A brace from birthday boy James Milner helped Manchester City fight back from a goal down as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the FA Cup third round.
Atdhe Nuhiu handed the Owls a shock lead on 14 minutes, coolly slotting home from the edge of the box after a swift counter from the Championship side.
But Milner levelled on 66 minutes with a left-footed effort, before grabbing the winner for City in the first minute of second-half injury time from close range.
Manchester United avoided an FA Cup upset as second-half goals from Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria secured a 2-0 win over League One side Yeovil Town.
Herrera broke the deadlock on 64 minutes with a stunning strike that looped over goalkeeper Jed Steer, before Di Maria's dinked finish in the final moments secured their place in the fourth round.
Alexis Sanchez scored his 16th goal for Arsenal as the FA Cup holders overcame last season's runners-up Hull 2-0 at Emirates Stadium.
In a repeat of the 2014 final, the Gunners went ahead on 20 minutes as Per Mertesacker headed in from Sanchez's corner.
The Gunners then spurned numerous chances before Chile international Sanchez wrapped up the win with a smart turn and finish.
Chelsea powered into the fourth round of the FA Cup as second-half goals from Willian, Loic Remy and Kurt Zouma completed a 3-0 victory over Watford.
The Premier League leaders played most of second half with strikers Didier Drogba, Diego Costa and Remy on the pitch and the fire power eventually told, with Watford's defence cracking for the first time in the 58th minute.
Remy and Zouma put the result beyond doubt to keep under-strength Chelsea in the hunt for silverware on four fronts and, for all Waford's endeavour, there was a gulf in class between the rivals.
Jamal Campbell-Ryce scored twice as Sheffield United humiliated QPR 3-0, knocking out the Premier League side and storming into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Marc McNulty slotted in a 36th-minute opener for the League One side after being put through by Louis Reed's pass, and Campbell-Ryce netted early in the second half after keeper Alex McCarthy was unable to claim Reed's corner.
Campbell-Ryce struck again in the final seconds when he gratefully collected Leroy Fer's wayward back-header and skipped past McCarthy to cap a brilliant Blades victory.
Scott Dann, Dwight Gayle and Kevin Doyle ensured Alan Pardew was given a winning start to life as Crystal Palace manager as the Eagles avoided FA Cup third-round embarrassment at Dover.
Pardew -- finally announced as Neil Warnock's replacement on Saturday -- was in the dugout at the Crabble and was able to preside over a 4-0 win against the Conference side.
Centre-half Dann tucked away two first-half goals to stave off any threat of a shock and Gayle added a third to put the result beyond doubt, before forgotten man Doyle added a late fourth.
Ipswich will take Southampton back to Portman Road after holding their Champions League-chasing opponents to a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
The Tractor Boys, who came into the game unbeaten in 11 matches, took a first-half lead at St Mary's when Darren Ambrose headed home but Morgan Schneiderlin capitalised on a defensive mix-up to put Saints level at the interval.
The hosts dominated the second period but failed to convert possession into chances as Ipswich earned another chance of progress with a dogged and determined display.
Christian Benteke saved Aston Villa as his late winner saw them creep past Blackpool 1-0.
The striker volleyed in with two minutes left to end Villa's barren Christmas and score just their second goal in six games.
Patrick van Aanholt's first Sunderland goal was enough to book them a place in the FA Cup fourth round draw at the expense of old foe Leeds.
But the Premier League side suffered a late scare when skipper Liam Cooper headed against the post in the second minute of stoppage time with Black Cats keeper Costel Pantilimon beaten.
Van Aanholt's 33rd-minute strike settled the third round tie at the Stadium of Light by the same 1-0 scoreline which separated the teams at Wembley 42 years ago, when the then-second division Wearsiders defied the odds to beat the top-flight aristocrats.
Substitute Stephen Ireland scored twice as Stoke pulled off a late comeback to beat Wrexham 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium and avoid being the victims of an FA Cup giant-killing.
The Conference visitors, who had already hit the crossbar through Wes York, looked set to pull off a well-deserved third-round shock when Mark Carrington headed them in front in the 73rd minute.
But their Premier League hosts' blushes were spared as Marko Arnautovic levelled from close-range seven minutes later before strikes from Ireland in the 88th minute and stoppage time saw the Potters through to Monday's fourth-round draw.