FA Cup Team of the Week: Payet, Hazard, Fabregas & Jakupovic Excel
The FA Cup is heating up! After this weekend's games, we are moving swiftly toward the quarter-finals.
Hull City forced a replay with Arsenal and will re-engage them early in March, fighting for the right to stand alongside Reading as the only two non-Premier League sides left in the competition.
We've selected the best performers from the thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—a 4-2-3-1 on this occasion.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Eldin Jakupovic, Hull City
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Take a bow, Eldin Jakupovic. The reserve Hull City goalkeeper put in a phenomenal showing to keep Arsenal at bay on Saturday afternoon.
He made 11 saves, per WhoScored.com, including two stunning efforts—the most notable of which was when he tipped a goal-bound free-kick from Joel Campbell onto the post.
Hull City's defence threatened to cave in time and time again, but Jakupovic held firm and booked them a replay at the KC Stadium.
FB: Martin Kelly, Crystal Palace
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Martin Kelly's first goal in over 1,500 days saw Crystal Palace advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.
He combined the strike with a steely defensive performance overall, matching Scott Dann and Damien Delaney's stubborn attitude toward Spurs' attempts to score. The Lilywhites found no joy on his flank.
CB: Paul McShane, Reading
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It was a tossup between three goalscoring centre-backs for this spot—Paul McShane, Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill—and we've gone for the former due to his better overall performance.
Smalling and Cahill enjoyed reasonably quiet outings as their teams dominated, and while McShane did not keep a clean sheet, he was impressive from an individual standpoint, nullifying Saido Berahino for long spells.
The Irishman's goal, an equaliser, sparked the comeback "cupset" victory.
CB: Damien Delaney, Crystal Palace
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It's usually Scott Dann who receives effusive praise on the back of Crystal Palace clean sheets, but his defensive partner Damien Delaney was just as impressive on Sunday afternoon.
When Palace and Tottenham Hotspur last met, Harry Kane got the better of the Irishman, but this time, the roles were reversed. Delaney was a ball magnet, winning header after header and restricting Kane to tight-angled shots and hopeful ones from distance.
FB: Charlie Taylor, Leeds United
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Watford's passage to the quarter-finals was by no means easy. They had to overcome the stern challenge of Leeds United and were forced to work extremely hard to break them down.
A defensive lapse and howler from Scott Wootton did the damage on the scoresheet, but Charlie Taylor—among others—impressed in keeping the Premier League side at bay for long stretches.
The 22-year-old dealt with the threat of Nordin Amrabat's guile superbly whenever they were matched up, and he played a defiant, physical game overall.
CM: Michael Hector, Reading
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Chelsea signed centre-back Michael Hector last summer and loaned him back to Reading, so there will have been plenty of Blues fans tuning in to the Royals' 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion hoping to catch a glimpse of their new man.
Oddly enough, he didn't play in his own position; he played in central midfield instead, but it actually helped spark him into form. The Tilehurst End blog praised his strength in the tackle and his confidence moving forward, and he even iced the cake with a headed goal.
Hector's had a hard time maintaining concentration, and at times, he has emerged as a weak link in Reading's back line. Perhaps midfield really is the position for him in the long term.
CM: Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
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Cesc Fabregas' excellent form continued with another superlative display this weekend, ripping Manchester City's midfield and defensive lines apart with ease.
He ventured further and further forward as the game wore on, creeping into dangerous pockets of space, and his outrageous ability to lift passes into tight spots and release runners at the perfect time shot to the fore.
He garnered no goals or assists but was often the master creator behind the moves. Cesc has consistently been the man behind the pass before the assist in 2016.
AM: Juan Mata, Manchester United
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Some Manchester United fans may be worrying over how Juan Mata would fit in at the club should Jose Mourinho take charge, but the player doesn't seem to be concerned with anything other than playing football.
His lovely free-kick on the stroke of half-time gave the Red Devils a 2-0 lead at Shrewsbury on Monday night, essentially ending the cup tie there and then, and he generally sparkled in possession and in chance creation.
Wing: Eden Hazard, Chelsea
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On Sunday, we saw the Eden Hazard we know and love—the Player of the Year iteration who dazzled so often in 2014-15. Admittedly, it was against a Manchester City youth team, but it's promising all the same.
Arguably the best player on the pitch, the Belgian picked up two assists, a goal and forced another with a cross that eventually led to a Gary Cahill strike. His free-kick was great, his crossing a thorn in City's side and his give-and-go with Willian for the second goal simply delightful.
Dynamic, willing to run at players and precise when delivering the final ball? More of that please, Eden.
Wing: Dimitri Payet, West Ham
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Dimitri Payet just gets better and better. He's an absolute joy to watch—provided you're not a defender for the team unfortunate enough to come up against him.
As Blackburn Rovers found out on Sunday, he's nearly impossible to stop in full flow and adds production to the end of his deadly runs. His free-kick, which gave the Hammers the lead, was a stunning hit that was simply destined for the back of the net.
ST: Emmanuel Emenike, West Ham
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West Ham new boy Emmanuel Emenike has had to be patient since joining in January, but he seized his chance when awarded it by netting two at the weekend against Blackburn Rovers.
His physicality should ensure he impresses during his time in England, and if this performance is anything to go by, he's improved in front of goal too. The woodwork denied him a picture-perfect hat-trick as he turned on the style.
His second goal was particularly easy on the eyes, as he fooled the goalkeeper with a series of feints and step-overs before calmly rolling it home.
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