Third-tier Mansfield stuns Premier League team Burnley for another FA Cup shock

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Third-tier Mansfield pulled off the latest upset in this year's FA Cup by knocking out Premier League side Burnley on Saturday.

Louis Reed struck with a stunning long-range free kick in the 80th minute at Turf Moor to complete a comeback 2-1 win in the fourth round tie.

“As soon as it left my boot I felt it going in," he told the BBC. "I have been working on them throughout the week. The lads said, ‘This is your moment, go and take it’. Thankfully, I did.”

As giant-killings go, it might not be as spectacular as non-league Macclesfield's victory against titleholder Crystal Palace last month - but it is another shock result in soccer's oldest knockout competition.

There was no fairytale for fourth-tier Salford at Manchester City, however, even if it did keep the score down to 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium.

Newcastle came back from a goal down to beat 10-man Aston Villa 3-1 and Burton Albion gave West Ham a scare before losing 1-0 in extra time.

Liverpool cruised past Brighton 3-0.

Mansfield is in dreamland. Burnley's season just gets worse.

Fighting against relegation, Scott Parker's team suffered the humiliation of being dumped out of the cup by an opponent from two divisions lower.

Even after winning just two of its previous 18 games, Burnley still went into the match as the overwhelming favorite. And Parker's decision to make nine changes to his lineup suggested he thought his team would be able to handle a Mansfield side that sits midtable in League One.

When Josh Laurent scored in the 21st, it looked like the home team would book its place in the next round.

That was until a second-half fightback from Mansfield sparked by Rhys Oates' header eight minutes after the break. Reed sent the traveling fans wild with his curling free kick from around 25 yards (meters) late on that ensured Mansfield's best run in the competition since 1975.

It's been a very good week for Pep Guardiola's team, which has closed the gap on Premier League leader Arsenal to four points.

And its four-pronged trophy pursuit is still in good shape after victory against Salford - the team co-owned by Manchester United greats David Beckham and Gary Neville.

Not that Guardiola was impressed with the performance against League Two opposition.

“The only good news is we go through,” he said. “(It) would be nice to say that mentally we’re exhausted but this is our job and we have to do what we have to do."

City beat Exeter 10-1 in the last round and routed Salford 8-0 last season.

Salford might have feared a similar outcome when Alfie Dorrington scored an own goal in the sixth. But City had to wait until the 81st to score again through Marc Guehi, who has been given a second chance in the cup after being part of the Palace team that was stunned by Macclesfield in the last round.

Leading 1-0 at home on the brink of halftime, everything changed for Aston Villa when goalkeeper Marco Bizot was stranded outside his box and hacked down Newcastle's Jacob Murphy.

It likely stopped Murphy from running through to equalize after Tammy Abraham's early goal. But the red card for Bizot left Villa a man down and Newcastle took full advantage.

In the absence of the injured Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali took center stage with two goals - the second a low drive from distance.

Nick Woltemade made it 3-1 in the 88th after a mixup in Villa's defense.

Liverpool's Premier League title defense may have unraveled, but Arne Slot's team has plenty to play for this season.

The Merseyside club is through to the round of 16 in the Champions League and advanced in the FA Cup with a 3-0 win against Brighton.

Goals from Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah from the penalty spot ensured a comfortable win at Anfield.

Burton, fighting against relegation in the third tier of English soccer, went toe-to-toe with top flight West Ham - forcing the game into extra time at the Pirelli Stadium.

It took a 95th-minute solo goal from substitute Crysencio Summerville to separate the teams.

A red card for West Ham's Freddie Potts six minutes later meant there were still some nerves before the final whistle was blown.

There was relief all round for West Ham, which is fighting its own relegation battle this season.

Norwich beat West Brom 3-1 and Southampton needed extra time to beat Leicester 2-1.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai jumps up as he celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game against Aston Villa during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Birmingham, England. (Nigel French/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Marc Guehi, left, celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Manchester City and Salford City in Manchester, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Mansfield Town's Stephen McLaughlin celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Burnley and Mansfield Town in Burnley, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)

Mansfield Town's Louis Reed, left, celebrates scoring during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Burnley and Mansfield Town in Burnley, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Richard Sellers/PA via AP)

Burton Albion's Udoka Godwin-Malife, left, and West Ham United's Oliver Scarles in action during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Burton Albion and West Ham United in Burton upon Trent, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Referee Lewis Smith sends off West Ham United's Freddie Potts, center, during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Burton Albion and West Ham United in Burton upon Trent, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

Burton Albion's Kain Adom, left, and West Ham United's Soungoutou Magassa in action during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between Burton Albion and West Ham United in Burton upon Trent, England, Saturday Feb. 14, 2026. (Mike Egerton/PA via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)