Bona-fide giantkilling seems to be a thing of the past, with bigger teams, Liverpool and Leeds last time out, often making multiple changes and all-but encouraging the smaller ones to put them out of their misery
Who needs a winter break when the FA Cup makes a perfectly good substitute? Everton are sunning themselves in Dubai, Liverpool re-enacting a pre-season (Jürgen Klopp’s words) at La Manga, while Sunderland have been testing their supporters’ patience by flying to New York for a team-bonding session.
All of these jollies and a few more were made possible by early exits from the FA Cup. Given that other teams might suffer should Liverpool come back with batteries charged and deliver on their promise to win every one of their remaining games, or sub-zero US temperatures wake up Sunderland sufficiently to escape relegation, it is a trend that may catch on.
Related: Wolves stun Liverpool after Richard Stearman kickstarts FA Cup upset
Related: Sutton’s dream run continues after Jamie Collins penalty topples Leeds
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