Soccer - FA Cup Review:Chelsea went some way to lifting the gloom at Stamford Bridge as they began their defence of the FA Cup with a crushing 7-0 win over Ipswich, who sacked their manager Roy Keane this week.
The managerless visitors proved ideal cannon fodder for Carlo Ancelotti's faltering double winners, who went into the game on their worst Premier League run for almost 15 years.
Ancelotti's decision to continue last season's policy of fielding some youngsters in the early rounds of the cup did not backfire, with Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard scoring twice, Salomon Kalou also finding the net and Nicolas Anelka ending the goal drought which has coincided with Chelsea's two months of misery.
Carlos Edwards' own goal made up the tally.
After Manchester United defeated Liverpool 1-0 earlier in the day, it wasn't such a good day for their rivals Manchester City as Joe Hart's glaring error enabled skipper Andy King to earn Leicester a deserved 2-2 draw.
Hart failed to hold onto an innocuous cross from Paul Gallagher - and King converted the rebound midway through the second half.
Sol Bamba gave the Foxes a first minute lead but James Milner and Carlos Tevez put the visitors in the ascendancy before half-time at the Walkers Stadium.
Tottenham also booked their place in the fourth round as a brilliant brace from Jermain Defoe helped secure a 3-0 win over Charlton.
Spurs put a sluggish first half behind them to take the lead through youngster Andros Townsend, who fired past Rob Elliot to mark his debut with a goal in the 49th minute.
Defoe, who started his career with the Addicks, made it 2-0 with a low drive before rounding off the victory by turning the ball home from 18 yards for his fifth of the season.
Selected Sunday Results
The FA Cup Third Round
Man Utd 1-0 Liverpool
Tottenham 3-0 Charlton
Chelsea 7-0 Ipswich
Leicester 2-2 Man City
Scottish Cup Fourth Round
Dundee 0-4 Motherwell
Berwick 0-2 Celtic
Hearts P-P St Johnstone
East Stirling P-P Buckie Thistle
