Four FA Cup talking points

The FA Cup magic has been restored as squad strength was tested...

The cup pulled one or two tricks from its sleeve

Has the FA Cup lost its magic? Has it heck! There may have been plenty of weakened sides, but the old pot showed it still has plenty of lustre with some terrific games and upsets, with Spurs lucky not to be another victim amid an electric atmosphere at White Hart Lane.

Mauricio Pochettino admits he has been gradually seduced by the competition: “This is what the FA Cup is about. It was difficult for me from day one when I arrived four years ago to say ‘oh the FA Cup is beautiful or the FA Cup is magical’.

“Now I realise that it’s a special competition. I feel it’s the most special competition in the world. You cannot replicate the same passion in Spain, France or Italy or the atmosphere on the pitch. You get sides like Wycombe with players from League Two who believe that they can beat us here. That is the important thing that the FA Cup creates, that feeling. It’s fantastic. I’m very touched by it.”

Do Arsenal have a stronger squad than Chelsea?

After his West Brom side had lost 1-0 to Chelsea and Arsenal in successive away matches, Tony Pulis said Arsenal had the superior squad. At St Mary’s on Saturday, both sides made ten changes but the Londoners still fielded a side bristling with quality in all areas.

Arsene Wenger, though, was less sure, saying: “I would say we have a larger squad certainly but Chelsea don’t need too much because they don’t play in Europe. They will certainly go in the Champions League next season and have a larger squad. I played two young players in midfield and they have done very well. But to cope with the games that we have in front of us we need some experience back in midfield.”

Conte showing how to maximise resources

Like many of his Premier League peers, Antonio Conte made wholesale changes to his cup line-up. Unlike some of those rivals, he got the balance absolutely right and his side cantered home impressively against Brentford. There’s a difference between using the FA Cup as a dumping ground for fringe players and using the competition as means of developing the squad. Motivation appears to be the key and by making it clear his expectations remain as high in this competition as in the league, Conte drew the best from his squad.

With no European football to juggle, Conte must now decide whether to keep faith with his second string in the next round.

Liverpool badly need Sadio Mane

It is no surprise that Liverpool have laid on a private jet to fly Sadio Mane back from the African Nations Cup following Senegal’s exit on Saturday. In the forward’s absence, the Reds have won just one of seven games — an FA Cup third-round replay against Plymouth — exited both domestic cup competitions and slipped 10 points behind Chelsea in the Premier League title race. Defence is an ongoing issue but Liverpool have also struggled to break teams down and have scored just five goals in those seven games.

Mane’s pace and penetration have been badly missed and, if he is available to face Chelsea tomorrow night, that will be a much-needed boost.