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      Grimsby Town fans banned from taking inflatable fish to FA Cup showdown with Southampton

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      FOOTIE fans have been banned from taking inflatable fish to an FA Cup showdown. Grimsby Town’s Harry Haddocks have been given the hook by Premier League Southampton FC.
      Grimsby Town fans have been banned from taking inflatable fish to an FA Cup showdownCredit: Getty
      Harry Haddocks have been given the hook by Premier League Southampton FC
      Supporters from the fishing port are now trawling for another mascot for the fifth round clash on March 1.
      Many hit out on social media, calling the decision “joyless” and “boring”.
      One fan warned it would only encourage supporters to “organise something that will cause you a bigger headache”.
      Another wrote: “It’s a disgrace. This has always been seen as a bit of fun. It’s a real shame.”
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      Announcing the ban, League Two Grimsby, which expects 5,000 fans to make the trip south, said yesterday: “The club have today received confirmation from Southampton that Harry Haddocks will not be permitted at St Mary’s Stadium.
      “We share our supporters’ inevitable frustration at this decision but we know you will support us brilliantly in our first FA Cup fifth round tie since 1996.”
      The club added that Southampton had made similar refusals to other clubs and warned that any inflatables found inside the ground would be fished out.
      Grimsby supporters were hit with the same ban when the Mariners travelled to Barnet on the final day of the season in 2017.
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      That ban came despite them being allowed to take hundreds of inflatable fish to the fixture two years earlier.
      In response fans raised cash to pay for a mariachi band to attend the game. More

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      Arsenal star Zinchenko explains why he kicked off at his ex-Man City team-mates after FA Cup clash

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      OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO has lifted the lid on why he kicked off with his old team-mates the last time he faced them.The Gunners star was involved in a fracas with former Manchester City pals after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Nathan Ake’s goal as City won 1-0.
      Kyle Walker taunted Oleksandr Zinchenko after Man City beat ArsenalCredit: Reuters
      Zinchenko was far from ecstatic about the jokesCredit: Reuters
      And he appeared to lose his coolCredit: Alamy
      Post-match Kyle Walker went up to the Ukrainian with a beaming smile, something which only seemed to worsen Zinchenko’s mood after being on the end of defeat.
      Zinchenko was visibly annoyed at Walker and Co and was seen appearing to lose his cool as he tried to move City stars away from him.
      However, ahead of their rematch next week, Zinchenko shed some light onto the incident.
      Speaking to Vbet News, he said: “I still keep in touch with most of them; we are friends and always will be.
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      “Yeah, they won that match, and they were joking with me. But I hope we will get revenge next Wednesday.”
      Before leaving the field after the game, Zinchenko swapped jerseys with Walker.
      That game was seen by many as a warm-up for the real dance to come in the Premier League, as Pep Guardiola faces his former student Mikel Arteta to see who can clinch this year’s title.
      Arsenal and City both lost last weekend to Everton and Tottenham respectively.
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      The results ensured Arsenal’s five-point lead at the top of the table remained intact.
      Both are once again in action this weekend, but City have the added backdrop of having been charged with over 100 breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
      Guardiola has come out in a bullish defence of City’s innocence, while Arteta refused to comment on the dealings of his former club.
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      Newcastle fans love Aleksandar Mitrovic’s reaction after he is booed by Sunderland supporters during BBC interview

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      ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC reaffirmed why Newcastle fans will always have a soft spot for him after a cheeky swipe at Sunderland. The Fulham talisman came off the bench to help his side knock Sunderland out of the FA Cup with a 3-2 win on Wednesday.
      Aleksandar Mitrovic revelled in the boos after the matchCredit: https://twitter.com/NUFC_HQ/status/1623460833912053762
      And Newcastle fans loved what he said after knocking Sunderland out of the FA CupCredit: https://twitter.com/Newcastle_FC/status/1623457701404581890

      The Serbian had a direct hand in the Cottagers second goal as he assisted Andreas Pereira – taking a tumble over an advertising board for is troubles.
      And in an interview with the BBC after the game, Mitrovic couldn’t hold back his beaming smile amid a chorus of boos from around the Stadium of Light.
      He said: “Yeah, yeah, I love it.
      “I’m a Geordie boy, so they don’t like me here. I knew it before!
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      “A good atmosphere and three goals against them so I’m sure a lot of Newcastle fans will be happy as well.”
      And the 28-year-old’s hypothesis was correct, with particular fervour for his post-match interview.
      Taking to Twitter, one Newcastle fan said: “Was with us for a while but he is forever one of us man, always loved his attitude towards derbies.
      “Really felt like every fan when he played, no matter what we’ll always be grateful to Mitro.”
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      A second declared: “Love you Mitro.”
      A third commented: “Good lad, always a geordie.”
      A fourth added: “Brilliant 👏 👏 👏.”
      Mitrovic is experiencing a minor goal drought, with his last competitive goal coming against Leicester at the start of January.
      He added: “It was really hard to come off the bench, but I got an assist.
      “I would be more happy if I grabbed a goal but I managed to find Andreas who put the goal away. In the end, job done so we’re really happy.”
      Fulham will host Leeds in the fifth round of the FA Cup, but first they face the visit of an in-form Nottingham Forest. More

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      Sheff Utd captain Billy Sharp fires brutal dig at Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham after players clash in tunnel after FA Cup tie

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      SHEFFIELD UNITED captain Billy Sharp fired a brutal dig at Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham after dumping them out of the FA Cup.The duo played out a thrilling fourth-round replay at Bramall Lane last night, with the hosts scoring twice in injury time for a 3-1 win.
      Sheffield Utd captain Billy Sharp blasted Wrexham after his side’s FA Cup winCredit: YouTube / Sheffield United FC
      Sharp aimed a dig at the ‘disrespectful’ club owned by Ryan ReynoldsCredit: Rex
      But tempers flared after the final whistle as Sharp clashed with several Wrexham players in the tunnel.
      The Blades striker, 37, allegedly said “shove that on your documentary” in a reference to Wrexham’s show on Disney+.
      And afterwards Sharp blasted the Welsh side for being “disrespectful” in a fiery post-match interview.
      Aiming a dig at Hollywood owners Reynolds and McElhenney, Sharp said: “It was a great FA Cup tie, over two games, they played excellent.
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      “I think they have been disrespectful though, a few things before the game, thinking they was already through. I’m glad we beat them.
      “They are doing well in their league, we are doing well in ours. I wasn’t very happy with a few of their players tonight, but I’ll say now, we’ve got one over them.
      “Good luck to them for promotion and hopefully we’ve put that one to bed. A few of their players I wasn’t happy with. I was a little bit frustrated there, I probably should have put the game to bed before I did.
      “I wasn’t happy with the way they have been as a club. Before the game they were eyeing up Spurs when they’ve not even beat us.
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      “We are an honest set of lads and we want to go as far as we can in this competition. If we get beat in the next round so be it, we’ll give it a right go.
      “I think they just thought we were going to roll over when they got back in it, and I think the ref was helping them all night.
      “I don’t think he gave me one foul all night but it’s one of those things, I probably lost my head a bit. But I’ve got a smile on my face because we’ve got through to the next round of the cup.”
      Wrexham fired back at Sharp’s comments afterwards, with captain Ben Tozer saying: “I feel like a bit of a dampener has been put on the game with the way they’ve acted in the tunnel.
      “They showed a real lack of humility. But that’s the way they want to be and I feel like if we won that game we would have shown a lot more humility and respect.

      “They should show more respect to us. They were telling us to ‘shove it on the documentary’.
      “I feel like he [Sharp] has fabricated stuff in his head to make that acceptable for himself if I’m honest.
      I said to him face-to-face ‘show a bit more humility’. We’ve congratulated them on the win, we haven’t sulked, we’ve walked down the tunnel as normal and it’s just a shame that’s the way it’s ended.
      “You had lads like Oli McBurnie saying stuff in the press; I don’t think any of our lads said anything disrespectful. We certainly approached the game properly.
      “If that’s the way they want to be that’s the way they want to be.”
      Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson added: “I’m a bit disappointed with Billy to be honest with you, some of the things he was shouting down the tunnel at the end.
      “Well done Bill, you’re a fantastic player but I thought he was disrespectful after the game.
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      “I think the way the players celebrated and the crowd and staff was just a mark of how tough we made it for them and they were relieved to get through.
      “The message to Billy is: You’re better than that, you really are. My players are humble people and a great credit to the football club.” More

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      ‘Is it supposed to be raw?’ – Fans fume at anaemic £5.50 hot dog at Sheffield United that doesn’t even fill the bun up

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      FANS were fuming last night after a snap of an anaemic hot dog costing £5.50 at Sheffield United was shared online.The Blades advanced to the FA Cup fifth round after defeating Wrexham 3-1 in a replay.
      It was a snap of the Bramall Lane hot dogs that had most fans talkingCredit: Twitter @FootyScran
      Billy Sharp helped fire Sheffield united to victory over WrexhamCredit: Alamy
      However, it was not only the footy that had supporters talking.
      Popular Twitter account “Footy Scran” shared an image of a large hot dog bun containing a skinny weiner, minus any onions, sauce or other filling, which was allegedly bought at the Championship side’s Bramall Lane ground.
      They claimed that it had cost a hefty £5.50 – and their followers instantly gave it a big thumbs down.
      One responded: “Looks like it tested positive for Covid.”
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      Another response asked: “Cook it on a radiator?”
      A fellow fan queried: “Is it supposed to be raw?”
      Another tweeter wrote: “How much does it cost to have it cooked?”
      One commented: “Yes hello, I’d like to report a crime.”
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      A fellow fan said: “Used a lighter to ‘cook’ it I see.”
      As another added: “Bit dry that, the cardboard looks more appealing.”
      While a fellow follower hilariously wrote: “A good vet would get that back on it’s feet!” More

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      Wrexham miss out on Hollywood ending as Sheff Utd score 94th-minute winner in FA Cup and Grimsby stun Luton in thrashing

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      WREXHAM’s Hollywood FA Cup run came to a cruel end as they were dumped out by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in a fourth-round replay.The Blades looked like they’d assert their dominance over the National League side early on, controlling large parts of the possession and registering significantly higher passing accuracy and shots.
      Sheffield United beat the non-league side with two added time goalsCredit: Rex
      Wrexham fought their way back into the game with Paul Mullin netting from the penalty spotCredit: Getty
      Wrexham have missed out on an FA Cup fifth-round date with TottenhamCredit: Rex
      And they found a breakthrough just after the restart through highly rated defender Anel Ahmedhodzic.
      The 23-year-old continued his run into the Wrexham penalty area and kept a cool head as he fired in at the near post.
      But Wrexham weren’t going to go down without a fight and won a spot-kick just nine minutes after Ahmedhodzic’s opener.
      Paul Mullin stepped up and thumped home the equaliser – his 28th of the season and his eighth in the FA Cup alone.
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      With 20 minutes to go, Wrexham found themselves with another penalty-kick, and a golden chance to give themselves a shot at dumping Sheffield United OUT – but Mullin had his shot saved by Adam Davies despite it being a clean strike.
      Sheffield were unlucky to not be awarded a penalty close to handball at full-time – but the non-league side escaped punishment with VAR not in play.
      And the Championship side stuck a blade into Wrexham and twisted it in one final, cruel blow with two injury time goals.
      Billy Sharp scored followed by Premier League-linked Sander Berge.
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      Grimsby thumped LutonCredit: Reuters
      Fleetwood beat Sheff Wednesday, who top League OneCredit: Reuters
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      Sheffield will now contest a fifth-round tie against Tottenham, ending Wrexham’s incredible FA Cup journey under A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
      Elsewhere, League Two Grimsby shocked Luton Town.
      The home side found themselves 3-0 up at half-time, and held their nerve after the restart, keeping a clean sheet and setting up a fifth-round date with Premier League Southampton.
      League One Fleetwood stunned third tier side Sheffield Wednesday.
      On-loan winger Carlos Mendes Gomes netted the winner to see off the table toppers.
      Fleetwood will now play Burnley, who dumped out Ipswich with a 2-1 win.
      A Nathan Tella brace fired the Championship leaders into the fifth round.
      Nathan Tella netted a brace to help Burnley beat IpswichCredit: Getty More

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      Supercomputer predicts Wednesday’s football scores including Man Utd vs Leeds, Real Madrid and Sunderland vs Fulham

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      THREE big games are set to take place on Wednesday evening as fans are given a choice between Premier League, FA Cup and Club World Cup action.Man Utd prepare to face off against Leeds twice in four days – the first of which comes at Old Trafford.
      Marcus Rashford is enjoying a remarkable run of formCredit: PA
      Sunderland’s Chris Rigg thought he had scored the winner against Fulham at Craven Cottage before the goal was ruled outCredit: Getty
      Erik ten Hag’s men are seeking a 14th successive home win in all competitions and could move level on points with second-place Man City with a victory.
      Meanwhile, Sunderland and Fulham will meet once more for a place in the FA Cup fifth round.
      The Black Cats earned a replay after drawing 1-1 at Craven Cottage, but they will need to go one step further if they are to reach the last-16 for the first time in eight years.
      And if that wasn’t enough, European champions Real Madrid are also playing as they take on Egyptian side Al Ahly in the Club World Cup.
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      Here is how the supercomputer – which analyses the latest odds and statistical data – sees all three matches going on Wednesday night…
      Man Utd vs Leeds
      Man Utd look unbeatable at home at this moment in time as they set their sights on rivals Man City – who are struggling to put together a solid run of form in the Premier League.
      By contrast, Leeds have not won a league match since the beginning of November.
      And while the departure of Jesse Marsch could spell the start of a new era, do not expect that to start at Old Trafford.
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      Supercomputer winner: Man Utd
      Supercomputer predicted scoreline: Man Utd 2-0 Leeds
      Most likely goalscorer: Marcus Rashford

      Sunderland vs Fulham
      Sunderland showed they are more than capable of competing with Premier League sides when they earned a draw in West London 10 days ago.
      But getting over the line and actually knocking out Marco Silva’s men could be a step too far for the second-tier outfit.
      Supercomputer winner: Draw (Fulham on penalties)
      Supercomputer predicted scoreline: 1-1
      Most likely goalscorer: Aleksandar Mitrovic
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      Al Ahly vs Real Madrid
      Real Madrid may have fallen eight points behind Barcelona in the LaLiga title race, but they will undoubtedly see the Club World Cup as a huge opportunity for silverware.
      Carlo Ancelotti’s men take on Egypt’s Al Ahly in the semi-finals of the tournament, with Flamengo or Al-Hilal awaiting them in Saturday’s final.
      Supercomputer winner: Real Madrid
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      Supercomputer predicted scoreline: Al Ahly 0-2 Real Madrid
      Most likely goalscorer: Karim Benzema
      Karim Benzema has scored 13 goals so far this seasonCredit: Getty More

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      Ex-Premier League star Ivano Bonetti suffered fractured cheekbone after manager threw plate of CHICKEN WINGS at him

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      FORMER Premier League striker Ivano Bonetti suffered a fractured cheekbone when his manager launched a plate of CHICKEN WINGS at him.The ex-Juventus, Crystal Palace and Dundee midfielder, now 58, spent one season of his journeyman career with Grimsby Town.
      Brian Laws and Ivano Bonetti publicly made up after the infamous chicken wings incidentCredit: Action Images
      Bonetti was treated in hospital and left Grimsby months laterCredit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxrk3IFMEKU
      The Italian was fortunate to keep his sight in his right eyeCredit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxrk3IFMEKU
      During that 1995-96 campaign, the Mariners reached the FA Cup fourth round where they took on Premier League outfit West Ham.
      After a 0-0 draw at Upton Park, Grimsby hosted the Hammers at Blundell Park – and secured a shock 3-0 win over Harry Redknapp’s side.
      But arguably the biggest drama took place off the field… before a ball was even kicked.
      That is because of a dramatic bust-up between manager Brian Laws and his Italian star Bonetti ahead of the famous replay.
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      The Grimsby gaffer was furious with his side’s performance in the 3-2 defeat at Luton four days before the West Ham game, just weeks after thumping the Hatters 7-1.
      And he was particularly unhappy at Bonetti’s efforts.
      So much so that he picked up the plate of chicken wings that was sat in the dressing room and proceeded to throw it at the Serie A title winner.
      The crockery crashed straight into the face of the midfielder and broke the bone just below his right eye in a shocking twist.
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      The damage was clear to see as Laws and Bonetti faced the press to make amends, with the latter’s face clearly showing the effects.
      Somehow, they put the incident behind them to come back a few days later and beat West Ham – although Bonetti would ultimately quit the club for Tranmere on a free.
      They then earned a replay in the fifth round following a 0-0 draw with Chelsea but lost the replay at Stamford Bridge 4-1.
      However, the incident did scupper a dream weekend away Bonetti had planned for team-mates John McDermott, Paul Groves and Craig Shakespeare.
      McDermott said: “We were going to Italy with him (Bonetti). I had my suitcase in the changing room, I’d never been to Italy in my life.
      “He was taking us to the Milan derby, we were going to this nightclub, all paid for, in a limo, and he had Pagliuca, the goalkeeper, and Vialli, they were meeting us out.
      “The game comes on, and he comes in, kicks off with the old chicken drumstick. He gets laid out, and I don’t believe it.
      “I was picking him up and saying, ‘Come on Ivano mate, it’s only a scratch!’
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      “He was laid out, gone, his face was caved in, but I’m thinking about this trip.
      “We ended up going to the Pier! I couldn’t even get in, I had to pay to get in there!”
      Laws let rip after seeing his side slump to defeat at GrimsbyCredit: Ross Parry
      Bonetti went on to play in the Premier League, back in Italy and ScotlandCredit: Kenny Ramsay – The Sun Glasgow More