Farke: Cup win can kick us on in the league
Norwich boss Daniel Farke hailed the Canaries’ rare progress into the fifth round and insisted it could provide them with a major boost to their top-flight survival fight.
Second-half goals from Grant Hanley and Josip Drmic earned a 2-1 win at Turf Moor over a Burnley side who gave themselves hope through a 72ndminute strike from Erik Pieters.
Farke said: “My feeling is it could have a really positive influence on the league because it’s good for the rhythm and confidence of the players who have not been so involved in recent weeks.”
Portsmouth progressed to the fifth round for the first time since 2010 by comprehensively beating Championship Barnsley 4-2.
Goals from Ben Close, John Marquis, Ronan Curtis and Christian Burgess helped the home side cause an upset at Fratton Park, despite replies from Cauley Woodrow and former Pompey forward Connor Chaplin.
Reading and Cardiff shared a scrappy 1-1 draw in their allChampionship tie at Madejski Stadium.
Cardiff went ahead early on through Callum Paterson, but Reading equalised in the eighth minute from Yakou Meite’s seventh goal of the season
Robert Glatzel and skipper Sol Bamba missed good chances to settle it for Cardiff towards the end.
Midway through the first half, as play continued, an announcement was made over the public address system to Cardiff fans urging them to desist from alleged racist and homophobic chanting.
Reading were reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute when centre back Tom McIntyre was dismissed for collecting a second yellow card.
A much-changed Leicester side progressed into the fifth round thanks to an early strike by Kelechi Iheanacho at Brentford.
Brendan Rodgers called upon the former Manchester City striker, with Jamie Vardy injured, and he delivered in the fourth minute to keep Leicester on course for silverware in two competitions this season.
An unusual set of circumstances saw Coventry welcome landlords Birmingham in a fourth round tie which ended in a replay following a drab goalless draw.
The two clubs worked together to allocate both sets of fans an equal number of tickets, with a 21,193-strong crowd in attendance.
Mo Besic and Ollie Norwood provided two moments of rare class as Sheffield United ground out a 2-0 FA Cup win at Millwall.
Everton loanee Besic whipped home his first Blades goal on his 13th appearance, before Norwood wrapped up the fourth-round victory amid an insipid clash at The Den.