Alan Pardew's dream of reprising a celebrated 25-year-old FA Cup triumph was scuppered by Liverpool as the seven-time champions came from behind to book a place in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
This year's shock-laden competition had continued with second-tier Blackburn Rovers' 4-1 thrashing of Premier League Stoke City.
Yet Liverpool were determined not to become the latest illustrious victims as two second-half goals in nine minutes from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana turned their fifth round tie around.
At Selhurst Park, the home fans had unveiled a vast banner of Palace manager Pardew in his playing heyday when the midfielder's most famous goal had knocked out the then mighty Liverpool in the 1990 Cup semifinal.
Once Frazier Campbell had put Palace ahead after 15 minutes, it even seemed as if their new boss might pen another high-flying Eagles' story. But goals from Sturridge after 49 minutes and Lallana (58) ruined the script.
Earlier, record signing Brown Ideye scored twice as West Bromwich Albion also progressed to the quarterfinals with an emphatic 4-0 victory against West Ham United at the Hawthorns.
So it was left to Championship side Blackburn to follow up the fourth round shocks, which saw Chelsea beaten by Bradford and Manchester City defeated by Middlesbrough, with a Josh King hat-trick inspiring their win over Stoke.
Peter Crouch gave Stoke a 10th minute lead but Blackburn restored parity with King's header after 36 minutes.
After Stoke's Geoff Cameron was dismissed for a last-man tackle, Rudy Gestede gave Blackburn the lead on the verge of halftime.
King fired home his second and Blackburn's third in the 50th minute before he raced clear of a lumbering Stoke defensive line to complete his hat-trick in the 55th minute.
Reading also sealed a place in the last eight with a 2-1 defeat of Derby County.
Liverpool are among the Premier League's 'big three' fancied to lift the trophy, with favourites Arsenal hosting Championship leaders Middlesbrough on Sunday and Manchester United visiting Preston North End on Monday.
Nigerian Ideye, signed from Dynamo Kiev in July but yet to shine, applied a simple finish to give West Brom a 20th-minute lead against West Ham and James Morrison added a second before the break with a stunning long-range strike.
Ideye headed his second, and fourth in his last three matches, in the 57th minute and Saido Berahino completed the rout after West Ham substitute Morgan Amalfitano was dismissed for a poor challenge and a shove to the face of Chris Brunt.
"Right now I am very happy for the team and for myself for the two goals today," Ideye told BT Sport. "As you can see we were on top of the game from the goalkeeper to the attack."
POWERFUL IDEYE
After a lively and even opening, the marauding Craig Dawson won possession in West Ham territory before rolling a perfect low cross into the path of Ideye who stroked home.
Craig Gardener came within inches of adding a stunning second but his rasping long-range shot shuddered against the bar with West Ham goalkeeper Adrian well beaten.
The hosts did not have to wait long to double their lead when Morrison added a spectacular second in the 42nd minute.
West Ham's Mark Noble surrendered possession and Morrison was allowed space on the edge of the box before letting fly with an unstoppable thunderbolt.
The hosts continued their dominance after the break and Ideye generated great power and placement from a standing start to head home Stephane Sessegnon's deflected cross.
Substitute Amalfitano was brought on in the 60th minute but stupidly got a red card when he followed a rash challenge with a petulant shove in the face of Brunt.
West Ham's misery was compounded when Berahino fired in from an acute angle for his fifth goal in three FA Cup appearances this season.
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