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Arsenal, Man City Eye Trophy Haul, Macclesfield More FA Cup ‘Miracles’ 

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Fulham - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 11, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Fulham - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 11, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
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Arsenal, Man City Eye Trophy Haul, Macclesfield More FA Cup ‘Miracles’ 

Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Fulham - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 11, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Fulham - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - February 11, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)

Arsenal and Manchester City take a break from their battle at the top of the Premier League to try and remain on course for a quadruple this weekend as Wigan and Salford seek monumental FA Cup shocks.

Aston Villa and Newcastle are aiming to end their seven-decade waits for FA Cup glory when they face off in the tie of the round.

Sixth-tier Macclesfield produced arguably the biggest ever upset in the competition's history by knocking out holders Crystal Palace in the last round and have another Premier League scalp in their sights against Brentford.

AFP Sport looks at three of the talking points ahead of fourth round weekend:

Arsenal, City on course for unprecedented quadruple

City have already matched the greatest season in English football history three years ago by joining Manchester United's class of 1998/99 in winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the same season.

But no side has ever won all three of those titles plus the League Cup.

Arsenal and City will face off for the first silverware of the season next month and the unprecedented quadruple remains on for both clubs.

The Gunners hold a four-point lead over Pep Guardiola's men at the top of the Premier League, but City have home advantage when the sides meet in April.

Both also progressed directly to the last 16 of the Champions League.

And it would be a huge surprise if they are not in the hat for round five on Monday.

The Gunners host Wigan, winners of the FA Cup in 2013, who currently sit in the League One relegation zone.

Fourth-tier Salford, co-owned by United legends David Beckham and Gary Neville, head to the Etihad hoping to avoid a repeat of the 8-0 thrashing they suffered at the hands of City last season.

Can Villa end trophy drought?

Villa are the best of the rest behind the Premier League's top two, but with winning the title now a distant dream, Unai Emery's men are aiming to end a 30-year wait to win a major trophy.

Villa's last FA Cup success was back in 1957, two years after Newcastle last lifted the trophy.

The Magpies ended their 70-year drought for domestic silverware by winning the League Cup last season.

Sitting 10th in the Premier League, Eddie Howe's side may need FA Cup glory to salvage an otherwise disappointing campaign.

However, Newcastle have struggled on the road all season and are likely to be without influential captain Bruno Guimaraes due to a hamstring injury.

Macclesfield seek another 'miracle'

The 117 places that separated Nations League North Macclesfield from Palace was the biggest gap ever overcome by the underdog in FA Cup history.

But they could break their own record on Monday when Brentford, who sit seventh in the top flight, visit Moss Rose.

"We went into the Crystal Palace game thinking it would take a miracle, but on the day the lads were outstanding and were fully-deserved winners," said Macclesfield boss John Rooney, the brother of former England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney.

"There will be a lot more eyes on us, expecting an upset, but that's testament to the club, to the players, to the staff, everyone who made the day possible."

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Sports

Courtois Given Green Light to Skip Belgium’s Nations League Campaign, Reports Say

Real Madrid's Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois gestures after recovering from an injury during the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 8, 2026. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois gestures after recovering from an injury during the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Courtois Given Green Light to Skip Belgium’s Nations League Campaign, Reports Say

Real Madrid's Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois gestures after recovering from an injury during the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 8, 2026. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois gestures after recovering from an injury during the UEFA Champions League first round day 1 football match between Real Madrid and Inter Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on September 8, 2026. (AFP)

Goalkeeper Thibaut ‌Courtois will sit out Belgium’s Nations League campaign but has not retired from international football, Belgian media reported on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old had said after the World Cup that he may stop playing for Belgium or seek a ‌rest this ‌season, skipping the Nations ‌League ⁠where Belgium are ⁠grouped with France, Italy, Türkiye and play six matches over the next three months.

He told reporters after Real Madrid's 2-1 win over ⁠Inter Milan in the ‌Champions League ‌on Tuesday that new Belgium coach ‌Mark van Bommel understands his ‌decision.

"I will remain available for the European Championship qualifying campaign with the national team, and I ‌understand that I will have to fight for ⁠my ⁠place just like the other goalkeepers," he told Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws.

“Physically, I don't know if I can maintain the same schedule for another four years."

The first qualifiers for the 2028 European Championship are scheduled for March next year.

Sports

Alcaraz Falls to Shelton in Epic Latest-Ever US Open Finish

Ben Shelton, of the United States, celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, in the quarter-final round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, in the quarter-final round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP)
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Alcaraz Falls to Shelton in Epic Latest-Ever US Open Finish

Ben Shelton, of the United States, celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, in the quarter-final round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP)
Ben Shelton, of the United States, celebrates after winning against Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, in the quarter-final round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP)

Carlos Alcaraz tumbled out of the US Open quarter-finals at 3:34 am Wednesday, falling to Ben Shelton in an epic five-set thriller that broke the record for latest finish ever at Flushing Meadows.

The big-hitting American claimed his first career win over Alcaraz, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (10/7), ending the Spaniard's hopes of retaining his title in his first tournament back after a four-month injury absence.

It took a brutal four hours and 28 minutes, finishing long past the previous latest finish in New York of 2:50 am -- Alcaraz's five-set quarter-final win over Jannik Sinner in 2022.

Shelton matches his semi-final run at the US Open three years ago and booked an all-American semi-final against Frances Tiafoe, who came back from two sets down to beat Alex Michelsen 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (10/6).

"That was a war, epic match, so physical," Shelton said. "Carlos is one of the greatest champions in our sport already at 23 years old.

"It's always fun being on the court against him. It's ridiculous some of the stuff he comes up with sometimes -- the most enjoyable match that I've had in my career, for sure."

Alcaraz had gone from strength to strength through his first four matches, but Shelton posed his biggest test and finally proved too much.

Shelton, pumped up by the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, reeled off nine straight games bridging the second and third sets to seize control, capitalizing on Alcaraz's flagging serve and getting the better of him in rallies that left him winded.

Alcaraz stopped the rot, mustering a break chance as Shelton served for the third set before the American closed it out.

It was a sign that Alcaraz was far from a spent force, and he roared back to take the fourth set in just 36 minutes.

The margins in the fifth set were razor thin. Alcaraz had a break chance at 2-2, then it was Shelton's turn at 4-3, but the match was destined to go all the way, to a 10-point match tiebreak that Shelton capped with an ace on match point.

After the first three matches of the day all went the distance, Alcaraz and Shelton didn't get under way until after 11 pm -- and both exploded out of the gate.

Neither man faced a break point through the first 10 games, although Alcaraz came under some self-inflicted pressure with back-to-back double faults that made for a complicated hold for 4-4.

- Shelton dialed in -

Alcaraz put together his first love hold for 5-5 then grabbed the first break in the next game, forcing a forehand error from Shelton as the American was feeling the pressure at 0-40 down.

That left the Spaniard to serve for the set, but two errors to start the game were all the opening Shelton needed.

He broke to force the tiebreaker and seized a 5-3 lead only for Alcaraz to win the last four points and pocket the set after 61 minutes.

But Alcaraz couldn't maintain the pace and as his struggles on serve increased Shelton roared away, two of his three service breaks coming courtesy of double faults from the Spaniard, including one on set point.

"I knew that my serve was only going to get better, and if I had already dialed in the return to the point that I could break him, I thought my chances were good to get that second set," Shelton said. "Once I got rolling the second set, broke him three times in that set, it was a lot easier to just play and swing more freely."

Sports

Pegula Outlasts Navarro to Set US Open Semi with Sabalenka

Jessica Pegula is through to the US Open semi-finals after a victory over fellow American Emma Navarro. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
Jessica Pegula is through to the US Open semi-finals after a victory over fellow American Emma Navarro. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
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Pegula Outlasts Navarro to Set US Open Semi with Sabalenka

Jessica Pegula is through to the US Open semi-finals after a victory over fellow American Emma Navarro. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
Jessica Pegula is through to the US Open semi-finals after a victory over fellow American Emma Navarro. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

Jessica Pegula booked a third straight US Open showdown with Aryna Sabalenka, grinding out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Emma Navarro on Tuesday to set a semi-final clash with the two-time defending champion.

Sabalenka beat Pegula in the 2024 final in Flushing Meadows and beat her again in the semis last year on the way to a second crown. AFP said.

Third-seeded Pegula needed two hours and 20 minutes to get past Navarro, recovering an early break in the third set of a tense baseline battle on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"It was really tough," Pegula said after a match featuring nine breaks of serve. "It was physical, humid. I wasn't exactly serving my best and I was fighting a lot of demons out there today."

Pegula improved to 5-0 against Navarro, a former world number eight who is on the rise after an extended break to focus on health issues, winning her first title in more than a year at Strasbourg in May.

Pegula, who has won two titles this year, is among the trio of players who arrived at Flushing Meadows with a chance to supplant Sabalenka atop the world rankings in New York.

The 32-year-old would have to go all the way to a first major title to have a shot at claiming the top spot.

But the number one issue could be moot by the time Pegula and Sabalenka square off on Thursday.

Second-ranked Elena Rybakina can seize the top spot regardless of other results with a win over China's Zheng Qinwen in their quarter-final on Wednesday.