Manchester City ease past Middlesbrough
Posted by admin on Jan 03, 2010 | Leave a Comment
A weakened Manchester City side progressed to the FA Cup fourth round with a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Benjani Mwaruwari scored late in the first half with his only meaningful contribution to a drab encounter that lacked any of the FA Cup’s fabled magic.
Roberto Mancini fielded a shadow side, handing a debut to young defender Dedryck Boyata and including fringe players such as Javier...
Everton survive scare to beat Carlisle United
Posted by admin on Jan 03, 2010 | 1 Comment
Brave Carlisle were given a standing ovation at Goodison Park for their fighting display against last season’s beaten FA Cup finalists Everton but they ultimately lost 3-1.
Everton had been frustrated for long period by Greg Abbott’s defiant League One side in this third round tie.
And two late goals gave Everton a very flattering victory when the Cumbrians were already thinking about a money-spinning home...
Aston Villa ease past 10-man Blackburn Rovers
Posted by admin on Jan 03, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Goals from Nathan Delfouneso, Carlos Cuellar and John Carew earned Aston Villa a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup for only the third time in nine seasons as they beat 10-man Blackburn 3-1 at Villa Park.
Delfouneso struck his first goal of the campaign and Cuellar (pictured) added a second before Rovers saw David Dunn’s spot-kick saved by Brad Guzan and then had El-Hadji Diouf sent off for a lunging challenge...
Niko Kranjcar brace as Spurs beat Peterborough
Posted by admin on Jan 03, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Tottenham Hotspur made light work of Championship strugglers Peterborough United as they ran out 4-0 winners in the FA Cup third round clash at White Hart Lane.
Niko Kranjcar scored a brace with goals either side of half time, before Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane added a goal apiece, the latter from the penalty spot.
Despite insisting he was prioritising a top four league finish over silverware this season, Spurs manager...
The English FA Cup competition must prove its worth again
Posted by admin on Jan 02, 2010 | 1 Comment
HOW much the FA Cup still matters is a much discussed topic of conversation among English football fans.
It is a subject brought into even sharper focus at this time of year when the world’s oldest senior knockout football tournament reaches the third round stage, the point when teams from England’s top two divisions enter the event.
Conventional wisdom has it that the FA Cup has now lost much of its lustre.
The advent...
Carrick relishes first taste of ‘War of the Roses’ against Leeds
Posted by admin on Jan 02, 2010 | 1 Comment
MICHAEL Carrick is relishing Manchester United’s FA Cup clash with bitter rivals Leeds here tomorrow and feels Alex Ferguson’s side are on the verge of a fine burst of form.
United go into the new year two points off the Premier League leaders Chelsea, safely through to the knock-out phase of the Champions League and with the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Manchester City to come next week.
Even...
Liverpool’s Cup of hope
Posted by admin on Jan 02, 2010 | Leave a Comment
RAFA Benitez insists the FA Cup is more important than ever to Liverpool as they battle to avoid a fourth successive season without a major trophy.
Having fallen way off the pace in the race for the Premier League as well as being eliminated from the Champions League, the FA Cup represents one of Liverpool’s last hopes of bringing silverware to Anfield this term.
They face a tricky third round date away to Reading,...
Arsene not interested in FA Cup chase
Posted by admin on Jan 02, 2010 | Leave a Comment
ARSENE Wenger admits he is ready to sacrifice Arsenal’s FA Cup hopes to keep their Premier League title challenge on track.
Wenger’s side make the short trip across London to face West Ham in the third round of the Cup tomorrow in a derby clash that would usually be treated with the utmost respect by Arsenal’s manager.
Wenger has won the Cup four times during his 13 years in north London and the club’s last major...
Ancelotti gets first taste of FA Cup romance
Posted by admin on Jan 02, 2010 | 1 Comment
CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti will have his first taste of FA Cup football this weekend and the Italian is already aware it has a markedly different flavour in England compared to his homeland.
There, domestic knockout competitions are all but ignored, with even clubs like AC Milan and Juventus, who have both had spells with Ancelotti at the helm, going through the motions in front of sparse crowds.
Many believe the...
