From Manchester City's ruthless comeback against Newcastle United to Southampton's dramatic late winner at Craven Cottage and Chelsea's extra-time escape against a spirited Wrexham, the fifth round delivered exactly the kind of unpredictability that has long defined England's oldest knockout competition.

Manchester City past Newcastle

Manchester City recovered from an early setback to defeat Newcastle United and secure a quarter-final berth, thanks largely to a superb brace from Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush.
City boss Pep Guardiola had warned beforehand that a trip to St James' Park could prove a daunting assignment. His fears initially seemed justified when the hosts surged ahead in front of a roaring home crowd.
Newcastle began with intensity and purpose. Their pressing unsettled the visitors' defence and nearly produced an early breakthrough when Nick Woltemade saw his header cleared off the line by Nico Gonzalez. The breakthrough finally arrived when Harvey Barnes timed his run perfectly to meet a clever through ball from Sandro Tonali. Barnes cut inside before curling a clinical effort into the far corner, sending the stadium into raptures.
Gradually taking control of possession, the visitors pushed Newcastle deeper into their own half. Their persistence paid off when Jeremy Doku drilled a cross across the face of goal, which eventually reached Savinho at the far post. The Brazilian's effort ricocheted off his knee and trickled over the line to restore parity.
City returned after the break with renewed purpose. A flowing move down the right saw Matheus Nunes deliver a low cross into the box, where Marmoush controlled calmly before firing home to put the visitors ahead.
Moments later, the Egyptian forward struck again in spectacular fashion. Receiving the ball just outside the penalty area, he unleashed a powerful strike that flew beyond the reach of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The goal effectively sealed the contest and ensured City's progression to the quarter-finals for the eighth consecutive season.
The result also underlined Marmoush's remarkable record against Newcastle. The forward has now netted seven goals in six appearances against Eddie Howe's side.Despite taking the early lead, Newcastle gradually lost their grip on the game. Defensive lapses allowed City to exploit wide areas repeatedly, and the home side struggled to recover once momentum shifted.
For Guardiola, the victory also validated his bold decision to heavily rotate his squad. The Spaniard made 10 changes, leaving stars such as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden among the substitutes.
While Newcastle's FA Cup hopes ended in disappointment, their focus will quickly shift to an even bigger challenge - a forthcoming clash with FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.

Southampton stun Fulham

Elsewhere, Championship side Southampton FC produced one of the round's biggest shocks, defeating Fulham FC 1-0 at Craven Cottage to book their place in the last eight.
The contest appeared destined for extra time until deep into stoppage time when Fulham defender Joachim Andersen fouled Finn Azaz inside the penalty area.
Up stepped Ross Stewart, who calmly converted from the spot to silence the home crowd and spark jubilant celebrations among the travelling supporters.
The defeat proved particularly frustrating for Fulham manager Marco Silva, whose decision to rotate his squad backfired. The Portuguese coach had made nine changes following a league defeat earlier in the week, but the altered lineup struggled to break down a disciplined Southampton side.
For the Saints, the victory carried symbolic significance. The team wore a special yellow kit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the club's famous 1976 FA Cup triumph, when Bobby Stokes scored the winning goal against Manchester United at Wembley. Although replicating that historic achievement remains a distant dream, Southampton's current squad is enjoying a strong run of form. Under coach Tonda Eckert, the club is unbeaten in ten matches across all competitions while simultaneously pushing for promotion through the Championship play-offs.

Chelsea survive Wrexham scare

Meanwhile, Chelsea FC endured a stern examination before eventually overcoming a determined Wrexham AFC side in a dramatic encounter that required extra time.Backed by their celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham produced a spirited performance that pushed the Premier League giants to their limits.The Welsh club struck first when Sam Smith capitalised on Chelsea's high defensive line to slip a shot past the goalkeeper. The hosts' lead, however, was cancelled before the break when a strike from Alejandro Garnacho ricocheted off defender George Thomason and inadvertently rebounded into the net via goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.
The match remained fiercely contested in the second half. Wrexham regained the advantage when Josh Windass fired a half-volley from the edge of the box that was cleverly redirected into the net by Callum Doyle.
Yet Chelsea responded swiftly. Defender Josh Acheampong restored parity with a powerful strike before the match took another dramatic turn deep into stoppage time.Referee Peter Bankes dismissed Wrexham midfielder George Dobson following a VAR review for a dangerous challenge on Garnacho. Reduced to ten men, Wrexham began to tire in extra time.
Chelsea finally seized control when Garnacho volleyed home from a cross delivered by Dario Essugo, putting the visitors ahead for the first time in the contest. Although Wrexham continued to threaten and even had a late goal disallowed for offside, substitute Joao Pedro sealed the result with a late counter-attacking strike. (Agencies)