Women’s football returned this weekend with the fourth round of the FA Cup, after a month-long winter break.

Current holders Manchester United progressed with a convincing victory over West Brom while Chelsea and Manchester City also secured comfortable wins.

From the comeback of key players to the gulf in class down the pyramid, Telegraph Sport picks out five talking points from the fourth-round ties.

Do elite enter competition too soon?

The “magic” of the FA Cup does not exist in the women’s game in the same way it does in the men’s. That is because there is virtually no chance of a smaller team beating a Women’s Super League or even a Championship side.

While third-tier West Brom only trailed 1-0 until the 77th minute against Manchester United, six goals in 18 minutes gave the WSL club a huge victory. Fulham, the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, were comfortably beaten 5-0 by Championship side London City Lionesses.

Meanwhile, third-tier Exeter were thrashed 7-1 by Sunderland. Ipswich, who also play in the third tier, managing to keep Manchester City to just three goals was probably the best result for the lower-ranked teams.

The women’s pyramid is not as strong as the men’s – where League One, Two and even non-league clubs can put up a decent fight against Championship or Premier League sides.

While the lower-ranked teams will undoubtedly enjoy the opportunity and exposure playing against a bigger team brings, given this stage of the competition is not the same money-spinner it is in the men’s game, there is perhaps an argument to say WSL sides should enter in the fifth round instead of the fourth.

James, Toone and Miedema return

As well as progressing to the fifth round with ease, there was an extra positive for Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City – with all three clubs welcoming a key player back from injury.

Lauren James started in Chelsea’s win over Charlton while Vivianne Miedema and Ella Toone both came off the bench in City and United’s victories respectively.

Miedema and Toone both got on the scoresheet ahead of next week’s Manchester derby while James was lively for Chelsea before being substituted at half-time.

The return of James and Toone is also a boost for England manager Sarina Wiegman ahead of next month’s Nations League fixtures against Spain and Portugal.

Freezing weather plays havoc

As many as five fourth-round ties were postponed because of frozen pitches up and down the country.

Brighton’s game with Durham on Saturday was cancelled just hours before kick-off – as was Sheffield United’s match at Crystal Palace.

Durham and Sheffield United, both Championship sides operating on smaller budgets, had made the trips south the previous day and will now have to foot the cost of a second journey.

Arsenal, Everton and West Ham all took the decision to postpone their matches with Bristol City, Tottenham and Liverpool on Saturday before their opponents travelled.

The rearranged ties are likely to take place on January 29, though it is understood Crystal Palace vs Sheffield United could take place as early as next week.

Fulham make statement off the pitch

It’s not been an easy few months for Fulham following the sexual assault allegations made against their late former owner, Mohamed Fayed.

While that may have cast a shadow on the season of their women’s team, the club have clearly backed the players and manager Steve Jaye. Playing their fourth-round tie at Craven Cottage ensured it would go ahead, unlike many other ties, and it is not the first time the women’s team have played there this season.

“This is our third game here this season,” Jaye said. “I appreciate our men’s club is a Premier League team but for a fifth-tier club in the women’s game to host an FA Cup tie this weekend when a lot of other games have been postponed is great credit to what we’re doing here as a football club and how seriously we’re taking it.”

Winter break feels too long

With no eye-catching ties in the FA Cup, it is perhaps fair to ask whether it would have been better for the women’s game to restart with League fixtures instead.

The winter break is necessary because of the demanding schedule but it can often feel like a week too long and it would have been more entertaining to have a big WSL clash – like next weekend’s Manchester derby to kick things back off.

It has no doubt been useful for WSL managers to get some minutes back into their players after a four-week lay-off, but it is difficult to ramp up the excitement for the early rounds of the FA Cup when there is no standout tie to look forward to.