"This is not an upset!!"
The following day, Gao Bo's bold statement made headlines in numerous newspapers.
Though the title quoted him as saying, "This is not an upset," many media outlets still described the match as one of the biggest upsets in recent FA Cup history in their articles.
While stories of underdog victories are common in the FA Cup, it's rare to see a lower-division team like Luton sweep a Premier League powerhouse like Manchester City with a 4-0 scoreline.
"…In a sense, this truly wasn't an upset, because with the quality Luton displayed, Manchester City was completely outmaneuvered! While City held the edge in possession, Luton dominated in key areas such as shots on target, shots within the box, running distance, interceptions, and other statistics. And, of course, the 4-0 score speaks for itself…"
The French newspaper L'Équipe featured the match on the front page of its sports section. In England, the game sent shockwaves throughout the country.
"I never expected Manchester City to lose this badly. Coach Gao Bo's team accomplished something extraordinary. In fact, I believe they have a real chance of winning the FA Cup!" said Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, grinning mischievously to the media. After all, it was their city rivals, Manchester City, who suffered the humiliating defeat, and United themselves had already been eliminated from the FA Cup. For Ferguson, watching the drama unfold was pure entertainment.
Another legendary Premier League manager, Arsène Wenger, also expressed his amazement: "I don't think any team would want to face Luton right now. They've been a phenomenal side in English football this season. For a coach to build such an efficient team in the Epl League Two is truly remarkable."
Arsenal, like Luton, had reached the FA Cup quarter-finals, but the draw for the next round wouldn't take place until all the fifth-round matches were complete.
On the BBC's Match of the Day, Gary Lineker dedicated nearly half an hour to introducing the Luton team. "I think it's impossible to ignore this team anymore. They've eliminated Chelsea and Manchester City, two giants of English football. In the quarter-finals, we'll see who Luton draws, and how far they can go in this FA Cup campaign. Let's wait and see!"
That very night, after the episode of Match of the Day aired, the FA Cup fifth round concluded.
Interestingly, there were no drawn matches in this round, which is relatively rare in the FA Cup. This also meant that the quarter-final lineup was complete.
The eight teams advancing were Luton, Coventry, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Hull City, Everton, Liverpool, and Arsenal.
Luton was the lowest-ranked team among the quarter-finalists, followed by Coventry from the Championship. The other six teams were all from the Premier League.
Though the FA Cup is known for its surprises, teams lacking strength cannot produce consistent upsets throughout the tournament.
---
The day after training, Gao Bo and his entire coaching staff gathered in his office to watch the live draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Reaching the quarter-finals was already a pleasant surprise for Gao Bo, given the immense pressure the team had faced earlier in the season with their 30-point deduction in the league. Now, the thought of being just three wins away from lifting the FA Cup was enough to excite him.
For Gao Bo, winning the FA Cup was a must. Not only would it come with unimaginable rewards from the card system, but it would also secure Luton a spot in the Europa League next season.
If the team successfully earned promotion to the First Division, Gao Bo could potentially lead Luton into European competition. The mere thought of such a challenge sent shivers of excitement through him.
John Aston, however, was more cautious. "Winning the FA Cup would be incredible, but I just hope we get a favorable draw for the quarter-finals…"
Even though Luton had beaten Chelsea and Manchester City, John was apprehensive about facing Arsenal or Liverpool.
"I hope we draw Coventry!" Lin Sen, one of the coaching staff, said longingly. Coventry was undoubtedly the weakest team left in the competition apart from Luton.
The draw began, and the first name drawn was Coventry.
Everyone in the room turned to look at Lin Sen in astonishment, even he seemed stunned by the coincidence.
And then it happened…
Coventry's opponent was revealed: Luton!
Cheers erupted in the office. John Aston, overwhelmed with excitement, even pretended to plant a few kisses on Lin Sen, causing the younger coach to retreat in embarrassment.
"What kind of magic did you use, Lin?!"
Mel Donald was equally thrilled.
Though it might sound overconfident, for a team like Luton, who had already defeated Chelsea and Manchester City, facing a Championship side like Coventry didn't seem daunting at all.
Gao Bo was delighted too. Drawing Coventry was undoubtedly preferable to drawing Arsenal or Liverpool.
"Alright! Our next goal is to beat Coventry and reach the semi-finals!" Gao Bo declared passionately.
The rest of the draw saw Liverpool paired with Fulham, Everton facing Middlesbrough at home, and Arsenal taking on Hull City.
After the draw concluded, the BBC broadcast didn't immediately end. The presenters and guests shared their predictions for the semi-finalists.
"I think the final four will be Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, and Luton!" one guest confidently stated.
Even Gary Lineker agreed. "Coventry will have a tough time against Luton. Although Coventry is two divisions higher, look at Luton's form, they're the predators of the Second League. Without that 30-point deduction, they would have shattered records for the highest point total this season!"
In the history of the FA Cup, a lower-league team had never garnered such widespread optimism.