Month: January 2020

The Championship high-flyers squandered several golden opportunities in an impressive showing in north London, and were eventually made to pay for that after the interval.

Reiss Nelson’s second-half goal was enough to send the Gunners through, who will now travel to Bournemouth at the end of the month.

England Under-21 winger Nelson finished from close-range to settle a tie which saw the second tier leaders more than match their top-flight opponents for a large majority of the contest.

A decade on from a memorable FA Cup shock at rivals Manchester United, Leeds looked set to once again ruffle the feathers of the established order, only to fall agonisingly short after a fine display in front of a vast away following at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta, taking charge of just his fourth match, must have displayed the half-time attributes of someone like his opposite number Marcelo Bielsa – whose first foray into management came when his counterpart was just eight years old – as Arsenal were a different prospect after a dismal first-half.

Leeds wasted a glut of chances to take the lead and make it a jittery night for Arteta and the home fans, Patrick Bamford coming closest when he rattled the frame of the goal.

But, after the break, Arsenal responded to whatever Arteta demanded of them and Nelson’s tap-in on 55 minutes was enough to seal a hard-fought victory.

Nicolas Pepe, having already enjoyed an early run at the Leeds defence, was the first to draw a save out of debutant Illan Meslier in the visitors’ goal.

But it was the second-tier side who were using the ball better in the opening stages, working it into dangerous positions without finding an end product.

They eventually tested Emiliano Martinez as Jack Harrison stung the palms of the stand-in Gunners goalkeeper, who was then helpless as Patrick Bamford’s strike cannoned back off the crossbar moments later.

Arsenal – as they have been so often this season – were creating their own problems as a number of misplaced passes out of defence from the likes of David Luiz and fit-again Rob Holding saw them caught out by a Leeds side full of pressing players.

Arteta’s surprise decision to deploy Sokratis Papastathopoulos at right-back was also looking questionable as the Greece international was easily beaten for pace by Ezgjan Alioski, who then angled a shot wide.

Despite all of Leeds’ attacking play, they should have been behind on the half-hour mark but Luiz could only head Mesut Ozil’s corner wide having been picked out free in the box.

At the other end, Martinez had to spring across his goal to keep out Alioski’s close-range header after the winger once again got the better of Sokratis.

Yet another opportunity went begging for the away side as Robbie Gotts, another man making his Leeds debut, miscued a strike as the Arsenal fans began to grow restless.

The two sides have had vastly different fortunes this season.

European champions Liverpool won the Club World Cup recently and are running away with the Premier League title.

Everton have seen an upturn in form since Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival but still have plenty of work to do to get back to where they want to be.

The cup will offer both clubs some respite but their fierce rivalry will certainly give their tie an intriguing edge.

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Not only is star striker Harry Kane out, along with long-term absentees Hugo Lloris and Ben Davies, but Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko could also be sidelined, along with Harry Winks.

If any of the latter trio are out, it will leave Jose Mourinho seriously short of options in central midfield for a game Spurs desperately need a result from as they hunt for a place in the top four.

Ndombele looked to have injured his groin just 25 minutes into Spurs’ match with Southampton, which was a huge blow considering his impressive performance to that point.

Sissoko picked up an injury against Saints too but played on and subsequently missed their disappointing 1-1 FA Cup draw with Middlesbrough.

The Boro game may also have come at a cost with Winks taking a heavy blow to his ankle.

He continued after the knock but the England international was eventually substituted after 56 minutes of the tie at the Riverside.

Now, having just drawn with Norwich and lost to Southampton, Spurs must battle league leaders Liverpool, who are romping to the Premier League title, without some of their best players.

Kane’s injury is a particular blow but perhaps unsurprising given he had played 90 minutes in every single game under Jose Mourinho, apart from the loss away to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Ndombele, meanwhile, appeared to have concerns about his conditioning prior to the festive period but was started in two consecutive games by the Portuguese manager.

It now leaves Spurs seriously short with 17-year-old Troy Parrott the only recognised specialist striker in the squad, although Heung-Min Son, Lucas Moura, and Dele Alli have previously been used as forwards.

In midfield it is a more complex matter; Ndombele has been far and away the best player in the middle of the park this campaign but his fitness issues have limited his impact.

Fans had tired of the Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko combination which lacked attacking output and any real creativity and thrust, but were still key first-teamers.

Eric Dier is still regaining his fitness after his illness having suffered a virus over the festive period, and Oliver Skipp is still considered to be learning the ropes.

Giovani Lo Celso, who spent his time at Paris Saint-Germain as a central midfielder has, slightly oddly, mainly been used in an advanced role, while Victor Wanyama has only made two substitute appearances this term and is set for a winter transfer.

Elsewhere, Christian Eriksen has played in deeper positions this season but has also spent a lot of time on the bench due to his seemingly impending exit.

All of this will leave Mourinho tearing his hair out as the unstoppable juggernaut that is Liverpool rolls into town.

So how could Tottenham line-up for the clash – which is LIVE on talkSPORT? We take a look, below…

There’s absolutely no shame in managing to avoid defeat at Molineux with a second-string team these days, however, it gives the Red Devils another fixture they really didn’t need.

They’ll have to face Wolves again in a replay on January 14, meaning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men could play up to EIGHT games this month.

Man United are also fighting on three fronts in in the first month of the year with fixtures in the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

They have arguably the most difficult league match of the season when they face Liverpool at Anfield on January 19.

And in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, they’re playing rivals Man City over two legs.

Oh, and they’re not out of the woods when January finishes either as they have to face Wolves in the Premier League on February 1.

The 18-year-old’s sensational long-range effort 19 minutes from time proved the difference between the two sides at Anfield, on a day where Carlo Ancelotti’s men squandered several golden opportunities.

They may have a new manager in Ancelotti, whose personal record against Liverpool is far superior to Everton’s, but the end result for the Toffees was still the same.

Liverpool were playing in a fifth different competition in just 27 days and with their inexperienced side weakened further by the early loss of Milner, this represented Everton’s best chance of ending their Anfield drought.

But they wasted that, particularly in the first half with four big chances going begging. Visiting teams rarely get so many opportunities over 90 minutes so Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Mason Holgate will have headed down the tunnel kicking themselves.

The former had the first and last chances of the half, a shot saved by the legs of Adrian and a diving header which he failed to properly connect with.

In between Holgate headed straight at Adrian with all the goal to aim at from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free-kick, while Richarlison hit Theo Walcott’s poor cut-back at the goalkeeper’s legs.

After a chaotic first 20 minutes Liverpool gained better control of the ball as Everton’s pedestrian midfield of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Morgan Schneiderlin were easily bypassed.

However, they still could not create the chances their opponents did until new signing Takumi Minamino, making his debut, missed a header from eight yards from Divock Origi’s cross.

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Veteran Aaron Wilbraham, 40, struck late to snatch a richly-deserved 1-1 draw for League One Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday.

Wilbraham combined with fellow substitute Luke Matheson, 23 years his junior, to equalise in the 79th minute after Miguel Almiron had put the Premier League side in front.

Bruce had named his strongest possible Newcastle line-up and the Magpies ought to have been home and dry by half-time after a thoroughly dominant first 45 minutes.

But Brian Barry-Murphy’s men stormed out for the second half and Oliver Rathbone had three fantastic opportunities as the underdogs visibly grew in confidence before Wilbraham’s strike.

It could have been even better for Rochdale with Rathbone firing a glorious chance wide in the final minute as the visitors, remarkably, were left clinging on for an entirely unwanted replay.

After the game, Bruce told talkSPORT the injury to Yoshinori Muto effectively took the game out of the Magpies’ hands.

“Listen, for as good as we were in the first half, we were disappointing in the second,” he said. “I do think the couple of injuries, another two, was too much.

“Rochdale made a cup tie of it in the second half, I expected them to. But our frailties are there for everyone to see.

“We don’t score enough, we’ve created and played some great football today and basically the cup tie should have been out of sight.

JOELINTON 19/20 STATS (ALL COMPS)

The £40m signing just has the solitary goal this season

• Appearances – 22
• Goals – 1
• Assists – 2
• Yellow Cards – 4

Lingard, the 27-year-old midfielder, has scored just twice over the past 12 months and often been criticised for below par performances.

His poor form was highlighted throughout the summer when Lingard posted an obscene video on social media, and Man United were told to sell a player who had ‘brought shame on the club’.

Jesse Lingard posts obscene social media video on Instagram

Lingard has frequently been criticised for being very active on social media and having interests outside of football, and Solskjaer revealed in the wake of the video storm he was to hold talks with the midfielder over his social media usage.

And the Man United boss believes Lingard has finally started to regain his focus on the game and show signs of improvement – which has coincided with him reducing how much time he spends online.

“Jesse has had his ups and downs as I’ve spoken about before,” said Solskjaer ahead of the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at home to Manchester City.

“But say the games against City and Tottenham, they are examples of how important he can be for us.

Ian Holloway gives his opinion on shocking Jesse Lingard video on social media

“Of course we want him back scoring goals and making assists, there is no one who runs as much as Jesse, he is a great trigger in the pressing, a bubbly character.

“I don’t think you see as much as you do on social media. He’s got his head down, I’ve known him a few years and he is getting back to the Jesse I knew.”

talkSPORT will be bringing you the best of the cup action this weekend and we’ll be kicking things off with Rochdale vs Newcastle.

League One Dale beat Boston United in the last round and have been rewarded with a home tie against Premier League big guns Newcastle.

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Steve Bruce’s side have been hit by major injuries recently and will have to rotate their ranks for their trip to Greater Manchester.

That could give Brian Barry-Murphy’s men the chance of a giant killing and talkSPORT will be on hand to see if they can upset the odds.

Ibrahimovic, who was previously on Milan’s books between 2010 and 2012 before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain, was introduced as a 55th minute substitute in a goalless draw at home to Sampdoria after sealing his return to the San Siro.

The 38-year-old, who helped Milan to the Serie A title in 2011, has penned a six-month deal with the club.

Ibrahimovic had two headed chances but one was cleared off the line and the other was saved by Emil Audero on an otherwise uneventful evening in Milan.

The result leaves Stefano Pioli’s men 12th in the table, a whopping 23 points off their arch nemesis Inter at the top.

Things are looking a lot brighter for Ronaldo and co in Turin, with Antonio Conte’s men level on points with Inter after 18 games.

The Portuguese superstar helped himself to a stunning second-half hat-trick as the champions – on course for a ninth successive Scudetto – secured a thumping 4-0 victory over Cagliari at the Allianz Stadium.

And Ronaldo, who turns 35 next month, once more wrote himself into the football record books as a result of his superb treble.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward, who has scored eight goals in his last five league outings, notched the 56th hat-trick of his trophy-laden career on Monday.

Ronaldo is the first Portuguese to score a hat-trick in Serie A and just the second player in history to score a treble in Serie A, La Liga and the Premier League.

The only other player to achieve that latter feat is Alexis Sanchez, the former Arsenal and Manchester United frontman.

With 32 ties played up and down the country, a host of teams have now taken a step closer towards Wembley.

AFC Fylde and Hartlepool were the lowest ranked teams left in the tournament but were both eliminated over the weekend.

Premier League leaders Liverpool and current champions Manchester City were among the teams to make it through.

All the remaining clubs will now be eager to discover who they’ll face in the next round.

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