The majority of Premier League clubs would prefer not to have the distraction of playing in the FA Cup, according to Paul Lambert, the manager of seven-time winners Aston Villa.
Three of the four managers leading their teams out at Wembley for this weekend's FA Cup semi-finals will do so knowing defeat could have serious ramifications for their short-term future.
Promoted Sunderland, who have defied expectations to stay in the top half of the Premier League table, could be the worst affected with six players going to the tournament, while the likes of Fulham, Manchester United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will also have to make do without some key personnel.
Manchester United withstood a furious fightback by 10-man Manchester City to beat their local rivals 3-2 in a dramatic FA Cup third-round match at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Arsenal exacted revenge against Liverpool on Sunday, Everton kept a dream alive for their manager and Sheffield United caused a dramatic old-fashioned upset as they all reached the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Luton pulled one back on the half-hour mark when Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to keep out Jordan Clark's low effort which squeezed between his hand and leg into the net.
Manchester United and Liverpool, England's two most successful clubs, will do battle in the third round of the FA Cup after the draw was made on Sunday.
Manchester United suffered a stinging 2-1 home defeat by Swansea City in the FA Cup third round on Sunday as their former fortress of Old Trafford was ransacked for the fifth time this season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
ManchesterCity booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup as Pablo Zabaleta scored a late winner with a neat finish to beat an organised StokeCity 1-0 on Saturday.
Portsmouth reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 69 years on Saturday when a 54th minute goal from Nwankwo Kanu gave them a 1-0 semi-final win over West Bromwich Albion at Wembley Stadium. Portsmouth will now play either Cardiff City or Barnsley, who meet in an all-Championship semi-final on Sunday, in the final at Wembley on May 17.
A bemused Jose Mourinho described Chelsea's performance as unacceptable and a disgrace after the Premier League leaders slumped to a 4-2 home defeat against third-tier Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Minor league Lincoln City produced a huge FA Cup shock to beat top-flight Burnley 1-0 and reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history on Saturday.
Lucas ended a goal drought stretching back to 2010 and Divock Origi missed a late penalty as Liverpool beat fourth tier Plymouth Argyle 1-0 in an FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday.
Wigan Athletic reached the FA Cup final for the first time in their history when they beat Championship side Millwall 2-0 at a soggy Wembley in a match overshadowed by violence which broke out when Millwall supporters began fighting each other.
A brilliant goal by Demba Ba gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Manchester United in an FA Cup sixth-round replay at Stamford Bridge on Monday, securing the holders a semi-final against Manchester City.
Spurred on by the attacking flair of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, United have already put an end to two consecutive years of Chelsea domination of the Premier League.
Manchester City's Argentina striker Carlos Tevez scored a hat-trick two days after he was arrested as they cruised past Barnsley 5-0 to join history makers Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
Substitute Nani reminded manager Alex Ferguson of his qualities by inspiring Manchester United to a laboured 2-1 home win over Reading in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday.
Multiplex Group Ltd. said the troubled stadium project in London would not be completed in time to host the FA Cup Final on May 13.
With Shkodran Mustafi also an injury doubt, manager Arsene Wenger is running out of central defensive options.
Manchester United provided some blessed relief to under-fire manager Louis van Gaal by powering into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 3-0 romp at League One (third-tier) Shrewsbury Town.
Holders Chelsea will face Premier League opposition in the third round of the FA Cup after Sunday's draw gave them a tricky start to their defence away to Southampton.
Tottenham Hotspur scored three late goals to beat Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday and set up an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, after replaying the game that was abandoned when midfielder Fabrice Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
Holders Arsenal kept up their bid for a hat-trick of FA Cup trophies, marching into the quarter-finals as Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott netted twice in a 4-0 replay win at second-tier Hull City on Tuesday.
Goals from Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero sent ManchesterCity into an FA Cup final against Wigan Athletic after they beat holders Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday.
Angelo Ogbonna leapt high to power home a header in the dying seconds of extra time to claim a timely first goal for the club as West Ham United sank Liverpool 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup.
Holders Chelsea and Manchester United will replay their FA Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on April 1, the Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday. The match, on the Easter Monday holiday, will kick-off at 1700 IST.
Holders Chelsea came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday and earn a replay of their FA Cup quarter-final, inflicting further pain Alex Ferguson's side who have endured a week to forget.
Everton ended third-tier Oldham Athletic's giantkilling FA Cup run with a 3-1 victory in their fifth round replay on Tuesday to tee up an all Premier League quarter-final against Wigan Athletic.
An excited youngster stocked up on flags for his Wembley trip and the players spoke of fairytales as BradfordCity prepared for the last chapter in a giant-killing run that has lifted the gloom around the club.
Scott McDonald grabbed two goals as holders Celtic coasted to a 5-1 Scottish FA Cup fifth round win at Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Either Fernando Torres of Chelsea or Andy Carroll of Liverpool, who have both hugely under-achieved since their record-breaking transfers last year, will claim one of English soccer's major prizes when their teams meet in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
The calls for calm towards frenzied fans before Manchester United travel to Liverpool were at odds with manager Alex Ferguson's desire on Friday to simply talk about "a game of football".
The Premier League bursts back into life after the international break.
Celtic scored two goals in the final two minutes to snatch a 2-1 win at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Sunday in a Scottish FA Cup quarter-final clash.
Scott McTominay's header proved decisive for Manchester United
Referee Robert Madley was "200 percent wrong" to allow Juan Mata's goal to stand during Manchester United's 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over League One Shrewsbury Town, according to former FIFA official Mark Halsey.
Two years after steering Chelsea's princes into the Champions League final, Avram Grant was celebrating again on Sunday after Premier League paupers Portsmouth booked a place in the FA Cup equivalent.
Images from the FA semi-final played between Chelsea and Tottenham played at Wembley on Sunday.
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