1) Loftus-Cheek pushes but the road remains blocked

It was an afternoon when the ball would not go in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Chelsea attacking midfielder was twice denied by the Brentford goalkeeper, Daniel Bentley, and, when he clipped over him on 58 minutes, the effort came back off the crossbar. Loftus-Cheek had two other moments when he jinked inside the area but could not find a finish. It was, nonetheless, an eye-catching performance from the 21-year-old – in front of the watching England manager, Gareth Southgate – in which he advertised both his power and the deftness of his touch. Could it offer him a springboard into Antonio Conte’s Premier League team? The reality is that Loftus-Cheek has played for only 14 minutes in the league under Conte and the manager has Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian ahead of him in the wide attacking positions. Patience must continue to be Loftus-Cheek’s friend. David Hytner

• Match report: Chelsea 4-0 Brentford

The Dozen: the weekend's best FA Cup photos Read more

2) Ryan Sessegnon is going places fast

Fulham’s fans must wince whenever Ryan Sessegnon performs as magnificently as this to draw the focus to his staggering talent. There were times against Hull City, as he tore forward at a back-pedalling and panicked Omar Elabdellaoui, when one wondered if this was a polished winger rampaging up and down the home side’s flank, rather than a left-back who was born in 2000 and is feeling his way into a first season in senior football. “This kid is working hard and is in the right place,” Slavisa Jokanovic said of a player whose talent is being nurtured, like others, at Fulham. “He showed his personality and, 100%, this player is going to be at the highest level soon.” Sessegnon will make the occasional error. The fact Evandro was unmarked to nod Hull briefly level here demonstrated that much. But there is such thrill to his forward play that it is tempting to suppose he will end up thriving in a position further up the pitch. He would not be the first left-back to have taken that route to prominence. Dominic Fifield

• Match report: Fulham 4-1 Hull City

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon celebrates his goal in the hosts’ 4-1 thrashing of Hull City. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

3) Power is a listener with a sense of humour

Once Lincoln City were awarded a penalty and the chance to draw level with Brighton & Hove Albion here, their midfielder Terry Hawkridge ran over to give some advice to the taker, Alan Power. “He said: ‘Just pick a spot and go for it,’ and that’s what I did,” Power said. But he had to wait several minutes before going for it because Brighton’s goalkeeper, Niki Maenpaa, needed treatment for an injury and then had to be replaced by Casper Ankergren. So what went through Power’s mind during that time? “A lot, to be honest,” the Dubliner said. Did Lincoln’s longest-serving player, who joined just after the club were relegated from the league in 2011, reflect on what a special moment it would be if he scored? Did he consider that an equaliser could provide the platform for Lincoln to beat the Championship leaders and advance to the fifth round proper of the FA Cup for the first time since 1902? Maybe, but Power chuckled at the randomness of his first thought. “Their new keeper,” he explained afterwards. “How old he looked.” Paul Doyle

• Match report: Lincoln City 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp admits mood has changed before facing Chelsea Read more

4) Costa would be quite a catch for Wolves

“I just knew if we could get it to the front three we would cause them trouble,” Paul Lambert said of his successful gameplan at Anfield. It was a plan that worked, mainly because Helder Costa is such an elegant yet forceful runner with the ball, and if Wolverhampton Wanderers are in negotiations with Benfica over a permanent transfer they need to get a move on before someone with a bit more money gazumps the deal. Chelsea will have taken due note of Liverpool’s susceptibility to quick counters before the league meeting between the two sides on Tuesday night. They will be up against a different version of the Liverpool defence, but lack of communication and positional understanding between defenders unfamiliar with each other was exactly what Wolves exploited to progress in the FA Cup. Chelsea are even better equipped to launch quick, direct attacks and would be well advised to take Lambert’s advice and have a go from the start. Paul Wilson

• Match report: Liverpool 1-2 Wolves

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Helder Costa leaps to evade the challenge of Liverpool’s Alberto Moreno. Photograph: Magi Haroun/REX/Shutterstock

5) Schweinsteiger back in the frame for Manchester United

Bastian Schweinsteiger’s remarkable return from forgotten-man training with Manchester United’s reserves to valuable squad member is complete after José Mourinho stated the German is to be in the Europa League squad when the competition resumes next month. The manager said: “He is staying. He is going to the Europa League list because we open spaces with [Memphis] Depay and [Morgan] Schneiderlin and we don’t have many players and we don’t have many options in midfield.” Schweinsteiger, 32, scored the final goal in this 4-0 fourth round win over Wigan Athletic, a first start in over a year. “He was a good professional when he was not playing, having some minutes he will be the same. With so many competitions and games, he will be an option,” the Portuguese said. It represents some comeback from the former Germany captain. Jamie Jackson

• Match report: Manchester United 4-0 Wigan Athletic

6) Mazzarri cannot rely on fringe players for league fight

Walter Mazzarri’s decision to make seven changes to the Watford side who faced Millwall on Sunday backfired spectacularly. The Premier League team were second best for much of the contest and their manager was kidding no one when he claimed the visitors did not deserve to lose. Watford were slugglish and generally clueless in their approach and what caught the eye is how unfit some of them looked, no one more so than Brice Dja Djédjé. Making his first start for the club since arriving from Marseille in the summer, the Ivory Coast wing-back maintains a physique that, if you were being polite, could be described as full. Either that or the 26-year-old’s shirt was one size too small. The 2,322 Watford spectators who travelled to south London would be entitled to feel they wasted their time and for Mazzarri, the pressure is now well and truly on to make sure he keeps Watford in the Premier League. They are eight points clear of the relegation zone but, with games against Arsenal and Manchester United to come in the next fortnight, things could go downhill very quickly for the Italian and his team. Sachin Nakrani

• Match report: Millwall 1-0 Watford

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Watford manager Walter Mazzarri (right) alongside Millwall’s Neil Harris on the touchline. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

7) Oxford have got a Spanish gem in Martínez

The Kassam Stadium cannot be classed as one of the most intimidating venues in English football, except possibly for its blandness. Yet Newcastle, second in the Championship, contrived a result that made it seem like a fearsome place to play. In fact, Oxford have a middling record at home this season in League One, with six wins and three defeats out of 13 games. They are clearly saving their best for the Cup – their second-round win, at home against Macclesfield, was a repeat of this scoreline. Michael Appleton’s men rode their luck, with Simon Eastwood saving Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty at 1-0, but they then made Rafael Benítez pay for favouring Newcastle’s promotion push over a fifth-round place. By then Oxford may have sold Ryan Taylor. “There is interest in him,” said Appleton, but they will nurture the talent of Toni Martínez López, who is 19. “He’s got a hell of a future,” said his manager. Conrad Leach

• Match report: Oxford United 3-0 Newcastle United

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8) Puel misses a trick as under par Southampton are upstaged

Southampton’s Jekyll and Hyde season was typified by a humbling defeat at home against Arsenal at St Mary’s, just three days after securing a berth in the EFL Cup final. Claude Puel made 10 changes and the stop-start nature of their season threatens to undermine the good progress. Puel said he would pick the same inexperienced team again if he had to, clearly prioritising the Premier League but perhaps missing a trick too, overlooking the momentum an extended run could bring. After all, Saints are unlikely to be relegated and it is hard to see them bettering last season’s remarkable sixth-place finish. “We had nine players not available for this game and playing always with the same players, it was not possible,” Puel said. “We need to keep the players fit and for the big games against Swansea City and West Ham.” Puel did front up and took responsibility for the chastening defeat but with wholesale changes likely for the trip to Landore on Tuesday, defeat against Swansea may leave Puel with egg on his face. Ben Fisher

• Match report: Southampton 0-5 Arsenal

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Harry Lewis reacts as Theo Walcott puts Arsenal four goals up at St. Mary’s Photograph: Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

9) Sutton add to non-league romance

Sutton United will not be denied. Having needed a replay to beat AFC Wimbledon in the third round, they beat Leeds at the first attempt. Their 3G pitch may not bear the scars of a season six months old, but Leeds, who fielded a weakened team, will certainly lick their wounds all the way back to Elland Road before gearing up to continue their push for a return to the Premier League. Sutton have some select company for Monday night’s fifth-round draw but none more so than fellow giantkillers Lincoln City. It marks the first time two non-league teams have reached the last 16 in the Cup. Play each other and there will be a non-league team in the quarter-finals. Maybe the romance of the Cup is not quite dead. Sutton certainly seem to be prepared for the competition, as they have no National League fixture for 18-19 February, when the next round is scheduled. Conrad Leach

• Match report: Sutton United 1-0 Leeds United

10) Pochettino’s fringe players found wanting

Mauricio Pochettino might have to think twice before deciding whether to rotate his squad again after Wycombe Wanderers came within a whisker of stunning Tottenham Hotspur. Maintaining their title challenge is the main priority for Spurs and it was understandable that Pochettino freshened up his side before the trip to Sunderland on Tuesday. A home tie against League Two opponents was a fine opportunity to give an opportunity to several fringe players and youngsters, but it was credit to Wycombe, who did not deserve to lose after performing admirably, that Tottenham were compelled to bring on Mousa Dembélé and Dele Alli early in the second half. Pochettino has to balance the changes. Georges-Kevin Nkoudou was taken off at half-time, Cameron Carter-Vickers foolishly gave away a penalty, Josh Onomah offered little, Kevin Wimmer looked jittery and Moussa Sissoko was underwhelming. Pochettino might have to select stronger sides in the FA Cup and Europa League. Jacob Steinberg

• Match report: Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 Wycombe Wanderers

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gary Thompson puts Wycombe ahead at White Hart Lane. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty Images