An FA Cup run will not be a priority for a side in Bolton’s position.
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Jeremain Lens gave Sunderland a shock lead in the 17th minute, but Joel Campbell equalised eight minutes later with a neat finish and Aaron Ramsey put Arsene Wenger’s side ahead with 18 minutes to play before Olivier Giroud added a third a minute later.
League two (fourth tier) Wycombe Wanderers made sure their name will be in the hat for the fourth round with a 1-1 draw at home to the Premier League’s bottom club Aston Villa who have now gone 16 matches without a win.
Manchester City also eased past Premier League opposition as they won 3-0 at Norwich. Kevin De Bruyne sealed the win on 78 minutes.
Eastleigh went 1-0 up over Bolton in the second half of its match at its Silverlake Stadium with an own goal by Bolton defender Dorian Dervite, but Darren Pratley saved humiliation by leveling moments from the end.
Bolton were struggling on the carved-up pitch and the Vanarama National League side had another chance after the referee called for a controversial free-kick inside the Bolton box.
Captain Micah Richards gave Villa a 22nd-minute lead, but Joe Jacobson levelled with a penalty after Ashley Westwood caught Matt Bloomfield with a flailing arm.
Eastleigh V Bolton – view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.
Exeter held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw on Friday.
“We’ve had one or two offers in, they haven’t been accepted”, the Northern Irishman said.
No Premier League clubs suffered defeats by lower league opponents, although West Bromwich Albion came close, James Morrison stealing a 2-2 draw at home to Championship side Bristol City in the 95th minute.
Everton also made it through to the fourth round, ending the hopes of fourth- tier Dagenham and Redbridge with a 2-0 win at Goodison Park.
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In the fourth all-Premier League clash of the afternoon, Wilfried Zaha’s 68th-minute volley saw Crystal Palace claim a 2-1 win at Southampton.
