FA Cup News
Pedro Neto’s hat-trick and Liam Delap’s hat-trick of assists made for Liam Rosenior’s happy Hull return
Hull have been a considerable talent school in recent years: Harry Maguire, Jarrod Bowen, Andy Robertson and lately Keane Lewis-Potter have all carved decent careers in the Premier League. Tom Cairney, too.
Liam Rosenior has FA Cup heritage, and played in this Wembley final classic in 2014. City were unlucky in this game, very unlucky.
Continue reading...Manager’s unconventional techniques are designed to bring fun as well as results and he has West Ham in his sights
“At times the players must think I’m bonkers,” says Gary Bowyer, the Burton Albion manager, volunteering the time he walked into the dressing room with a tennis racket and ball. It is one of the unconventional techniques he has used to convey his message and tap into their psyche. Every week he explores different themes and stories with his squad – be it bullfighting or UFC – and brings them to life through imagery and props, everything from dragons to toy tigers.
He has leaned into boxing and particularly Mike Tyson during an FA Cup run that has led them to a fourth-round tie at home to West Ham on Saturday. “The theme for this week is The Ultimate,” he says, referencing Tyson’s 1987 bout with Tony Tucker to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. “We’ve created this idea of climbing into the ring, the pitch, and away you go. We’re fighting West Ham and we’re going to have to take some blows. What do you do if you get knocked on to the canvas? Get back up or lay there and take it?”
Continue reading...Brighton had a bizarre season in 1982-83: they ended Liverpool’s quadruple hopes, reached the FA Cup final for the first time and finished bottom of the league
It was perceived by many as a bye. When the runaway league leaders Liverpool were drawn against rock-bottom Brighton at Anfield in the last 16 of the FA Cup in 1983, they were expected to take another step in their quest to win an unprecedented quadruple.
Brighton’s charismatic caretaker manager Jimmy Melia was trying his best to talk up his team’s hopes. “There is no way this draw means the end of the line,” the former Liverpool player protested. “We were the last side to win at Anfield, in March 1982.”
Continue reading...Burnley have the chance of a Cup run, Leicester fear an unwelcome repeat and Brighton fans get a raw deal
Chelsea have kept two clean sheets in 10 games since appointing Liam Rosenior as head coach last month. Repeated doziness at the back has cost them. They have held commanding advantages against Charlton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leeds, only to give away silly goals. It is a bad habit and proved costly when a 2-0 lead was squandered during Tuesday’s draw with Leeds. Rosenior was livid afterwards, and is waiting for a consistent performance. Chelsea travel to Hull , Rosenior’s former club, on Friday night. They will surely advance against Championship opponents, but how they do it will matter. It is time for them to get serious. Jacob Steinberg
Hull City v Chelsea, Friday 7.45pm (all times GMT)
Burton Albion v West Ham, Saturday 12.15pm
Burnley v Mansfield, Saturday 3pm
Southampton v Leicester, Saturday 3pm
Continue reading...Crystal Palace’s stars wilt, Manchester City’s youngsters shine, and Liam Rosenior starts in stylish fashion
Playing against lower-league opposition as a top-flight side in the FA Cup is like batting on the first morning of a Test match – you cannot really win and failure can prompt humiliation and reputational damage. To that end, some members of the Crystal Palace side deservedly beaten by Macclesfield perhaps learned a valuable lesson at Moss Rose. Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton are linked regularly with big moves away from Palace, but part of succeeding at elite clubs – the pair are admired by Manchester City and Manchester United respectively – is coping with being overwhelming favourites. Oliver Glasner, too, may have designs on bigger things, with United again a possible destination, but to see his side schooled by part-timers was a blow to his burgeoning reputation. Glasner slammed his players after the defeat but the Austrian must take a portion of the blame. They must all do better. Dominic Booth
Report: Macclesfield 2-1 Crystal Palace
Report: Manchester City 10-1 Exeter
Report: Manchester United 1-2 Brighton
Report: Derby 1-3 Leeds
Continue reading...Former midfielder ahead of Solskjær after interviews
Darren Fletcher admits he is in the dark over his position
Michael Carrick has emerged as the favourite candidate to be Manchester United’s interim manager for the rest of the season ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjær after the interview process, with the club’s executive expected to finalise the decision on Monday.
While Omar Berrada, the chief executive, and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, are understood to have not made a formal offer, they are leaning towards Carrick, sources have informed the Guardian. This follows both Carrick and Solskjær having face-to-face discussions with the hierarchy. Berrada and Wilcox met Carrick on Thursday and Solskjær on Saturday at the club’s Carrington training ground.
Continue reading...Manchester United’s hunt for trophies is over inside the second week of January after a ruthless Brighton took advantage of yet another loose defensive performance. This FA Cup third-round knockout means the 13-time winners have been dumped from the competition and the League Cup at the first opportunity for a first time since 1981-82.
By the end of May, United’s season will stand at a total of 40 games – their lowest number in a complete campaign since 1914-15. If the Carabao Cup penalty shootout elimination at Grimsby in August was dire, this disappointment was as concerningly insipid. Goals from Brajan Gruda and Danny Welbeck, one in each half, (probably) ended Darren Fletcher’s record as the interim manager as winless – this defeat following the draw at Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday.
Continue reading...The ageless Danny Welbeck scored the decisive goal against his old club, who had the teenage substitute Shea Lacey sent off
3 min Moments later, Dalot blooters over the bar from the edge of the area.
Cunha wanders infield and curls a marvellous long pass to put Dalot through on goal. He scampers into the area and is denied by the outrushing Steele. Dalot needed to lift it but his first touch was slightly heavy and that allowed Steele to close the gap.
Continue reading...After Macclesfield defeat, club must invest wisely to bolster a weak squad and convince their manager to stay
Oliver Glasner’s face told the story. The Crystal Palace manager watched in exasperation as the FA Cup holders headed towards ignominy on Macclesfield’s artificial surface and was still in shock when he conducted his post-match interview. “Honestly, I have no explanation for what I have seen today,” said Glasner.
A mere 238 days since the greatest day in Palace’s history, when he and the club stalwart Joel Ward paraded their first major trophy at Wembley, Marc Guéhi’s first thought after the final whistle at the weekend was to face the music from the diehards who had made the trip to Cheshire from south London. Accompanied by the assistant manager, Paddy McCarthy, the Palace captain held intense discussions with several supporters as Macclesfield’s celebrated their historic victory with a pitch invasion.
Continue reading...A hat-trick from Gabriel Martinelli helped Arsenal come from behind to beat Portsmouth with plenty to spare
At Pride Park, Leeds have come from behind to lead Derby. They’re playing with so much confidence now they’re setting up in a 3-5-2.
Bad news for Liverpool:
Continue reading...Liam Rosenior got off to a flying start as Chelsea head coach with an emphatic victory at the Valley
5 min Badiashile gets an early yellow card for pulling down Leaburn, who was in the Chelsea academy until the age of 16.
4 min Campbell’s low cross from the left is put behind for a corner by Andrey Santos. Bree takes, Jorgensen punches a little unconvincingly but gets away with it.
Continue reading...Rob Smethurst’s resurrection of a troubled but proud club is timely reminder that football can still be the people’s game
From extinction to the impossible dream of becoming the greatest FA Cup giantkillers of all, Macclesfield’s story reminds that community will forever be football’s greatest asset. As fans celebrated victory over the holders, Crystal Palace, many took their time to peel away from the stadium. Not too long ago, many feared they may never return to Moss Rose.
Macclesfield Town FC, 1874-2020 was the etching on the gravestone of the club that died, mourned quietly by a town that had slowly lost touch with events at the shambling football ground on its southern tip, pretty much the last stop before the long drive to London begins.
Continue reading...Aaron Ramsdale was Newcastle’s hero as they edged past Bournemouth into the FA Cup fourth round on penalties. The on-loan Southampton keeper saved from Evanilson, Álex Jiménez and Bafodé Diakité to seal a 7-6 shootout win after a pulsating encounter had ended 3-3 after 120 minutes on a bitterly cold afternoon. However, Eddie Howe was counting the cost, with Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at home to Manchester City in mind.
Marcus Tavernier had taken the tie to penalties with an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of extra time seconds after Harvey Barnes thought he had won it for the much-changed Magpies. The hosts had led through a Barnes goal, but trailed 2-1 after Alex Scott and David Brooks scored in quick succession before Anthony Gordon’s late spot-kick.
Continue reading...Wolves beat Shrewsbury 6-1 to continue revival
Leicester win 2-0 at Cheltenham to avoid giantkilling
David Moyes refused to criticise the players who missed all Everton’s penalties in a 3-0 shootout defeat to Sunderland in the club’s first FA Cup tie at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Unconvincing efforts from James Garner, who had scored from the spot in the 89th minute to cancel out Enzo Le Fée’s first-half strike, Thierno Barry and Beto were all saved by Robin Roefs. It was the first time in Everton’s history they had failed to score a single penalty in a shootout, and they became only the second top-flight team to lose an FA Cup shootout without scoring after Blackburn, also against Sunderland, in 2003.
Continue reading...After 52 minutes, joy for Antoine Semenyo on his Manchester City debut. Rayan Cherki’s pirouette presaged him threading the ball in behind Exeter’s defence for the wideman to run in and beat Joe Whitworth to cap a memorable display. A little later Semenyo was replaced to an ovation and, from his seat in the stands, the suspended Pep Guardiola, in a flat cap and winter coat, approved, too.
Tijjani Reijnders’ curled finish, Nico O’Reilly’s flicked header, an 18-yard shot by another debutant, Ryan McAidoo, and Rico Lewis’s second completed City’s goal-plunder, while the substitute George Birch, 19, smashed home a memorable first Exeter goal for their consolation.
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