FA Youth Cup runners-up of the last two years Manchester City are safely through to round four, following a 4-0 defeat of Reading on Thursday.
A double from Lukas Nmecha, plus goals from Brahim Diaz and England Under-17 international Phil Foden ensured a comfortably evening at the Madejski Stadium for Lee Carsley’s youngsters.
Carsley said: “I’ve had chance to watch a lot of Reading in the last three or four matches and I knew the quality they have and that we would have to be at our best to beat them. That’s how well we played.
“There were a lot of aspects to the match, such as the big stadium, the long journey and the threat of knockout that made it a great experience emotionally and mentally for these lads.”
Sunderland join them in round four, but were given a scare in their 4-1 defeat of Burton Albion.
Charlie Dowd fired the Brewers in front after three minutes, but midway through the first half Josh Maja levelled.
Sunderland took the lead when Burton defender Luke Tandy attempted to cut out a through pass from Maja, but succeeded in only inadvertently lobbing keeper Callum Hawkins.
And two second-half goals in quick succession from Lee Connelly and Maja sealed their progress.
Two goals from Harry Darling 24 hours earlier saw Cambridge United come from behind to beat Bournemouth.
The U’s were under the cosh in the first half, and the visitors got their reward when full-back Charlie Seaman produced a lovely side-footed finish from 18 yards out to make it 1-0 on 32 minutes.
But Cambridge came out firing after the break, with Darling nodding home from close-range just after the hour mark to level the tie, before another header seven minutes from time sparked the celebrations.
The Cherries were not done there however and United had to survive huge pressure in the six dramatic minutes of time added on, but they held out to the delight of academy manager Mark Bonner.
Bonner said: “It was a great win especially when you consider how much pressure we were under during the first half.
“Bournemouth had a lot of the ball, stretched us out and we struggled at times but stayed in the game at just one goal behind at half-time.
“We managed to make the changes at the break that turned the tide of the game and over 90 minutes we deserved to win it.”
Their opponents in the fourth round will be Brighton & Hove Albion, after they downed Derby County 2-0 at home.
Danny Mandroiu opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after Aaron Connolly’s surging run was halted inside the box, before Joe Bateman’s unfortunate own goal doubled Albion’s advantage on the stroke of half-time.
Leicester City also progressed courtesy of a 3-1 home win over Leyton Orient.
Ethan Hodby added to Layton Ndukwu's close-range effort in the first half for the Foxes, before a brilliant late goal from the menacing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put the result beyond doubt – despite a consolation for Tristan Abrahams in the dying moments.
Defending champions Chelsea will face Birmingham City in the fourth round, after Birmingham swept aside Oldham Athletic to win 4-1.
Two spectacular goals from Ronan Hale and Ollie Mulders were the highlights for the Blues, with Mulders’ 30-yard swerving hit bettered only by Hale’s spectacular 35-yard lobbed volley over Latics stopper Adam Siviter.
