Facundo scores in Foxes rout

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Matthew Bishop

2025-01-14T16:40+00:00

Facundo Buonanotte has scored five goals in 20 matches for Leicester so far this campaign. 📷 by LCFC/Plumb Images.

As the winter blues set in, thankfully it was only FA Cup fever that spread through Albion’s army of loanees at the weekend.

Facundo Buonanotte was one of our players who enjoyed the return of the world’s oldest cup competition as he was back in Leicester’s starting XI for their match against QPR.

Buonanotte scored Leicester’s third goal as they thrashed their Championship opponents 6-2 to set up a fourth round tie with Manchester United, the former club of Foxes manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Like Leicester, Stoke City – the side we beat in February 2023 en route to our third FA Cup semi-final – were in the hat for round four after beating Sunderland, with Andrew Moran playing 72 minutes for the Potters.

Mark Robins has enjoyed some impressive results since arriving in Staffordshire from Coventry and he will be eyeing a cup run like the Sky Blues enjoyed last term as they face Cardiff at home in the next round.

Kamari Doyle and his Exeter City side also progressed to the fourth round, although the former Southampton midfielder was an unused substitutive as the Grecians beat Oxford United 3-1.

It is the first time the Devon side have reached this stage of the competition in 44 years and their reward is a mouthwatering home tie against Nottingham Forest.

Blackburn join Exeter in round four but like Doyle, Amario Cozier-Duberry didn’t play for Rovers as they beat Middlesbrough 1-0 to set up a home tie against Wolves next time out.

Jeremy Sarmiento was also not involved for Burnley as teams across the country made a host of changes, but our Ecuadorian could play a part in round four against Southampton after the Clarets snuck past Reading with a 3-1 win after extra time.

Sadly there was less FA Cup magic for James Beadle, Carl Rushworth and Mark O’Mahony as their teams exited the competition at the first hurdle.

Beadle was rested but would have watched on with frustration as he couldn’t help Sheffield Wednesday from losing on penalties at Coventry, while Hull City also suffered shoot-out sadness against Doncaster with Rushworth between the sticks.

Hull’s defeat against League Two Donny, despite their poor Championship form, was somewhat of a shock and second-tier Portsmouth – who were without the injured O’Mahony – also lost to lower league opposition with Wycombe beating them 2-0.

While the country turned their attention to the FA Cup, there was also meant to be domestic action here and abroad – but a lot of it was postponed.

Odel Offiah and Samy Chouchane were both denied outings in League One, as Blackpool v Cambridge and Northampton v Barnsley were called off due frozen pitches, while in League Two, Grimsby’s match at home to Notts County also fell foul of the weather so Luca Barrington didn’t play.

Abroad, some domestic action did take place with Abdallah Sima on for the final five minutes of Stade Brest’s impressive 2-1 win against Lyon in Ligue 1.