DPA/London
On a day of shocks in the fourth round of the FA Cup, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur both went out to lower-league opposition, while Chelsea were saved only by a late equaliser from Fernando Torres.
Liverpool suffered perhaps the greatest embarrassment, losing 3-2 at Oldham of League One, while Spurs lost to Championship side Leeds United and Chelsea escaped with a 2-2 draw at League One Brentford.
Oldham took the lead against Liverpool in the second minute, Matt Smith getting above Sebastian Coates to head in.
Luis Suarez, having run from deep, levelled the scores quarter of an hour later, but in first half injury-time, Brad Jones fumbled a Reece Wabara cross and Robbie Simpson squared for Smith to tap in.
Three minutes into the second half, Oldham extended their lead, Wabara heading in Carl Winchester’s cross.
Joe Allen pulled one back with a deflected effort but, although Steven Gerrard hit the bar in the final minute, Liverpool couldn’t find an equaliser.
At Elland Road, Luke Varney put Leeds ahead after 15 minutes running onto El Hadji Diouf’s flick and finishing calmly.
Ross McCormack doubled that lead after 50 minutes, taking up a Diouf though ball, turning inside Stephen Caulker and bending a shot into the top corner.
Clint Dempsey pulled one back with a smart header from Gareth Bale’s cross, but second-division Leeds held on to eliminate the Premier League side.
“It was difficult,” said Spurs manager Villas-Boas, “as we were always chasing the game and this is a difficult place to play, and we couldn’t play our football as well as we could have.