FA Cup holders Arsenal were left with an unwanted replay after a goalless draw against Hull City in their fifth-round clash at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsenal, bidding to become the first side since the 19th century to win the FA Cup three years in a row, dominated the game, but could not beat Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, who made several fine saves.
With Arsenal pushing for the Premier League title and hosting Spanish giants Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League tomorrow, the prospect of another game was far from ideal.
Photo: AP
“No, not especially good news, but Hull defended very well,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who earlier this week refused to back calls for FA Cup replays to be scrapped, told BT Sport when asked about a trip to Hull’s KC Stadium.
Wenger, whose side beat Hull in the 2014 FA Cup final and knocked them out in the third round last season, compared his support for replays to the political discussions that have left Britain with a June 23 referendum on its membership of the EU.
“I like the idea that in England you don’t do things like anywhere else. That’s why you negotiate in Brussels at the moment as well,” the 66-year-old Frenchman added.
Meanwhile, Hull manager Steve Bruce praised Jakupovic, one of 10 changes he made to his starting side, by saying: “He’s come in and made some great saves.”
In Saturday’s other fifth-round ties, the Premier League’s Watford beat Championship side Leeds United 1-0 thanks to Scott Wooton’s 53rd-minute own-goal.
However, top-flight West Bromwich Albion were knocked out after second-tier Reading, beaten FA Cup semi-finalists last season, came from behind to win 3-1.
Darren Fletcher put visitors West Brom ahead in the 54th minute, but Reading’s Paul McShane ensured their lead at the Madejski Stadium lasted just 5 minutes.
Michael Hector headed in a free-kick to make it 2-1 before substitute Lucas Piazon added a third goal in stoppage time.
However, the result was overshadowed by the sight of Albion defender Chris Brunt being hit with a coin thrown by one of his own club’s supporters when he went to applaud the traveling fans after the full-time whistle.
“I was walking towards our supporters at the end, and they thought it was okay to throw a coin at their own players,” Brunt told BBC Sport.
“I was absolutely disgusted and ashamed,” Brunt added.
Everton, whose last major trophy came when they won the 1995 FA Cup, advanced to the quarter-finals after a 2-0 away victory to fellow Premier League side AFC Bournemouth in Saturday’s late match.
Everton goalkeeper Joel Robles saved Charlie Daniels’s first-half penalty after James McCarthy handled inside his own box.
The visitors compounded Bournemouth’s agony when England midfielder Ross Barkley, with national manager Roy Hodgson in the stands at Dean Court, saw his deflected shot loop over Reading’s Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici in the 55th minute.
Romelu Lukaku made it 2-0 when the Belgium striker scored his 21st goal of the season 14 minutes from time.
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