Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest scores, team news and updates from Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round ties. Including Sheffield United vs Brighton, Everton vs Luton Town, Leeds United vs Plymouth and Leicester vs Birmingham.

GOAL!! Foxes fly out of the gates (Vardy 47′)

Jamie Vardy header! The Premier League veteran is back on the scoresheet after his spell on the sidelines, and already Maresca’s side are reaping the benefits!

SECOND-HALF

Well, for almost everyone – after Sheffield United versus Brighton’s elongated first-half.

Maidstone United manager George Elokobi has opened up on his side’s ‘historic’ win over Championship high-flyers Ipswich.

Lamar Reynolds and Sam Corne scored the historic goals for the National League South team but there were heroes all over the place for Maidstone.

Not least goalkeeper Lucas Covolan, who produced a series of incredible saves as Ipswich piled on the pressure in the late stages of the tie and through a nail-biting eight minutes of stoppage time to secure one of the great FA Cup upsets of all time.

READ MORE BELOW.

HALF-TIME SCORES

And breathe…

Not a bad first 45 minutes of football this afternoon, with three of the four teams getting on the scoresheet, and all four ties really nicely poised.

A reminder of our scores heading into the break:

SHEFFIELD UNITED 2-2 BRIGHTON

LEEDS 1-0 PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

EVERTON 0-1 LUTON TOWN

LEICESTER CITY 0-0 BIRMINGHAM CITY

LEEDS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Jaidon Anthony of Leeds United celebrates scoring his team's first goal whilst displaying a t-shirt reading 'est in perfect peace mum' during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Leeds United and Plymouth Argyle at Elland Road on January 27, 2024 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

GOAL!!! We head into the break level… (Osula 45+8′)

Osula leaps like a salmon to head the ball past Verbrugeen and transform Sheffield United’s hopes ahead of the break!

But immediately, it’s sent upstairs to VAR, as he may have strayed into an offside position. It’s tight, as Brighton might have played him on… and the goal STANDS!

15:49, 46

Sheffield United 1-2 Brighton

The goal stands!

That was a serious chunk of time – as if pre-empting the eight minutes of added time – and the Sheffield United fans get to celebrate all over again.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - January 27, 2024 General view as a big screen displays a pending VAR goal decision after Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer scored their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

GOAL!! Hamer feast upon goalkeeper’s remains (Hamer 44′)

An excellent goal from Sheffield United, from very little indeed. First, Verbruggen makes a save after a strong run from Osula, but Hamer is waiting in the middle of the box and can bury it in the back of the net!

The hosts are made to wait for a lengthy VAR check for offiside… whilst an announcement is made for whopping eight minutes of added time…

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United scores the team's first goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Bramall Lane on January 27, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

GOAL!! Burke breaks the deadlock for visitors (Burke 39′)

Doughty sends in an inswinging corner and … it’s Luton’s opener! Burke I think got the faintest touch to it, but it was an extremely well-struck corner from Doughty.

Could Burke have got a hand to it? VAR checks… and the goal stands.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Everton v Luton Town - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - January 27, 2024 Luton Town's Reece Burke scores their first goal REUTERS/Carl Recine
15:38, 34

Sheffield United 0-2 Brighton

Brighton are looking lively now, as Ferguson sets up Buonanotte to scythe through the attacking third. He sets up Pedro on the edge of the box who lashes the ball at Grbic, but his effort goes over the crossbar.

Needless to say, the Seagulls are looking dangerous.

Meanwhile, Sheffield United’s afternoon looks to go from bad to worse with Ahmedhodzic down injured and receiving treatment.

GOAL!! Anthony offers touching tribute with strike (Anthony 31′)

Jaidon Anthony bypasses a handful of stunned Plymouth players to rifle the ball past Meslier to draw first blood at Elland Road!

The player dedicates the stunning strike to his late mother in his celebration.

GOAL!! Brighton double their lead with a penalty (Joao Pedro 29′)

Joao Pedro is nerveless as he steps up to score his 12th penalty in English football after being brought down in a nasty clash that was later rubber-stamped by VAR.

An excellent start from the visitors – and Pedro’s ninth in nine from the spot this season.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - January 27, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro scores their second goal from the penalty spot Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
15:26, 24

Everton 0-0 Luton

Despite brightness and intent from both sides, neither team has tested the goalkeeper as we tick towards the first-half’s halfway mark.

15:23, 20

Everton 0-0 Luton

After finding themselves on the backfoot, Everton are playing themselves into the tie, and things are pacey from both teams at Goodison Park.

But Luton still look impressive, and Mykolenko is being forced to work hard to subdue Townsend, who again looks to plot an attacking run.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Everton v Luton Town - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - January 27, 2024 Luton Town's Andros Townsend in action with Everton's Vitaliy Mykolenko Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

GOAL!! Brighton finally get their goal (Buonanotte 14′)

Buonanotte is the one to finally get Brighton on the board, with a stunning strike to punish the hosts!

Ferguson instead has to settle for the assist.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - January 27, 2024 Brighton & Hove Albion's Facundo Buonanotte celebrates scoring their first goal with Pervis Estupinan and Pascal Gross REUTERS/Chris Radburn

Brighton see early goal chalked off

Brighton think they’ve broken the deadlock early after disrupting the bright Sheffield United play, and it’s teenage firestarter Ferguson who buried the ball in the back of the home net.

But the flag goes up quickly, his header deemed offside, and we’re back to square one.

Brighton and Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson scores but the goal is ruled out during the Emirates FA Cup fourth round match at Bramall Lane, Sheffield. Picture date: Saturday January 27, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Sheff Utd. Photo credit should read: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Sheffield United 0-0 Brighton

Sheffield United are keen to get on the front foot at Bramall Lane, and have spent most of the match wedged in the visitor’s half.

Norrington-Davies sends in a whipping cross, but can’t get the ball to land with the right team-mate in the box. Palmer boots the ball towards Verbruggen’s goal, only for it to slip wide, but the hosts are confident.

Everton 0-0 Luton

Luton look for a fast start as they test the Everton defence, trying to catch Mykolenko asleep. Adebayo and Morris both try to get a useful boot to the ball to force Virginia into quick thinking, but the early threat is neutralised quickly.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Everton v Luton Town - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - January 27, 2024 Luton Town's Ross Barkley shoots at goal REUTERS/Carl Recine

KICK-OFF!

We’re now underway across the country!

Two more cut-out cup offerings

I’m afraid the second photo’s glaring lack of tin foil could see it slip down the standings.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: A tinfoil FA Cup trophy is seen in the hands of Sheffield United supporter during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Bramall Lane on January 27, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Brighton & Hove Albion fans pose for a photo with an Emirates FA Cup cutout prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Bramall Lane on January 27, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Exclusive: Luton have the most STRESSED OUT fans in the Premier League, blood pressure study reveals

Watching your team play can be a stressful encounter, but for Luton supporters football is raising blood pressure to dangerously high levels, as a recent study revealed.

Premier League survival is turning out to be as stressful for players and managers as it is for those occupying the stands each week as the English top-flight’s most stressed out fans have been documented.

… you can read more via the report below – and before Everton fans start feeling smug – unsurprisingly, they sit third in the rankings.

Mail Sport’s Matt Barlow was at Portman Road

His piping-hot report has just landed, and you can read it below.

In the 3pm kick-offs, the players are out and warming up

Just under 20 minutes until we’re back in action.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton before the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and Luton Town at Goodison Park on January 27, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Everton v Luton Town - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - January 27, 2024 Luton Town's Ross Barkley during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Sheffield United goalkeeper Ivo Grbic before the Emirates FA Cup fourth round match at Bramall Lane, Sheffield. Picture date: Saturday January 27, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Sheff Utd. Photo credit should read: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Breaking the 40-plus year duck

And the winners at Wembley that year… Ipswich Town.

They’ve done it! MAIDSTONE ARE IN THE FIFTH ROUND

Absolute bedlam in East Anglia after the final whistle blows on a staggering FA Cup result.

Maidstone United sit 97 places below Ipswich Town (prepare to hear this stat a lot) but they’ve gone ahead, and gone ahead again to put themselves in the hat and make history in the process.

This is a truly fantastic result for the side, for the competition – and for fans of the best football novel ever written, How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the FA Cup – what will Elokobi’s side do next?

For now, however, the manager is pitchside, in tears, as the fans chant his name. What a day.

Maidstone's English midfielder #08 Sam Corne (R) celebrates scoring the team's second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Ipswich Town and Maidstone United at Portman Road, Ipswich, eastern England on January 27, 2024. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Roberto De Zerbi on Jurgen Klopp

During his pre-match press conference yesterday, the Italian manager was asked for his two-penny-worth on his soon-to-be-former colleague at Anfield.

Brighton fans will be watching the next few months with more than a little interest… their manager has certainly done enough to make the FSG shortlist.

We have our first cut-out FA Cup sighting

Bonus points for a natty personalisation on the front of the cup, really setting off the sharply drawn tin foil. Ribbons too!

What side do you reckon she supports?

This excellent example may be the first we’ve spotted – but if there’s one thing that can be counted on, it won’t be the last. Let the rankings begin.

Soccer Football - FA Cup - Fourth Round - Sheffield United v Brighton & Hove Albion - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - January 27, 2024 A Brighton & Hove Albion fan poses with a tin foil replica trophy inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Chris Radburn

Mail Sport is in Ipswich watching this nail-biter…

… and seeing out the eight minutes of extra time we’re into.

The visiting supporters lost it when the club went ahead – but how will they feel at full-time?

TEAM NEWS – in brief: Sheffield United versus Brighton

Five changes for the Blades side that drew 2-2 with West Ham in the Premier League, including a debut for goalkeeper Grbic. Archer, Norwood, Osborn, and Norrington-Davies round out the newcomers.

Brighton also roll the dice in goal swapping Steele for Verbruggen as they shake things up after their own league draw with Wolves. Roberto De Zerbi also brings in Igor Julio, Webster, and Ferguso for Dunk, Milner, and Welbeck.

TEAM NEWS – in brief: Everton versus Luton

Both teams will have their sights firmly set on Premier League survival, and Sean Dyche doesn’t mess too much with the game plan from their third-round tie versus Crystal Palace, making just one change as Beto comes back in for Gomes.

Rob Edwards switches things round a little more, with changes from their match against Bolton Wanderers that see Bell, Lokonga, Townsend, and Adebayo come in for Mpanzu, Chong, Osho, and Clarke.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Beto of Everton before the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Everton and Luton Town at Goodison Park on January 27, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Breaking: TEAM NEWS – Your Leicester and Birmingham City sides

Breaking: TEAM NEWS – Leeds versus Plymouth Argyle

Breaking: TEAM NEWS – The starting XIs for Everton and Luton

Breaking: TEAM NEWS – How Sheffield United and Brighton line-up

Maidstone are back in the game!

Sarmiento goes from hero to zero as he gives the ball away to set up another steaming goal from the visitors. It’s the main man from the third round, Sam Corne, and against the odds, Maidstone are ahead – again.

Amadou Onana, Jarrad Branthwaite and Abdoulaye Doucoure have been inked moves out of Goodison Park but Dyche insists the club’s financial situation has stabilised since being hit with a 10-point deduction, and facing a further charge relating to accounts up to 2023.

Everton sold Anthony Gordon to Newcastle for £45million at the end of last year’s January window and six players including Alex Iwobi left in the summer to raise further revenue…

READ MORE BELOW.

What will Maidstone do now?

Just 10 minutes into the second-half, Brighton loanee Jeremy Sarmiento has dragged the hosts level with a lightly-deflected shot that had goalkeeper Lucas Covolan absolutely snookered.

Ipswich celebrate the equaliser by bringing on a raft of substitutes. Things could be about to get a little dicey for the visitors…

In case you missed it: the departure of Jurgen Klopp

The first half of that title seems laughable – little has set social media alight like the shock announcement (which caught everyone, and I mean everyone, by surprise) that Jurgen Klopp is set to leave Liverpool after nine trophy-ladened years.

Anfield is certain to give their head coach an emotional response to the news at tomorrow’s FA Cup fixture against Norwich City.

Before then, treat yourself to Oliver Holt’s paen to a modern-day Bill Shankly, linked below.

Maidstone United manager George Elokobi speaks to the BBC

His quick half-time chat urged his side to ‘try to be us’. Will it be enough for the final 45?

Nothing is won at half-time, we have to be mindful of that. We gave our supporters something to cheer about.

We rode our luck a couple of times and if we are going to get anything out of this game, we are going to need a lot of luck. I am proud of our boys, we want to be us and we have to keep going at that.

IPSWICH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: George Elokobi, Manager of Maidstone United, looks on prior to the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Ipswich Town and Maidstone United at Portman Road on January 27, 2024 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Fourth-round ties: the FA Cup so far

The weekend is well and truly underway after last night’s four ties, but all but one of them ended unsatisfyingly to force a reply.

There were draws at Bristol City as they held Nottingham Forest to a goalless tie, at Sheffield Wednesday versus Coventry City after the hosts equalised late-on, and at Stamford Bridge, where both Aston Villa and Chelsa will have felt aggreived not to come away with a result.

Thank God, then, for Tottenham versus Man City. It may have taken Guardiola’s side 88 minutes to find their opener, but at the very least we know one of our fifth-round competitors.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 26: Manchester City's Nathan Ake celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 26, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images)

WATCH: Lamar Reynolds’ wonder-goal

But what will fate have for the minnows in the second half?

Meanwhile, in East Anglia…

You may or may not believe it, but sixth-tier Maidstone United have swiped the lead against Championship opponents Ipswich Town, minutes before heading for the break.

The goal in question was an absolute peach, and a wrecking ball to all of Ipswich’s control and possession in the first-half.

Bring on the magic of the cup cliches!

IPSWICH, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Lamar Reynolds of Maidstone United celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Ipswich Town and Maidstone United at Portman Road on January 27, 2024 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Good afternoon!

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live coverage of a rather scant afternoon of 3pm FA Cup kick-offs.

Due to a surfeit of teams playing last night and over the weekend, we’ve only got four matches to focus on this sunny Saturday afternoon, including Luton’s trip to Everton and Brighton’s match-up against Sheffield, plus Leeds versus Plymouth, and Birmingham’s day out at the King Power against Leicester.

With just over an hour-and-a-half before kick-off, stick around as we bring you all the build-up, team news, and more.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Andre Gomes of Everton celebrates after scoring his side's first goal from a free-kick during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round Replay match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on January 17, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Key Updates

  • GOAL!! Foxes fly out of the gates (Vardy 47′)
  • HALF-TIME SCORES
  • GOAL!!! We head into the break level… (Osula 45+8′)
  • GOAL!! Hamer feast upon goalkeeper’s remains (Hamer 44′)
  • GOAL!! Burke breaks the deadlock for visitors (Burke 39′)
  • GOAL!! Anthony offers touching tribute with strike (Anthony 31′)
  • GOAL!! Brighton double their lead with a penalty (Joao Pedro 29′)
  • GOAL!! Brighton finally get their goal (Buonanotte 14′)
  • Brighton see early goal chalked off
  • They’ve done it! MAIDSTONE ARE IN THE FIFTH ROUND
  • TEAM NEWS – Your Leicester and Birmingham City sides
  • TEAM NEWS – The starting XIs for Everton and Luton
  • TEAM NEWS – How Sheffield United and Brighton line-up
  • Meanwhile, in East Anglia…

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