This was the first FA Cup competition to use penalties to decide games still tied after extra time in a replayed match.
Teams from the Football League First and Second Division (except Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers) entered in this round.
Liverpool began to compensate for a sub-standard league season by eliminating Aston Villa and booking themselves a seemingly easy semi-final tie with a Portsmouth side who defeated League Cup finalists Nottingham Forest and ending their hopes of a unique FA Cup/League Cup double.
Sunderland joined fellow Second Division side Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-finals thanks to a 2–1 replay win over Chelsea after a 1–1 draw.
Liverpool emerged as victors in the shootout to reach the FA Cup final for the fourth time in seven seasons.
The game was replayed 11 days later and it was shown live on Sky Sports as planned after they previously showed the abandoned match.