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      Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off times, all the details you need for huge tournament

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      THE 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations returns this month as 24 teams look to battle it out for the prestigious trophy.Defending champions Senegal are looking to complete back-to-back wins at next year’s tournament.
      Senegal star man Sadio Mane led Senegal to AFCON glory in 2022Credit: AFP
      Ivory Coast will host the AFCON for the second time, previously hosting in 1984.
      The competition was meant to be played in 2023, but due to weather concerns the president of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, postponed it to 2024.
      Some of football’s biggest stars are competing such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and many more.
      The final is on February 11th and is due to be played in the Stade National de la Cote d’Ivoire stadium.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      When is the Africa Cup of Nations?

      The tournament takes place in January 2024 through to the following month, February. The hosts are Ivory Coast.
      The final will be on Sunday, February 11.
      Clashing with the Premier League and other European / Continental competitions will mean clubs will lose some of their top players.

      What channel is AFCON 2023 and can it be live streamed?

      Every game at the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 will be live on Sky Sports in the UK.
      You can live stream the action on the Sky Go and NOW TV apps, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The tournament takes place from January 13 – February 11.

      Who is playing in the Africa Cup of Nations?

      Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Mali, Tunisia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Nigeria, Zambia, Egypt and Equatorial Guinea have already qualified for the competition.
      Several other teams still have to qualify, to name a few there is DR Congo, Mauritania, Cameroon, Namibia, Ghana, Angola, Tanzania, Gambia, Mozambique and more.

      What is the format of the Africa Cup of Nations?

      The 24 qualified teams were drawn into six groups of 4 teams in a single round-robin.
      The two top teams of each group and the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16.
      The winners of the round of 16 matches will advance to the quarter-finals. Winners of the quarter-finals advance to the semi-finals. The losers of the semi-finals play in a third-place play-off match. Then the winners of the semi-finals play in the final game of the tournament to decide who will win the trophy.

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      Why is Thomas Partey not playing at AFCON 2023?

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      GHANA will be hoping to go all the way at the Africa Cup of Nations when it gets underway later this month. But they’ll have to do so without one of their star players Thomas Partey.
      Thomas Partey played for Ghana at the World Cup 2022Credit: Reuters
      Partey was influential for Arsenal in the Premier League last season as the Gunners ran Manchester City close in the title race.
      But this term the midfielder has barely played for Mikel Arteta’s side and Arsenal have struggled to maintain last season’s form.
      Partey also won’t be in action for Ghana at AFCON 2023 in the Ivory Coast.
      Why is Thomas Partey not at AFCON 2023?
      Partey has been out of action since October with a thigh injury but is back in training at Arsenal.
      AFCON 2023
      The former Atletico Madrid man is hoping to make his return to the pitch in the next few weeks.
      But AFCON 2023 comes too soon for Partey, according to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Ghana manager Chris Hughton.
      Arteta said on January 5: “It was about common sense. He had a long-term injury.
      “He was trying to push his rehab because he really wanted to be with his national team, but he’s still far from training with the team and it didn’t make sense for him to be involved.
      Most read in Football
      “Hopefully it is weeks. When and how many weeks is going to depend a little bit on how [long] the next step, training with the team, will take him. But he is progressing well.”
      Ex-Brighton boss Hughton added: “Thomas Partey for sure, and I say this not in a detrimental way to the squad that we have, but he is one of our most important players.
      “This we know and, withstanding his injury, he certainly would be in the squad.
      “We know the quality of player that he is. This is a player that has a substantial injury.
      “I’ve spent a lot over this period of time with Thomas and also engaging with the medical staff at Arsenal Football Club.
      “They will treat this injury with caution, and so will the player. This is a big injury for him and the biggest injury that he’s had.
      “The most important thing for me as head coach and our association is to give him the support that he needs through this period of time.
      “From all the information that we’ve been given, the timelines of his recovery and the caution that will be taken, will not meet our timelines for the AFCON.” More

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      Do TONIGHT’S FA Cup games have replays or are extra-time and penalties used if it is a draw?

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      FA CUP action has returned – and the third round has thrown up some blockbuster ties.But fans are still confused about whether extra time and penalties are used if required or if there are replays for the teams who cannot be separated after 90 minutes.

      PA:Press Association

      Some rounds of the FA Cup continue to use replays to decide ties Will there be replays for the FA Cup fifth round?
      FA Cup replays have become a huge part of English football’s most famous cup competition.
      And there have been extensive changes in recent years regarding whether they are included.
      In the 2020-21 and the 2021-22 season, all replays were scrapped due to fixture congestion.
      But they were brought back for the  third and fourth rounds of the 2022-23 campaign.
      However, there will be NO replays in the fifth round which means that all encounters will be concluded on the night More

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      Wigan vs Man Utd FA Cup preview: Erik ten Hag’s men make the short trip to League One side for third round tie

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      MANCHESTER UNITED make the short trip to Wigan Athletic to cap off the FA Cup third round fixtures.The Red Devils will be hoping they can go one better in the competition this year and lift the prestigious trophy for the first time since 2016.
      Manchester United last lifted the FA Cup in 2016Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      Wigan beat Manchester City 1-0 to become 2013 FA Cup winnersCredit: EPA
      Erik ten Hag’s men were narrowly beaten in the FA Cup final last campaign by bitter rivals Manchester City.
      This season has been a nightmare for Man Utd as they have struggled to find any consistency in their performance.
      The Red Devils currently sit 8th in the Premier League table and are out of the Carabao Cup and Champions League, meaning the FA Cup is their only hope of silverware.
      Meanwhile, Wigan sit 17th in League One but would be much higher if they weren’t on the receiving end of an eight-point deduction at the start of the season.
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      In 2013, the Latics stunned Man City to lift the FA Cup trophy for the first time in their history.
      When is Wigan vs Man Utd?

      Wigan vs Man Utd will take place on Monday, January 8th.
      Kick off will be at 8.15pm GMT.
      The DW Stadium will host.

      What TV channel is Wigan vs Man Utd on and can it be live streamed FREE?

      Wigan vs Man Utd will be broadcast live on ITV1.
      You can live stream the match for FREE via the ITVX app/website.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Wigan are expected to be without the defensive duo of Tom Pearce and Jason Kerr for their FA Cup clash with Man Utd.
      Most read in FA Cup
      Forward Stephen Humphrys missed the Latics’ 1-1 draw with Barnsley on New Year’s Day but will be pushing to return for Monday night.
      For Man Utd, Rasmus Hojlund was absent for the defeat to Nottingham Forest due to illness.
      Luke Shaw also didn’t feature at the City Ground after sitting out with a minor issue.
      Andre Onana has delayed linking up with Cameroon for Afcon so he can play between the sticks against Wigan on Monday night and Tottenham on January 14.
      Sofyan Amrabat has already flown off to join the Morroco squad, meaning he will be unavailable for the trip to the DW.
      Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro returned to training this week, but the Wigan clash may come too soon.
      Harry Maguire, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial are expected to remain out.
      What are the odds?
      Match result
      Read more on The Sun

      Wigan – 14/1
      Draw – 5/1
      Man Utd – 2/9

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      Chelsea vs Preston preview: Pochettino’s Blues host Championship side in huge FA Cup third round clash – team news

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      CHELSEA will host Championship side Preston North End in the third round of the FA Cup this weekend.The Blues will be hoping to lift the prestigious trophy for the first time since 2018.
      Chelsea last won the FA Cup in 2018Credit: GETTY
      Mauricio Pochettino’s side have performed better in cup competitions this campaign, with Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
      But it’s been a first half of the season to forget for the Blues as they sit 10th in the Premier League despite spending £425.7m (including add-ons) in the summer.
      Meanwhile, Preston sit 14th in the Championship but are just five points off the play-offs places as they chase a return to the top flight for the first time in 63 years.
      Chelsea edge North End on wins in the fixture historically, with the Blues tasting victory on 31 occasions and the Lilywhites winning 26 times.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      When is Chelsea vs Preston?

      Chelsea vs Preston will take place on Saturday, January 6th.
      Kick off will be at 5.30pm GMT.
      Stamford Bridge will host.

      What TV channel is Chelsea vs Preston on and can it be live streamed FREE?

      Chelsea vs Preston will be broadcast live on the BBC Red Button service.
      You can live stream the match for FREE via the BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV license.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Pochettino is expected to give a number of youngsters and fringe players some game time due to Chelsea’s upcoming Carabao Cup semi-final meeting with Middlesborough.
      The Blues will definitely be without the injured list of Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella and Carney Chukwuemeka for Saturday’s clash at the Bridge.
      Most read in FA Cup
      Nicolas Jackson will also be unavailable after he joined up with the Senegal squad ahead of Afcon 2023.
      Preston have been without former Premier League winger Robbie Brady in recent weeks and will be a doubt for their trip to London.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Chelsea – 1/7
      Draw – 6/1
      Preston – 14/1

      *Odds courtesy of Paddy Power and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      FA Cup fourth round draw: Stream FREE, TV channel and ball numbers as lower league sides hope to avoid Prem teams

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      FA CUP football is BACK and nothing beats a good old fourth round draw to jangle the nerves.Record-holders Arsenal and English giants Liverpool face off in the tie of round three.
      Manchester City are the the holdersCredit: Getty
      Manchester United face a tough trip to the DW Stadium where Wigan Athletic awaits.
      And fans will take a trip down memory lane as Newcastle look to book their fourth round draw spot against bitter rivals Sunderland.
      But when exactly is the draw and what are the full fixtures?
      When is the FA Cup fourth round draw?

      The FA Cup fourth round draw will take place on Monday, January 8.
      It is scheduled to get underway during the coverage of Manchester United’s trip to Wigan which starts at 7:30pm GMT – kick-off is at 8:15pm GMT.
      Fourth round matches are set to be played on the weekend of Saturday, January 27 and Sunday, January 28.

      Read more on FA Cup
      What TV channel is it on can it be live streamed?

      The FA Cup fourth round draw will be broadcast LIVE on ITV in the UK.
      Fans can also stream the entire action through ITV X or the ITV Sport website.
      Alternatively, follow SunSport’s live blog to see who is paired in the draw as it is announced which will then be followed by Wigan vs Manchester United.

      Can I watch it for FREE?
      YES!
      The FA Cup fourth round draw will be shown on ITV for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license.
      What is the full FA Cup third round fixtures?
      Thursday, January 4
      Most read in FA Cup

      Crystal Palace vs Everton

      Friday, January 5

      Brentford vs Wolves
      Fulham vs Rotherham
      Tottenham vs Burnley

      Saturday, January 6

      AFC Wimbledon vs Ipswich
      Coventry vs Oxford
      Maidstone vs Stevenage
      Millwall vs Leicester
      Sunderland vs Newcastle
      Blackburn vs Cambridge
      Gillingham vs Sheffield United
      Hull vs Birmingham
      Newport County vs Eastleigh
      Norwich vs Bristol Rovers
      Plymouth vs Sutton
      QPR vs Bournemouth
      Stoke vs Brighton
      Watford vs Chesterfield
      Chelsea vs Preston
      Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa
      Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff
      Swansea vs Morecambe

      Sunday January 7

      Luton vs Bolton
      Manchester City vs Huddersfield
      Nottingham Forest vs Blackpool
      Peterborough vs Leeds
      Shrewsbury vs Wrexham
      West Brom vs Aldershot
      West Ham vs Bristol
      Arsenal vs Liverpool

      Monday January 8

      Wigan vs Manchester United More

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      Arsenal vs Liverpool FA Cup preview: Gunners host Reds in a mouthwatering third round tie – stream FREE, TV, team news

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      ARSENAL welcome Liverpool to north London for a thrilling FA Cup third round tie – and they’ll be eager to make the end of 2023 a distant memory.The Gunners have completely capitulated from when they were top of the tree at Christmas.
      Arsenal had a poor ending to 2023Credit: Rex
      Mohamed Salah’s double inspired Liverpool to a 4-2 win against NewcastleCredit: PA
      Mikel Arteta’s men suffered two consecutive London derby defeats to West Ham and Fulham which has now seen them plummet down to fourth.
      And their opponents Liverpool capitalised by controversially beating Newcastle and replacing Arsenal at the summit.
      But this upcoming match is all about the FA Cup – a competition that no other side has lifted more than the Gunners.
      Furthermore, Arsenal went on to win the iconic tournament when the sides were last paired against each other in 2014.
      Read more on Arsenal
      When is Arsenal vs Liverpool?

      Arsenal’s huge FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool will take place on Sunday, January 7.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 4:30pm GMT.
      Emirates Stadium is the allocated arena for this thrilling match and it can host approximately 60,704 fans.
      It was all square when the two English giants met in a Premier League contest last month.

      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Arsenal vs Liverpool will be broadcast LIVE on BBC One in the UK.
      Coverage is expected to get underway at 4pm GMT – 30 minutes before kick-off.
      Fans can also head to BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sports website to stream the entire action.
      Alternatively, follow SunSport’s live blog for minute-by-minute coverage of the whole match.

      Can I watch it for FREE?
      YES!
      Arsenal’s FA Cup match against Liverpool can be watched for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license in the UK.
      Most read in FA Cup
      What is the team news?
      Mikel Arteta is set to lose Takehiro Tomiyasu once again despite the defender just returning from a calf injury.
      Tomiyasu will be joining up with Japan for the Asia Cup, while Mohamed Elneney is also on international duty but with Egypt for AFCON.
      Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Thomas Partey (groin), Jurrien Timber (knee) and Fabio Vieira (groin) are all likely to be unavailable too.
      Elsewhere, Jurgen Klopp has received two huge blows as Mohamed Salah will be joining Elneny with Egypt and Wataru Endo is participating in the Asian Cup along with Tomiyasu.
      Salah will miss the FA Cup clash against ArsenalCredit: Reuters
      Dominik Szoboszlai is also a major doubt having left the field early against Newcastle holding his hamstring.
      While Thiago (hip), Stefan Bajecetic (abductor), Andy Robertson (shoulder), Kostas Tsmikias (shoulder) and Joel Matip (knee) will also miss the trip to the Emirates.
      What are the latest odds?

      Arsenal to win 19/20
      Draw 14/5
      Liverpool to win 23/10

      *Odds courtesy of Paddy Power are correct at time of publication More

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      Why will Arsenal wear white for FA Cup clash against Liverpool and can fans buy it?

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      ARSENAL face Liverpool in a huge FA Cup clash – but the Gunners will be wearing white instead of red.Mikel Arteta’s men are in need of a victory after such a horrible ending to 2023.
      Arsenal will wear an all-white kit against LiverpoolCredit: Instageam @arsenal
      Arsenal are hoping to send a message by wearing their all-white kitCredit: Instageam @arsenal
      And the Gunners gaffer will be hoping that this change strip sends out a rightful message as well as driving his team to victory.
      But why are Arsenal ditching their famous colours for a third consecutive year?
      Why will Arsenal wear white for FA Cup clash against Liverpool?
      Arsenal will be wearing white instead of red against Liverpool to mark the third year of their No More Red campaign with Adidas.
      It was first launched in 2022 to support work done by the Gunners to keep young people safe from knife crime and youth violence.
      Read more on Arsenal
      And pictures of the kit have been released on Thursday, January 4 with the likes of Declan Rice and Eddie Nketiah wearing it.
      Eddie Nketiah and Declan Rice have been pictured in the all-white stripCredit: Instageam @arsenal
      The Office of National Statistics reports that were 13,503 knife-enabled crimes in London from June 2022 to the same month in 2023.
      So along with the kit, Adidas and Arsenal have revealed that they will invest more in safe spaces to play football with the opening of a third refurbished community pitch at Mayville Estate.
      Declan Rice believes that the all-white kit can have a ‘massive’ impact on the community.
      Most read in Football
      Will the kit be on sale?
      The No More Red kit will not be put up for sale despite it being so popular amongst fans.
      However, a bespoke community t-shirt will be available to purchase instead for £30 on Monday, January 29.
      Funds generated from the shirt will then be donated in equal proportions to several No More Red’s charity partners including the Arsenal foundation, Box Up Crime and Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation.
      Who did Arsenal last wear the kit against?
      Arsenal first wore the No More Red kit in a 1-0 FA Cup defeat against Nottingham Forest in 2022.
      And they put on the all-white kit again for a 3-0 away win at Oxford in last season’s FA Cup third round. More