Five of the best FA Cup replays; featuring Ricky Villa and Ryan Giggs
Published:
Tottenham host Rochdale at Wembley
FA Cup replays take this place this week, and though they aren’t universally loved, they’ve produced more than their fair share of magic in the past.
We’ve opened the history books to remember five of the best FA Cup replays.
Fittingly, Tottenham Hotspur are in replay action on Wednesday night, and they feature strongly here…
Tottenham 3-4 Man City – Fourth round – 2003/2004
On paper this was a ludicrous result that should only happen on Football Manager.
Tottenham Hotspur raced into a 3-0 lead at home to Manchester City in this fourth round clash. The Citizens were down to ten men too by half-time, Joey Barton seeing red.
But amazingly, somehow Spurs didn’t see it through. Sylvain Distin pulled one back for the visitors, but it was another 20 minutes before Paul Bosvelt gave City hope.
Shaun Wright-Phillips had Spurs trembling with a dinked finish on 80 minutes, and the sensational comeback was complete when Jon Macken headed in a 90th minute winner.
Tottenham 1-2 Chelsea – Quarter-final – 2006/2007
A replay was needed for this quarter-final tie between old rivals Tottenham and Chelsea.
The Blues had already lost to Spurs at White Hart Lane in the league – for the first time since 1985 – but Jose Mourinho’s men wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
The first encounter produced a 3-3 cracker as Spurs collapsed from a 3-1 half-time lead. Andriy Shevchenko put Chelsea ahead in the replay, before Wright-Phillips doubled Chelsea’s lead soon after.
A Robbie Keane penalty gave Spurs hope, but Chelsea had confidently reasserted their authority in this London rivalry.
West Ham 2-1 Liverpool – Fourth round – 2015/16
A classic cup replay isn’t so common nowadays, but Upton Park was rocking when West Ham United dumped Liverpool out of the competition two years ago.
Jurgen Klopp was still settling into life as Reds manager, but the Hammers showed no mercy after claiming a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
This was a good West Ham side (they finished seventh in that season’s Premier League – above Liverpool.) Michail Antonio put the Irons 1-0 up at half-time, but Philippe Coutinho restored parity shortly after the break.
The two sides couldn’t find a winner until stoppage time in extra-time. Angelo Ogbonna becoming a Hammers hero by tucking away Dimitri Payet’s free-kick.
Tottenham 3-2 Man City – Final – 1980/1981
23 years before that seven-goal thriller at the Lane, Spurs and Man City played out an iconic Final replay at Wembley.
After a tepid 1-1 draw in the original final, Ricky Villa and Steve MacKenzie netted early on in the replay, before Kevin Reeves put City ahead early in the second-half.
Garth Crooks levelled for the London side before that man Villa stepped up to put his name in the history books with a sensational solo run to secure Tottenham’s sixth FA Cup triumph.
Arsenal 1-2 Man Utd – Semi-final 1998/1999
Surely the best FA Cup replay of all time? This one had it all; rivalry, drama and an iconic piece of individual brilliance.
Arsenal and Manchester United were battling for the Premier League title when they were pitched together in the FA Cup semi-finals. It was Arsene Wenger v Sir Alex Ferguson and both knew what was at stake.
A 0-0 draw in the first meeting led to a replay at Villa Park. David Beckham’s stunning curler put United 1-0 up, before Dennis Bergkamp equalised midway through the second-period. Roy Keane was then sent off for two yellow cards.
The game entered a sliding doors moment in the 90th minute when Peter Schmeichel parried away Bergkamp’s effort and ushered the season in a whole new direction.
We all know what happened after that. Ryan Giggs collected a sloppy Patrick Vieira pass in his own half and the next few seconds are a whirl of sensational wizardry.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
