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      Which teams have the best fixtures this January? Dream Team managers to target cup competitions

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      THIS month is an intriguing one in the Dream Team calendar.With several players unavailable due to Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup commitments, plus a mini break for all 20 Premier League clubs, it might be wise for gaffers to target the cup competitions.
      The FA Cup third round is set to take place in Gameweek 19 with the fourth round fixtures scheduled for the end of month, in Gameweek 21.
      Then there’s the small matter of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

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      Smart option for January?Credit: Dream Team
      Let’s take a look at the current January fixtures for every club currently in the top half of the table.
      LIVERPOOL

      Arsenal (a)
      Fulham (h)
      Bournemouth (a)
      Fulham (a)
      Chelsea (h)

      The Reds’ participation in the FA Cup fourth round is far from certain as their trip to the Emirates represents one of most-competitive third round match-ups.
      However, a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against the Cottagers ensures Jurgen Klopp’s troops will be one of the busier teams this month.
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      Mohamed Salah (£6.5m) isn’t around to cash in but the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£6m), Darwin Nunez (£4.1m) and Virgil van Dijk (£4.3m) will be popular selections.
      ASTON VILLA

      Middlesbrough (a)
      Everton (a)
      Newcastle (h)

      The Villains’ home record is their great strength and so it may be a quieter month for Ollie Watkins (£4.4m) and company if they end up with just one game at Villa Park.
      Eddie Howe’s side battered Villa at St James’ Park earlier in the campaign but it’s a good time to play Newcastle with them having lost three games in a row amid their sustained injury crisis.
      The FA Cup results will impact City’s schedule considerablyCredit: AFP
      MANCHESTER CITY

      Huddersfield (h)
      Newcastle (a)
      Burnley (h)

      The treble-winners against a side battling relegation in the Championship is a huge mismatch on paper and one that could yield massive returns but predicting Pep Guardiola’s line-up is far from easy.
      Again, Howe’s side are vulnerable at present so City’s league fixtures look friendly enough and it would be a huge surprise if they weren’t in the hat for the FA Cup fourth round draw.
      There’s also a chance the postponed meeting with Brentford will be rearranged for this month.
      When will Erling Haaland (£7.9m) return to action? That’s the big question.
      ARSENAL

      Liverpool (h)
      Crystal Palace (h)
      Nottingham Forest (a)

      The Gunners will fancy their chances of stopping the rot in their league form although Forest are showing signs of Nuno Espirito Santo’s New Manager Bounce.
      It will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta views the FA Cup with the Champions League knockout stages on the horizon.
      TOTTENHAM

      Burnley (h)
      Manchester United (a)
      Brentford (h)

      Ange Postecoglou will have to contend with the absences of Son Heung-min (£4.7m), Yves Bissouma (£2.5m) and Pape Matar Sarr (£2m) on top of those currently injured.
      That being said, Spurs have won four of their last five and their next three opponents have all been out of form lately.
      Son will be a big miss for Spurs this monthCredit: PA
      WEST HAM

      Bristol City (h)
      Sheffield United (a)

      At this point, the Hammers have just two fixtures scheduled for the rest of January but don’t be fooled, they host Bournemouth on February 1st which falls under Gameweek 21.
      Plus, they’re favourites to get past the Robins this weekend although their squad looks stretched thin suddenly.
      BRIGHTON

      Stoke (a)
      Wolves (h)
      Luton (a)

      A relatively favourable run of games for the Seagulls as it stands although Gary O’Neil’s outfit are no pushovers by any means.
      Joao Pedro (£3.6m) and Pascal Gross (£4.3m) are best placed to take advantage this month with Karou Mitoma (£3.4m) and Simon Adingra (£3.2m) away on international duty.
      MANCHESTER UNITED

      Wigan (a)
      Tottenham (h)

      Like West Ham, the Red Devils have a game on February 1st (a trip to Wolves) and should progress in the FA Cup.
      However, most Dream Team bosses will be understandably hesitant to back any Old Trafford resident right now.

      Newcastle are under pressureCredit: PA
      NEWCASTLE

      Sunderland (a)
      Manchester City (h)
      Aston Villa (a)

      A fierce derby followed by two of the most difficult Premier League fixtures – a tough ask on current form.
      CHELSEA

      Preston (h)
      Middlesbrough (a)
      Fulham (h)
      Middlesbrough (h)
      Liverpool (a)

      Despite their inconsistent form, now is a great time to back the Blues as their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Boro means they’re busier than the vast majority of teams this month.
      Cole Palmer (£3.4m) appears to be the most likely player to capitalise – he’s Chelsea’s best asset this season having reached 124 points with a 17-point return against Luton in Gameweek 18.
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      A trip to Anfield is a tough ask but it should be a productive few weeks nonetheless.
      It’s worth repeating that this weekend’s FA Cup results will shape the remainder of the January schedule so pay attention – there’s points to be had this month despite the disruption!

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      Arsenal fans hit by travel chaos for Liverpool FA Cup clash with Londoners facing days of ‘little to no’ Tube service

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      ARSENAL fans are facing travel chaos for their FA Cup clash against Liverpool on Sunday – with tube strikes set to take place.Transport for London stated there will be “little to no service” on the underground, leaving supporters with a travel headache for the 16:30 kick-off.
      Fans will have a tough time getting home from the Emirates for Sunday’s gameCredit: Reuters
      TfL today urged passengers to “only travel if their journey is essential” from this Sunday evening until next Friday.
      Transport bosses declared that lines serving the Emirates Stadium in North London for the Arsenal v Liverpool FA Cup third round match, will end around 6.30pm.
      They added that lines will “try to remain open longer” but that fans should make their way straight to the trains following the match.
      It comes amid a dispute over pay and conditions.
      RESD MORE ARSENAL NEWS
      Arsenal – who last won the FA Cup in 2020- host Jurgen Klopp’s men following successive defeats in the Premier League.
      Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to West Ham at the Emirates, after a controversial goal from Tomas Soucek and a second-half header from Konstantinos Mavropanos.
      Misery then continued for the Gunners, as they were beaten 2-1 by an out-of-form Fulham side at Craven Cottage on New Years Eve.
      Meanwhile, Liverpool – who lifted the FA Cup in 2022 – sit top of the Premier League and held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at Anfield last month.
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      Tube strikes are projected to begin on January 7Credit: PA
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      But Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways and advance in the competition they’ve won a record 14 times.
      Chaos will begin when engineering and maintenance workers take strike action this Friday and Saturday.
      The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) hit out at ‘below inflation’ pay rises for staff and claimed TfL had created a bonus pot of £13million for senior managers. More

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      How Man Utd keeper Andre Onana could miss ZERO games for his club side despite Cameroon Afcon call-up

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      ANDRE ONANA is set to join up with the Cameroon squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations later this month.But Manchester United want to keep him for as long as possible.
      Andre Onana could avoid missing any Man Utd gamesCredit: Getty
      The goalkeeper is set to be available for United’s FA Cup third-round clash with Wigan on Monday.
      However, according to the Mail, Erik ten Hag wants him to stay at Old Trafford for another week so that he can take part in next weekend’s match against Tottenham.
      The Red Devils face Spurs on January 14 – just one day before Cameroon’s opening Afcon match against Guinea.
      Should he play in the Premier League match, Onana will then have less than 24 hours to catch a seven-hour flight to Ivory Coast in time for Monday’s game.
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      Cameroon’s final group game is against Gambia on January 23.
      If Rigobert Song’s side are eliminated by that time, the goalkeeper could potentially return to Manchester in time for the FA Cup fourth round – assuming United defeat Wigan – meaning he would not have missed any games.
      However, if Cameroon make it to the final, Onana could miss up to four games.
      The 27-year-old has featured in every Man Utd match so far this season.
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      Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s No2, Altay Bayindir, is yet to make his first team debut.
      The Turkish international joined the Red Devils in a £4.3million transfer on deadline day. More

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      Sunderland vs Newcastle – FA Cup third round preview: Black Cats host Magpies in first Tyne-Wear derby for seven years

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      NEWCASTLE will make the short trip to fierce rivals Sunderland in the first Tyne-Wear derby in seven years.The Magpies have lost their last three games and go to the Stadium of Light in need of a huge performance.
      Newcastle were beaten 4-2 at Liverpool on New Year’s DayCredit: GETTY
      Sunderland beat Preston 2-0 last time outCredit: ALAMY
      It’s been a rocky season for Newcastle, with Eddie Howe feeling the full effects of their European journey as many of Toon’s first-team regulars have been out injured for large parts of the season.
      Kieran Trippier is the latest player with an issue, as he missed the 4-2 defeat at Liverpool on New Year’s Day.
      Meanwhile, Sunderland have taken seven points from their last three games as they look to secure a place in the Championship Play-Offs come May.
      The Black Cats hold a far superior record in the last five Tyne-Wear derbies, winning four and drawing one of the last five meetings.
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      Newcastle are without a win against their bitter rivals since August 2011.
      When is Sunderland vs Newcastle?

      Sunderland vs Newcastle will take place on Saturday, January 6th.
      Kick off will be at 12.45pm GMT.
      Stadium of Light will host.

      What TV channel is Sunderland vs Newcastle on and can it be live streamed FREE?

      Sunderland vs Newcastle 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 via SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Former Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts was missing from Sunderland’s win over Preston and is a doubt for Saturday’s huge clash.
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      Full-back Dennis Cirkin has returned to training following a hamstring injury and could be involved against Newcastle.
      Bradley Dack is also a doubt for the match, but midfielders Corry Evans and Elliot Embleton will be unavailable.
      Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson missed the match at Liverpool on Monday and may not return in time for the Tyne-Wear derby.
      Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Jacob Murphy and Sandro Tonali will all remain unavailable.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Sunderland – 3/1
      Draw – 3/1
      Newcastle – 8/11

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

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      Ex-Man City wonderkid forced to retire aged just 30 with heartbreaking message ‘I never thought I’d be writing’

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      EX-MANCHESTER CITY academy star Emyr Huws has retired at the age of 30.The 11-cap Wales midfielder played once for City’s first-team as a substitute for Micah Richards in a 5-0 FA Cup win over Blackburn at the Etihad in January 2014.
      Emyr Huws has announced his retirement from football at the age of 30Credit: Rex
      Huws started his career at Manchester City where he played once for the senior team
      Huws, who scored once for his country against the Netherlands in November 2015, had spells at Ipswich, Cardiff and Colchester but injuries plagued his promising career.
      He also had loan stints at Birmingham, Wigan, Huddersfield and Northampton. 
      Huws posted on Instagram: “Whilst writing this message, I never thought I’d be writing this shortly after my 30th birthday.
      “To those of you that know me, will know that this journey within football has been my life since I was six years old.
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      “The time has now come to enter a new stage in my life, this journey has taught me many extraordinary things.
      “I remember when I was young, the certainty I had that I was going to be a footballer was powerful and with all the obstacles thrown at me, I achieved that dream.
      “God only knows how much support I’ve needed through this journey, and I’m blessed to have had immense support with me all of the way.
      “Even in the bleakest of times with their help and my determination I always found a way and thank all of you.
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      “I’ve come to the realisation through many tough lessons that this path is no longer meant for me, and I am meant for something else.
      “My deepest gratitude to everyone involved in my journey and I thank you all for helping me become the man I am today.
      “My time playing the game is at an end but I am not done yet, my mission is to use all of my experience and wisdom to help inspire and empower as many people as possible.
      “Thank you everyone and I hope you all chase your dreams in this short life.” More

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      FA Cup second round clash has special one-off rule as Blackpool and Forest Green battle for trip to Premier League club

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      BLACKPOOL’s FA Cup second-round tie with Forest Green Rovers will have a special one-off rule – amid unique circumstances.Next Tuesday’s game can have extra time and penalties as normal but no replay, with the winners visiting Premier League side Nottingham Forest.
      Football chiefs have ditched any replay for next Tuesday’s delayed round-two tieCredit: PA
      Blackpool’s historic Bloomfield Road will host Forest Green on December 19Credit: Action Images – Reuters
      The match is much delayed after football chiefs forced Forest Green to play their first-round tie with Scarborough Athletic again.
      Rovers included an ineligible player in their squad.
      But instead of being chucked out of the competition following their 5-2 win, the FA took the unprecedented step of allowing Forest Green to replay the game.
      There was an admin error over a loan player – but the situation was unusual.
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      Forest Green had received permission from the star’s parent club to use him in the competition – but the FA had not been notified of this.
      The FA then called off Rovers’ tie with Blackpool a day before it was originally scheduled to be played.
      Instead the League Two strugglers took on National League North side Scarborough once more on Tuesday this week – winning 4-2.
      Rovers’ victory clinched a trip to League One promotion hopefuls Blackpool.
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      Now the Seasiders have confirmed the tie will have a special rule.
      Blackpool said in a statement: “The tie will be played to its conclusion on the night, with extra time and penalties after 90 minutes should the game end in a draw.
      “Tickets purchased for the original fixture remain valid for the rescheduled game.” More

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      FA Cup star TWERKS live on BBC Two after shock win as fans say ‘hang it in the Louvre’

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      AN ALDERSHOT TOWN player shocked fans after getting on all fours and TWERKING following his side’s shock FA Cup victory over Stockport.Aldershot currently compete in the National League and managed to mastermind a 1-0 victory over Stockport – who are currently top of League Two.
      Theo Widdrington twerked live on BBC Two to celebrate Aldershot’s winCredit: BBC

      Oliver Scott was the hero on the night – scoring an 88th minute winner to send Aldershot through.
      Aldershot had earned a replay by holding Stockport to a 2-2 draw on December 3.
      The unlikely win sparked scenes of wild celebration but one player in particular grabbed the attention of fans and TV viewers alike.
      Shots midfielder Theo Widdrington dropped to all fours and twerked in front of the BBC Two cameras.
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      Fans online loved Widdrington’s moves.
      One fan posted on X: “Theo Widdrington twerking on the BBC is well worth paying the TV license fee for!”
      Another wrote: “I love them, get them back in the EFL!”
      While a third posted: “Hang it in the Louvre!”
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      Widdrington shares his penchant for moves with his brother, Kai, who competes on Strictly come dancing.
      Their father, Tommy, is a former professional footballer and current manager of Aldershot Town.
      Aldershot will be hoping to claim another FA Cup scalp when they travel to Championship West Brom in January.
      Widdrington joined Aldershot this summerCredit: Getty More

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      Alex Scott hailed for live TV coverage of FA Cup with even Tottenham fans loving ex-Arsenal star

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      ALEX SCOTT has been hailed for her live TV coverage of the FA Cup.The presenter worked on Stockport’s defeat to Aldershot live from Edgeley Park.
      Alex Scott earned praise for her presenting of an FA Cup clash between Stockport and AldershortCredit: BBC
      The BBC star tucked into Christmas dinner in a cupCredit: Instagram @alexscott2
      Scott won a lot of plaudits for her handling of Joey Barton’s criticismCredit: BBC
      She won a lot of praise for her style with one fan comparing her to other legendary female presenters like Clare Balding.
      A viewer said: “@AlexScott ok all-time favourite women presenters. Hazel Irvine best for snooker. Clare Balding best for horse racing, Kirsty Gallacher is my crush for football but you will beat all of them.
      “Keep up the good work, you are top notch. And I’m a Spurs supporter…”
      Another added: “Anybody with any sense knows how brilliant @AlexScott is at her job. The things she has done for football and the industry should be applauded.
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      “She continues to push the game forward and always stands up for what is right. I can’t think of many better role models within the game.”
      A third wrote: “She’s brilliant, an absolute natural.”
      Last weekend Scott was praised for her “total class” as she indirectly replied to Joey Barton’s tirade about female pundits.
      Scott, 39, who had said she “doesn’t want to give Barton oxygen”, took aim with a passionate message on live TV.
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      The former Lioness and Arsenal star said during the BBC’s coverage of the WSL on Sunday: “To all of the women in football.
      “In front of the camera and behind it, to the players and everyone that attends games.
      “Keep being the role models that you continue to be to all those young girls that are told no you can’t.
      “Football is a better place with us all in it.”
      Scott braved the cold at Stockport and shared a video of her tucking into a Hatters speciality – Christmas dinner in a cup. More