It would normally be out of place and unlikely for a team from the ranks of the lower divisions to upset a leading Premier League team, but at times the top clubs can still be defeated.
Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, four teams who were leading the league table suffered major surprises in the FA Cup competitions.
We've scoured the archives to highlight the four occasions when top-of-the-table Premier League teams were defeated by lower-league opponents in this prestigious competition.
Cardiff 2-1 Leeds (2002)
Cardiff's stunning upset victory over Leeds in the Third Round in January 2002 was not due to the football itself.
Managed by David O'Leary and featuring prominent players such as Rio Ferdinand, Harry Kewell, and Mark Viduka, Leeds embarked on a trip to Wales with the expectation that they would easily defeat third-tier club Cardiff.
Viduka scored first, but Leeds striker Alan Smith was dismissed for violent conduct and goals from Graham Kavanagh and Scott Young secured a famous win for the Bluebirds.
Violence marred the match at the uneven Ninian Park stands, with numerous projectiles hurled from the home section towards the area where the Leeds fans were seated and a disturbing invasion of the pitch immediately after the final whistle.
Cardiff's chairman, Sam Hammam, had disagreements with a BBC reporter and O'Leary following the game.
Leeds suffered a downfall after this loss, eventually concluding the season in fifth place and being demoted to a lower division two years later.
It will take them 16 years to regain a place in the Premier League.
Chelsea 2-4 Bradford (2015)
In the Roman Abramovich era, Chelsea treated the FA Cup with great importance, achieving five tournament victories in the span of 12 seasons, from 2006 to 2018.
They had their earliest shared departure in that period in 2014-15, when they were on the losing end of one of the largest upsets in recent history.
Top-ranked Premier League leaders, overseen by manager Jose Mourinho, took an early 2-0 lead against League One outfit Bradford and appeared to be at a significant advantage in their contest to reach the next round.
The Bantams however, made a dramatic comeback, scoring four times unanswered to shock Stamford Bridge and thrill spectators nationwide.
Wigan Athletic 1, Manchester City 0 (2018)
Five years after beating City in the FA Cup final, Wigan caused another major upset by knocking out Manchester City's runaway leaders in the Fifth Round
Following their relegation to League One, many doubted Wigan Athletic's chances against a Manchester City side that ultimately accumulated 100 league points.
Wigan persevered under virtually constant pressure from City, ultimately taking advantage of Fabian Delph's first-half dismissal when Will Grigg scored 11 minutes before the final whistle.
There was an unpleasant spectacle at the end of the game, with Sergio Aguero involved in an incident with one of the numerous supporters who stormed the pitch.
Nothing could diminish the glory of Wigan's evening.
Plymouth 1-0 Liverpool (2025)
Plymouth achieved a classic FA Cup upset in February 2025, as the lowest-ranked team in the Championship pulled off a significant victory against the top team in the Premier League at the lively Home Park stadium.
The Liverpool manager, Arne Slot, made a total of 10 changes to the team that had defeated Tottenham in the League Cup final three days prior.
And the Reds paid the price as Ryan Hardie's second-half penalty sealed the win for Argyle.
Liverpool applied some intense pressure in the closing stages, with Plymouth's goalkeeper Conor Hazard pulling off two outstanding saves from Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez to make history.