a 3-1 home victory against Championship leaders Brighton and Hove Albion to reach the fifth round for the first time in their history.
Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle United, Brighton’s close rivals for promotion also slipped up to lower level opposition, succumbing to a humbling 3-0 defeat at League One’s Oxford United.
There was precious little drama at Stamford Bridge though as Premier League leaders Chelsea beat second tier Brentford 4-0, or at Selhurst Park where Manchester City outclassed Crystal Palace 3-0 in an all Premier League clash.
Two other Premier League sides made progress with Middlebrough beating Accrington Stanley 1-0 and Burnley seeing off Bristol City 2-0.
Blackburn Rovers won a north west derby 2-0 against Blackpool in a game memorable for protests against their clubs’ respective owners by both sets of fans. Huddersfield reached the fifth round with a 4-0 thrashing of Rochdale.
League Cup finalists Southampton host Arsenal later on Saturday while holders Manchester United are in action against Wigan Athletic on Sunday.