The day’s biggest headline came when sixth-tier Macclesfield produced a stunning upset by knocking out holders Crystal Palace 2–1 at Moss Rose.

Captain Paul Dawson headed home from a Luke Duffy free-kick shortly before half-time, and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts doubled the lead early in the second period, before Palace’s Yéremy Pino pulled one back late in the game.

It was widely described as one of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history, with Macclesfield becoming the first non-league side to beat the reigning champions in over a century.

At the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City delivered a remarkable attacking display with a 10–1 victory over League One Exeter City.

Max Alleyne opened the scoring before Rodri, debutant Antoine Semenyo, Rico Lewis and others got on the scoresheet, including two own goals for Exeter. The win matched City’s record FA Cup margin and underlined their attacking depth.

Elsewhere, drama unfolded at St James’ Park as Newcastle United and Bournemouth played out an extraordinary 3–3 draw that went to penalties. After a thrilling tie, Newcastle prevailed 7–6 in the shoot-out, with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale making the decisive saves to send his side through.

Aston Villa claimed a notable 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in North London, deepening Spurs’ cup frustrations, while Chelsea began the Liam Rosenior era in emphatic style with a 5–1 win away at Charlton Athletic.

Fulham advanced with a solid 3–1 win over Middlesbrough, while Brentford secured a 2–0 triumph at Sheffield Wednesday to book their place in the fourth round. Wolverhampton Wanderers were equally convincing, dominating Shrewsbury Town 6–1, and Burnley eased past Millwall 5–1.

In one of the tightest contests of the day, Everton and Sunderland finished level at 1–1 after extra time before Sunderland advanced via a 3–0 penalty shoot-out win. Enzo Le Fée had given the visitors the lead, with James Garner equalising late on for Everton.

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“I think the way they play, I think the coaches are where the club wants to go,” Malan told Premier League Productions.

“I watched a lot of Premier League, so I knew about Aston Villa games a lot and I remember always thinking it’s a cool stadium.”

He says Villa manager Unai Emery’s demanding and honest approach suits his game.

“He is [demanding]. I think it helps me. He’s always demanding and honest and he wants the best from you and from himself.”

Malan appreciates the detailed level of coaching too.

“You have a lot of coaches who come to you with small details about certain players or certain things that they can do, where you can take advantage of. So yes, that really helps me.”

Malan quickly made an impact, scoring his first Premier League goal away at Brighton before netting his first at Villa Park, off a cross from former teammate Ian Maatsen.

While Malan enjoyed a flying start at Villa Park, he has also had tough moments, like being left out of the Champions League squad last season, which was a difficult experience.

“To be honest, it wasn’t easy and I didn’t like it either.”

He chose, however, to use the experience as motivation to better himself.

“I’m just going to take it for what it is. It doesn’t define me as a player. Just a choice. And I’m going to respect the choice, I think I handled it quite well.”

This self-belief and drive to continually prove himself is a key part of his mentality, which he believes is vital in the high-stakes environment of the Premier League.

Looking ahead, Malan confirmed that earning a spot in the Netherlands World Cup squad at the end of the year is a major motivator.

“It’s a big target… Proving yourself to be there and that you belong there. And that you can do something in that World Cup to help your country is something that really motivates me as well.”

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The Egyptian forward has made history by becoming the first player to win the award three times after scoring 29 goals and providing 18 assists in the Premier League.

"It's something I will never forget."

🏆 @MoSalah reacts to his third PFA Players' Player of the Year award. pic.twitter.com/m2cSzAMlQR

— PFA (@PFA) August 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Arsenal star Mariona Caldentey won the award for the first time after she netted 19 goals on all competitions while helping the Gunners lift the Champions League trophy.

Magic Mariona. 🇪🇸

Caldentey reacts to her 2025 PFA Players' Player of the Year award success. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mGLCeHl9Wm

— PFA (@PFA) August 19, 2025

Morgan Rogers walked away with the PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year award, while Arsenal’s Olivia Smith was named PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year.

2025 PFA Awards: Full List of Winners:

Mohamed Salah – PFA Men’s Player of the Year Winner
Mariona Caldentey – PFA Women’s Player of the Year Winner
Morgan Rogers – PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year Winner
Olivia Smith – PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year Winner
James Trafford – PFA Championship Player of the Year
Richard Kone – PFA League One Player of the Year
Michael Cheek – PFA League Two Player of the Year

Image: Professional Footballers’ Association

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Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for City in the seventh minute but Marcus Rashford equalised from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.

The two sides looked on course to settle for a point apiece but a 94th minute goal from Matheus Nunes saw City walk away with the win and all three points.

The win sees Man City move up to third place in the Premier League standings with 61 points from 34 matches.

Villa, meanwhile, remain in seventh place on the table with 57 points from 34 matches after the defeat.

WATCH: Manchester City vs Aston Villa

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The Reds come into this fixture off the back of a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.

Villa will look to bounce back after they were held to a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town at Villa Park on Saturday.

Arne Slot’s men currently sit in first place on the table with 60 points, having won 18 games, drawn six and conceded just one defeat in 25 matches.

Unai Emery’s men are sitting in ninth place on the log with 38 points after winning 10 games, drawing eight and suffering seven defeats in 25 matches.

When the two side’s last met, Liverpool came out on top with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah at Anfield on 9 November 2024.

WATCH: Liverpool’s previous clash against Aston Villa

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Potter has only been in the job for 24 hours and made the perfect start when ???? netted an early goal. But Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers turned the tie in Villa’s favour.

“The emotions were excitement,” Potter said. “Friday night, Villa Park, full house, 6,500 West Ham fans who were amazing.

“Our performance gave me a lot of encouragement, the way the players tried to do what we asked them to do. We’re just disappointed now because we’re out and wanted to go through.

“We just try to get the team into a good shape. The talent is there but it’s just about trying to get the team together as a collective. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

West Ham next host Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday.

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Eleven minutes into the game, the Colombian attacker beat Manuel Neuer off his line to give Villa their first Champions League victory in forty-one years.

Since Vincent Kompany came over, Bayern had not lost and were scoring goals at will when they went to Villa Park.

However, Unai Emery’s strategy hampered the visitors, and they were caught off guard when Duran pounced on a long pass from Pau Torres and shot over Neuer from a distance.

Among the more than 40,000 supporters of Villa who encouraged Emery’s team to ignore the huge disparity in Champions League experience between the two teams was Prince William.

Among those who congratulated Emery in a meeting following the game was the future King of Britain.

Villa was mired in the English football second division just five years ago, but since the Spaniard took over less than two years ago, they have had a phenomenal ascent.

Villa supporters were looking forward to a glamorous match, and they did not let them down, especially after the team easily defeated Young Boys 3-0 in Switzerland two weeks prior.

Harry Kane recovered from an ankle injury that kept him out of the game late in Bayern’s 1-1 tie with Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga champions, over the weekend.

In their first seven games under Kompany, Bayern had averaged more than four goals per game, including a 9-2 thumping of Dinamo Zagreb to start their Champions League campaign.

They controlled possession of the ball in the early going, but Emi Martinez made a great save on Kane’s header from an offside position, which was the closest they got to breaching Emery’s well-prepared defence.

Midway through the first half, Torres gave Villa the opportunity to score when he nudged the ball in at the back post following a free kick.

However, Villa’s joyous celebrations were cut short when it was discovered that Jacob Ramsey had strayed offside during the build-up.

Another star from Bayern returning to England was Michael Olise, a former Crystal Palace winger who Martinez’s incredible save just before halftime kept him from scoring.

Surprisingly, Kompany had kept German international Jamal Musiala off the pitch; yet, during halftime, the player was called upon to contribute.

At the hour, Musiala came dangerously close to breaking through the Villa defence, but Torres stopped his attempt.

Rather, the game-winning substitution came from Villa’s own super sub.

Duran has scored five goals this season while playing as a substitute.

In order to keep Dayot Upamecano at bay and hoist the ball over the helpless Neuer, the 20-year-old displayed his muscle.

To complete a historic victory, Villa still required crucial saves from their own custodian.

The home team’s defence was eventually breached by Musiala’s ball, but Serge Gnabry was unable to overcome Martinez.

Deep into stoppage time, the Argentine made an even better save to tip Kane’s header over.

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In memory of former striker Gary Shaw, who died on Monday at 63 after a fall, Villa manager Unai Emery pushed his players to win in Bern.

Shaw’s terrible death was especially poignant because he helped Villa stun Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup final.

Villa’s training ground has a photo of Shaw celebrating Peter Withe’s winner against Bayern, and the team donned black armbands in their Champions League opener in honour of him.

Youri Tielemans scored against Young Boys in Shaw’s number eight shirt and celebrated by pointing to it.

Jacob Ramsey scored Villa’s second goal before halftime and Amadou Onana scored the third in the final minutes as Emery’s side won after 40 years.

“Of course we want to dedicate this victory to Gary Shaw, his family and all of the Aston Villa family,” Emery said.

“Forty-two years (ago) they achieved winning the Champions League. We want to try and follow what that team achieved.”

Last season’s Premier League fourth place surprised Villa into the Champions League.

They face Bayern Munich and Juventus in their final seven league matches.

Villa fans will always remember this cathartic triumph because Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in 2022 and brought them back to relevance.

Villa were in the English second tier five years ago, with only the most optimistic fans dreaming of confronting Europe’s top.

The Villa fans in a corner of the Wankdorf Stadium cheered when the tournament hymn was played before kickoff, anticipating their first Champions League match since 1983.

Prince William, a Villa fan, sent Emery’s players a good luck message before their “European adventure” and they answered with a well-drilled display on the Wankdorf’s hazardous artificial field.

“We were adapting at the beginning to the plastic pitch, it’s very different,” Emery said.

“It’s very important how we got the win, by respecting the opponent and being responsible. We were mature, organised and imposing throughout the game.”

By flying to Bern early to train at the stadium on Monday, the fastidious Emery improved Villa’s preparations.

Villa led in the 27th minute after a superb short corner routine.

John McGinn crossed to the unmarked Tielemans on the far side after Lucas Digne passed.

From 12 yards, the Belgian midfielder calmly fired into the bottom corner through a crowd.

Villa set-piece coach Austin MacPhee punched the air in delight at his successful design, while Tielemans celebrated the club’s first Champions League goal since their 1983 quarter-final elimination to Juventus.

An surprise gift from the hosts extended Villa’s lead in the 38th minute.

Mohamed Ali Camara strangely passed back to David von Ballmoos deep in his own area, despite Watkins immediately pressing the Young Boys keeper.

Von Ballmoos’ desperate challenge knocked Watkins down, and Ramsey scored from close range on the loose ball.

Villa coasted through the second half, with Onana scoring a 20-yard shot past Von Ballmoos in the 86th minute.

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After leading the Birmingham team to a fourth-place result and Champions League qualification the previous season, the Spaniard has been rewarded.

Villa was only three points above the relegation zone when 52-year-old Emery took over in October 2022. Since then, he has turned around Villa’s fortunes.

“I am very happy to take this step (signing a new contract) and the responsibility of leading this club,” Emery told Villa’s website.

“Since I came to Villa with (co-owner) Wes (Edens) and (chairman) Nassef (Sawiris) we found always the best environment and structure to develop a project with the highest ambition.

“There’s a great chemistry in Aston Villa and the element of the fans’ support also makes the difference to feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.”

Unai Emery: “We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams.” ✨

2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣9️⃣ pic.twitter.com/EF4ojRjSk3

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 27, 2024

Villa chairman Sawiris added: “We are building something special here at Aston Villa with Unai at its core and we are delighted that he has signed a new deal with the club until 2029.

“As we move into our historic, 150th anniversary year, there is a lot to look forward to with Unai at the helm.”

Aston Villa are thrilled to announce Manager Unai Emery has agreed a new five-year contract! ✍️

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 27, 2024

Emery, who spent time with the Spanish teams Villarreal and Sevilla, has won the Europa League four times.

In addition to winning the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain, he managed Arsenal for a year in 2018–19.

The 1982 European Cup champions Villa were later led by him to a seventh-place Premier League result in 2023, and he is currently in charge of their reintroduction into Europe’s top club football competition following a forty-year break.

Photo by Backpagepix

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After goals from Cody Gakpo, Jarrell Quansah, and Emiliano Martinez placed the visitors ahead in Jurgen Klopp’s final away game as manager, Villa seemed headed for their fourth straight loss in all competitions.

However, Duran’s double sided play edged Unai Emery’s team closer to the top table in Europe for the first time since 1983.

Tuesday’s match between title-chasing Manchester City and Spurs would guarantee Villa’s spot in the top four.

However, the stress of having to contend with both a Champions League challenge and a run to the Europa Conference League semifinals is getting to them, and they are faltering at the finish line.

Martinez’s recuperation from missing last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Brighton ought to have given the home team a significant boost.

However, after just two minutes, the Argentine World Cup winner gave Liverpool the lead when he mishandled Harvey Elliott’s deflected cross and put it in his own net.

Villa did react well, as Youri Tielemans equalised after Ollie Watkins outran Quansah in pace and brought back a cross.

But in a match that went to overtime, Gakpo’s goal gave Liverpool the advantage again after Martinez was only able to parry Joe Gomez’s effort.

If the players on the home team hadn’t constantly tried to obstruct each other, the result could have been far more satisfying for the fans.

Diego Carlos nudged Watkins out of the way, then, with the goal gaping, inexplicably turned wide.

Villa has had a run of bad performances in recent weeks, which can be attributed in part to their difficulties defending cross balls.

It was exposed once more as Quansah rose highest to head in Elliott’s free-kick three minutes after the second half began for Liverpool.

If Villa had been more clinical, they may have still mounted a spectacular comeback as Liverpool’s own defensive shortcomings were exposed.

Watkins was deprived of his 20th Premier League goal of the year as Leon Bailey cut across Moussa Diaby’s move and went offside during the build-up.

Following a heated argument between Bailey and Watkins, Watkins was found to have blocked Douglas Luiz’s path when the Brazilian had a clean view of the goal.

If Nicolo Zaniolo had not been injured as a substitute, Duran might not have even been on the pitch.

However, the Colombian delivered a breathtaking finish, capitalising on an error made by Alexis Mac Allister to drive in a shot from the edge of the box.

As Diaby’s pass ricocheted in off Duran’s thigh, the Hollywood actor and Villa fan Tom Hanks was among the 40,000 who did not care. Duran did not know much about his second.

In stoppage time, Diaby was only able to deny a winner with an incredible save from Alisson Becker.

Given that Manchester City and Arsenal’s victories over the weekend mathematically eliminated Klopp’s chances of leaving the Premier League as the winner, a point for Liverpool may signify nothing in their pursuit for the championship.

Even so, it might still matter in the title fight since it preserves Tottenham’s hopes of playing in the Champions League before City’s trip to north London on Tuesday.

On the last day of the season, Sunday, Villa will play the in-form Crystal Palace, and even if Spurs pull off a stunning upset, they still have a chance to finish in the top four.

Even if Tottenham wins their final two games against City and demoted Sheffield United, a draw at Selhurst Park should be sufficient for Villa due to their eight goal advantage in goal differential.

Photo by Backpagepix

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