FA Cup

NATHAN JONES has hit back at Southampton fans after leading his side to victory at Crystal Palace to end a dismal run of form.The Saints boss, who was only appointed last month, faced chants of “Nathan Jones, your football is s***” during a dire first half, but was applauded by the away end after goals from James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong saw them come from behind to win.
Jones has hit back at Southampton fansCredit: Getty
Southampton won the match 2-1 after coming from behindCredit: Getty
And a defiant Jones said: “I’m proud of the group. We pressed with aggression and that’s the real pleasing thing because we want to be a real high tempo side.
“That means at times we will give the ball away. But that doesn’t mean that my football is s***.”
After a horrendous defeat to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night made it four Prem losses on the bounce under Jones, Saints started awfully in south London as Odsonne Edouard fired Patrick Vieira’s side ahead.
But two freak goals gifted by Vicente Guaita helped them out of their desperate slump and through to the fourth round.
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Jones was clapped off at full-time but was wary of approaching the 3000 visiting fans.
Jones said: “If I’m honest I don’t know what kind of reception I’m going to get when I go over there. So I went over there to make sure.
“So when I went over there today got a good reception. I was very pleased with that.”
After a shaky start it didn’t take long for Southampton to crack.
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Mohammed Salisu hooked an aimless ball forwards over his head which was pounced upon by Joachim Andersen.
The Dane’s first-time ball was moved into the path of Edouard with one touch from Zaha, the French forward skipped through the Saints’ defence with ease and fired past Gavin Bazunu.
It could have been two moments later.
Zaha slipped Michael Olise in down the left with a wonderful back-heel to wrong foot the Southampton defence, who were fortunate not to concede again when Jordan Ayew turned the low cross onto the bar.
Southampton fans had seen enough and rounded on Jones – loudly deriding his style and tactics.
Their mood improved soon after, however.
Minutes after Ward-Prowse had tried to catch Guaita out with a canny free-kick which was punched clear, the England midfielder had them level with the most bizarre of set pieces.
After Joel Ward had tripped Joe Aribo 45 yards from goal down the left, Ward-Prowse sent a dipping cross towards the back post which was left alone by everyone, including the Palace keeper, who watched it bounce and spin into his far corner.
The goal lifted the doom and gloom from the visitors, who were much improved after the break.
Guaita pulled off a fine save to deny Armstrong as the No9 sent a header looping towards the far post from Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ cross.
But the Eagles keeper was not so sharp moments later when, faced with Armstrong charging him down, he could not clear the ball before the striker arrived.
Armstrong dived in front of Guiata’s clearance, took a touch to settle himself and rolled just his second goal of the season into the empty net.
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Jones responded by sending on Kyle Walker-Peters and moving to a back five as Palace searched for a leveller.
Southampton managed to hang on and Jones risked the briefest of acknowledgements towards the travelling supporters. He knows there is still a way to go. More

CRYSTAL PALACE keeper Vicente Guaita suffered a nightmare moment as he gifted Adam Armstrong an FA Cup third-round winner for Southampton.Saints ran out 2-1 victors at Selhurst Park as Patrick Vieira’s hopes of silverware this season evaporated on Saturday afternoon.
Adam Armstrong charged down Vicente Guaita and took the ballCredit: BBC
He was then gifted an open goal to give Saints the leadCredit: BBC
Armstrong’s strike ended up being the winner in the FA Cup third-round tieCredit: Reuters
James Ward-Prowse, left, also got on the scoresheet for Nathan Jones’ sideCredit: Reuters
And the Arsenal legend will be furious with the way the deciding goal came about.
With the score at 1-1 midway through the second half, Palace shot-stopper Guaita attempted to clear the ball from outside his area, but was charged down by Armstrong.
The Southampton forward managed to block the clearance and bring the ball under control before slotting into an empty net.
And it left Guaita thoroughly embarrassed as the hapless moment ultimately cost his side.
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Armstrong’s goal handed Nathan Jones a first victory as manager of the south-coast outfit as they came behind to close out the win.
Odsonne Edouard gave Palace the lead in the 14th minute when he raced through to slot under Gavin Bazuna.
James Ward-Prowse then levelled eight minutes before half-time when his wide free-kick evaded everyone in the box and beat Guaita at the far post.
And Armstrong then capitalised on a keeping blunder to clinch Saints a place in the fourth-round.
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It was a much-needed win for Southampton – who have lost all four Premier League games since he took over from Ralph Hasenhuttl.
They currently sit bottom of the table with just 12 points from their opening 18 games.
Next up for Southampton is a trip to fellow strugglers Everton, while Crystal Palace go to out-of-form Chelsea. More

LEICESTER CITY booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round as they scraped past the lowest-ranked team in the EFL.The Foxes stuttered to a 1-0 win over Gillingham as they struggled to get to grips with the blustery conditions at Priestfield.
Kelechi Iheanacho continued his remarkable run in the FA CupCredit: Reuters
James Ward-Prowse and Adam Armstrong were on target for Southampton at PalaceCredit: PA
Gillingham, who are bottom of League Two, threatened the 2021 FA Cup winners.
But Kelechi Iheanacho extended his stunning record in this competition to send Leicester through.
He capitalised on a loose ball in the box to fire a sweet strike into the top corner from six yards out, his 16th goal in 22 FA Cup appearances.
Southampton came from behind in the all-Premier League clash away at Crystal Palace.
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Odsonne Eduoard had given the Eagles a good start after 14 minutes but James Ward-Prowse equalised with a free-kick cross that went all the way in.
An Adam Armstrong sealed Saints’ progression when he capitalised on Vicente Guaita’s blunder clearance to tap in.
Tottenham had Harry Kane to thank for his wonderful curling effort that proved the only goal against Portsmouth.
Kelvin Abrefa scored deep into first-half injury time and Shane Long did the same in the second half as Reading saw off Watford.
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And in another all-Championship game, Preston won their first FA Cup match in five years to put their name in the hat for round four.
North End were goalless with Huddersfield at half-time and went behind at Deepdale but fought back with three goals.
FA CUP THIRD-ROUND RESULTS
Manchester United 3-1 EvertonCrystal Palace 1-2 SouthamptonForest Green Rovers P-P Birmingham CityGillingham 0-1 Leicester CityPreston North End 3-1 Huddersfield TownReading 2-0 WatfordTottenham Hotspur 1-0 Portsmouth More

HARRY KANE moved to within one goal of Jimmy Greaves’ record Spurs tally to help see off plucky Portsmouth.The England captain made it 265 Tottenham goals with a thumping finish at the start of the second half.
Harry Kane has now scored 265 goals for TottenhamCredit: Getty
Kane let fly at the start of the second halfCredit: PA
He curled a brilliant effort into the far cornerCredit: Getty
Kane now needs just one goal to move level with Jimmy GreavesCredit: AP
There is now a good chance that he either equals or breaks Greaves’ haul of 266 against arch-rivals Arsenal in the North London derby on January 15.
Kane has netted 14 across his career against the Gunners and will have even more motivation when Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers come across town next Sunday.
The 29-year-old was the hero here, just as he was in the 4-0 drubbing at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Spurs badly needed him to step up given their League One opponents, who sacked Danny Cowley on Monday, were proving stubborn in defence.
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Both sides wore black armbands in honour of the late Gianluca Vialli, who passed away on Friday aged just 58 from pancreatic cancer.
It came after Spurs put in a request to the FA that they be allowed to make the gesture due to their manager Antonio Conte’s close relationship with Vialli.
The pair played together for both Juventus and Italy in the 90s. 
Conte was so upset by his friend’s death that his assistant Cristian Stellini stepped in for media duties on Friday and on matchday.
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The Spurs chief was in the dugout though and was forced into a change to his starting line-up pre kick-off when Yves Bissouma picked up a knock in the warm-up.
Tough-tackling Oliver Skipp came in for what was to be an attritional battle of a first half, where chances were rare.
The main takeaway from the first 45 was just how missed the Portsmouth fans are from the top flight of English football.
The travelling army were raucous throughout, providing a lively backdrop to what was otherwise a dull game. 
They gave Spurs keeper Fraser Forster the pantomime treatment given his Southampton allegiances.
Despite their plunge down the leagues, Pompey supporters tasted major-trophy success more recently than their hosts.
They won the FA Cup in May 2008 – three months after Jonathan Woodgate’s extra-time winner sealed the League Cup for Spurs – and were finalists again two years later.
Harry Redknapp masterminded that triumph 15 years ago.
And he was in the stands to watch both of his old teams slug it out, sitting in front of Tottenham-supporting comedian Michael McIntyre.
It was managerless Pompey who had the best and only real chance of the first half.
Kane already has 16 goals for Tottenham so far this seasonCredit: Getty
The League One side, who axed the Cowley brothers after five league games without a win, saw an acrobatic volley from Reeco Hackett-Fairchild pushed away by Forster.
Spurs’ weak first half was summed up by Kane firing a free-kick straight into the wall, making it his 50th consecutive direct effort from such a situation without a goal.
Interim boss Simon Bassey had his Pompey players well organised with ten men behind the ball and Spurs struggling to break them down.
But Conte’s men found more joy when the second period kicked off and hit the bar via Emerson Royal’s header on 49 minutes.
A minute later, they had the lead from who else but Kane.
The England captain played a neat one-two with Ryan Sessegnon on the edge of the box before curling into the far corner for Spurs goal No265.
Spurs should have doubled their lead soon after but Son smashed high and wide, before Skipp did the same when sent clean through.
Davinson Sanchez, one of eight changes from Wednesday’s 4-0 win at Palace, then put his body on the line with a strong block to deny Owen Dale.
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In the end one was enough, though Bassey and his players can take a lot of pride from their diligent display.
But hard work and organisation is often not enough when you are facing Kane, who is a step closer to Tottenham immortality.
Antonio Conte’s side produced another underwhelming displayCredit: Getty More