FA Cup Results: Aston Villa Beat Spurs, Man City Goal Fest in FA Cup

Aston Villa secured their place in the fourth round of the 2025/26 FA Cup after eliminating Tottenham Hotspur with a 2-1 victory in a heated match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday, January 11, 2026, early morning WIB. This win confirmed Unai Emery's tactical ingenuity while extending Spurs' dark night in domestic competition.

Villa played boldly from the opening minutes and appeared more prepared despite being the away team. Tottenham struggled to find their rhythm in front of their home supporters, while Villa controlled the tempo through quick transitions and measured pressing.

Villa's advantage came in the 22nd minute. Emiliano Buendia finished Donyell Malen's precise pass with a powerful strike that Guglielmo Vicario couldn't anticipate. The goal boosted the away team's confidence.

Tottenham's situation worsened when Richarlison had to be substituted in the 31st minute due to a Hamstring Injury. Losing their main striker significantly impacted Spurs' attacking threat. Villa capitalized on this momentum and doubled their lead during first-half stoppage time through Morgan Rogers, leaving the hosts trailing by two goals at halftime.

Entering the second half, Tottenham tried to rally by increasing their attacking intensity. Their efforts paid off when Wilson Odobert scored nine minutes after the break with a low shot that reignited Spurs' hopes.

Dominic Solanke's return after a five-month absence added energy to Tottenham's frontline. However, Villa's solid defense frustrated the hosts. Disciplined defending and mature time management allowed Villa to maintain their lead until the final whistle.

Villa nearly added a third goal when Emiliano Buendia's shot almost crossed the line before being cleared by Pedro Porro. The 2-1 score held until the final whistle, securing Aston Villa's progress to the FA Cup fourth round.

This defeat marked a bitter record for Tottenham, eliminated in the FA Cup third round for the first time since the 2013/14 season. Post-match tension briefly flared as some Spurs players protested Morgan Rogers' celebration in front of Villa supporters before being calmed by both teams' coaching staff.

Meanwhile, Manchester City advanced smoothly to the next FA Cup round after crushing Exeter City 10-1 at Etihad Stadium, Saturday, January 10, 2026. Despite fielding several backup players, The Citizens' dominance was overwhelming.

City established a commanding lead early in the first half. Max Alleyne opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a rebound from Erling Haaland's header. The lead extended in the 24th minute when Rodri tapped in a rebound after Antoine Semenyo's individual effort.

Before halftime, Exeter's misery deepened with two own goals. Jake Doyle-Hayes and Jack Fitzwater both misjudged set pieces and crosses, leaving City 4-0 up at the break.

City's dominance turned brutal in the second half. Rico Lewis scored the fifth with a close-range tap-in, followed by Antoine Semenyo's goal capping his impressive performance (one goal, one assist). Tijjani Reijnders, Nico O’Reilly, and Ryan McAidoo also scored as Exeter's defense collapsed.

The visitors snatched a consolation goal through George Birch in the 90th minute, but City immediately responded. Rico Lewis scored his second in stoppage time to complete the 10-1 rout.

This result confirmed Manchester City's squad depth and their serious pursuit of this season's FA Cup, while Aston Villa signaled their dangerous potential as dark horses under Unai Emery's command.