FA Cup

MARCUS RASHFORD is set to have a scan on the knee injury that forced him off during the 3-2 win over Liverpool.
The England star played a key role in sending Manchester United into the FA Cup fifth round after bagging a goal and an assist against their bitter rivals at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford picked up an injury in Manchester United’s win over LiverpoolCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Rashford first played the pass of the match to set up Mason Greenwood for the Red Devils’ first before he slotted home their second.
But he sparked fears that he might be set for a spell on the sidelines after limping down the tunnel in the closing stages on Sunday.
Anthony Martial was sent on to replace Rashford and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he was unsure about the fitness of his star frontman.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

When quizzed whether Three Lions ace Rashford was ok, the United boss told BBC Sport: “Let’s hope so.
“His knee was bothering him. So a scan tomorrow and we’ll see where we are.”
On Rashford’s performance, Solskjaer added: “Marcus has played a little bit up front, down the right and down the left.
“We felt if we could switch the ball early today to either side, we could attack them, because Liverpool defend on the front foot and you’ve got to be quick on the ball. I thought we did that well.”

United ultimately gained the advantage over Liverpool after an end-to-end game and Solskjaer lauded his side’s overall performance.
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Rashford scored and set one up as Man Utd downed Liverpool in the FA CupCredit: EPA

He said: “We really played some good stuff in periods, good goals we scored, we know we have to defend well against them of course.
“And I thought we managed to react well. Towards the end there’s always some moments there but I thought we kept them away.”
United have now set up a fifth round tie against West Ham as they bid to better their semi-final run in the FA Cup last season.

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OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER said this week he is reminded of himself when he sees Donny van de Beek.
How the Dutchman would have loved to make the kind of impact his manager made in this fixture 22 years ago to the day.

Donny van de Beek tussles with Liverpool’s James Milner as he again struggled to impose himself on a rare start for Man Utd Credit: EPA

Dutchman Donny van de Beek was once more overshadowed by United’s big guns, including their second scorer Marcus RashfordCredit: AFP

Back then, Solskjaer famously scored an injury-time winner over the old enemy Liverpool in a fourth-round FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.
Now he gave his summer signing the chance to write his name into United folklore by doing something similar.
But VDB will have to do more than he showed here if he is to emerge from a crowded pool of midfielders and get regular game time.
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During his playing days, the Norwegian got a reputation as a supersub often playing second fiddle to more illustrious stars – but popping up with some huge goals.
Van de Beek has had to do the same since arriving in Manchester last summer – although at just 23 he will not want to be settling for a place on the bench just yet.
Before Sunday’s 3-2 win, he had started just 10 matches in all competitions – coming on as a sub in 12 more.
That’s because in recent weeks, United’s midfield has been shining – with Bruno Fernandes the stand out player.

Solskjaer said this week: “He reminds me a lot about myself, when I first came in, that he understands my difficulties and challenges.
“We are doing well and have got players who are playing really well in his position.”
No matter how well he did here, he knew that the Portuguese talisman will be back in for the next game. The shirt is his for the time being.
The question is can Solskjaer find a way to accommodate them both on a regular basis?
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And don’t forget Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Nemanja Matic and Fred have all had their moments in central positions in recent weeks.
It was a quiet start for Van de Beek as he got little of the ball and struggled to escape from the shadow of Thiago Alcantara.
He had a sight of goal after a clever pass by Marcus Rashford but squared the ball to nobody in particular.
The way he went over the leg of the onrushing Alisson did him no favours in the eyes of unimpressed Liverpool players.
Then he produced a super little flick to set Luke Shaw flying down the left but the England defender’s cross was pushed away by the keeper.
But there was not much more to say about the former Ajax man’s performance – other than he will benefit from getting minutes under his belt.

With the game poised at 2-2 midway through the second half, he was replaced by Fernandes as Solskjaer looked to nick the tie.
Van de Beek looked disappointed as he came off. His chance will come again – but he may have to be patient.
That much would have been clear when he watched on from the bench as the man who replaced him scored a trademark free-kick just over 10 minutes later.

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CROWN the new King of Old Trafford, Bruno Fernandes has done it again.
His 78th minute free kick settled this FA Cup classic.

Bruno Fernandes sent Manchester United into the FA Cup fifth roundCredit: Reuters

The midfielder emerged from the bench to bend in the winnerCredit: Reuters

Next Saturday it will be a year to the day that he signed for Manchester United.
It should be forever knock as Bruno Day in the red half of the city.
He has been the catalyst for the re-emergence of Manchester United as a power.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford

League leaders and now at home to West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
His goal was his 28th since moving from Sporting Lisbon.
No other player at a Premier League club has scored more.
While last Sunday’s league encounter was a drab goalless affair this was all action from the very first minute.

The biggest ever TV audience for a Premier League game was left to doze off, while this had everyone on the edge of their sofas with play constantly switching from end to end.
With five changes made by both managers from their midweek league games there was a freshness about both sides.
Greenwood came on for just the last minute last Sunday and while he started the win against Fulham he has suffered from a lack of game time and goals.

Marcus Rashford pounced on a defensive mistake to slot past AlissonCredit: Reuters

Just three all season and only one in the league.
He was clearly eager to make up for that from the off with two chances in the opening 13 minutes.
For the first he ran half the length of the filed before trying to beat Alisson from a tiht angle at the near post when a cross to Rashford would have been the better choice.
A point Cavani made to the teenager before setting him up for another darting run which ended with stepovers aplenty but a shot wide of the near post.
Cavani did not look over chuffed with that either as he stood in the centre of the Liverpool box.
All would soon be forgiven but not before Salah had given Liverpool an 18th minute lead
It was a great through ball from Roberto Firmino and Salah slid between Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof to reach it before clipping a great chip over the advancing Dean Henderson.
United responded with Greenwood getting the equaliser on 26 minutes.

Mohamed Salah had hauled Liverpool level from close-rangeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The Egyptian had ended Liverpool’s recent goal drought with a dinked effortCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Paul Pogba executed a superb tackle on the edge of his own area that allowed Donny van de Beek to release Marcus Rashford down the left flank.
He saw Greenwood’s run on the opposite side of the pitch and picked him out superbly.
Greenwood chested the ball forward, allowed it to bounce once before firing across Alisson into the far bottom corner.
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The bizarre screams of Andy Robertson failing to put him off.
The mark if a good striker if he has missed chances is not to get down but keeping searching for more and Greenwood is a very, very good goalscorer.
Rashford was absolutely flying too with endless runs down the left and from one he slipped Van de Beek in but Alisson was out sharply and his flicked square ball could not find a teammate.
Pogba was looking lively too as was Firmino and the second-half could not come quick enough.
What a start we had to it as well as Greenwood turned provider this time for the lightning fast Rashford to tear into the Liverpool box and calmly roll a side footed shot into the far corner.
You have never heard such a roar from so few as staff and squad members in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand celebrated the goal.
Soon the cries of the Liverpool contingent would echo round Old Trafford as they equalised in the 58th minute.

Mason Greenwood fired home the equaliser minutes laterCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The England starlet chested down a diagonal switch from RashfordCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Cavani had a loose pass intercepted midway inside his own half and Liverpool worked the ball into the area with Firmino once again teeing up Salah who fired through Henderson’s legs in the middle of the goal.
It was Salah’s 19th goal of the season the joint most of any Premier League player in all comps alongside Harry Kane.
With Liverpool tails up Klopp sent on Mane to increase their attacking potency.
Solskjaer responded with Bruno Fernandes and Fred.
In the 67th minute Mane put Salah in but he was denied his hat-trick by a great save from Henderson.
Then just as Liverpool looked to have the edge United responded with the 78th minute winner.
Fernandes the hero again.
When Fabinho went through the back of Cavani on the edge of the area a free kick was awarded.
Up stepped Fernandes who curled a shot over Thiago, who had strangely decided to duck slightly, on the edge of the wall and just inside the far post.

Ole Solskjaer leapt from his seat and punched the air.
Cavani almost made it four when his thumpoing header came back off the post.
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ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC has stunned fans by unveiling a shocking bald look… but some are not convinced the striker has axed his famous top knot.
The AC Milan star has sported long hair for most of his career with his iconic ponytail becoming synonymous with his look in recent years.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic posted a photo showing a shaved headCredit: Instagram @iamzlatanibrahimovic

But fans are not convinced the AC Milan star has really got rid of his long hairCredit: AP:Associated Press

Ibrahimovic, 39, has netted 12 goals in just eight Serie A starts this season – with only Cristiano Ronaldo above him in the scoring charts.
Yet he drew a rare blank for the league leaders this weekend as they fell to a surprise 3-0 home defeat to Atalanta on Saturday.
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But the Swede still managed to grab the headlines by apparently unveiling a new hairdo on Instagram, alongside the caption: “All in.”

One fan tweeted: “Looking like Stone Cold Steve Austin, as if defenders weren’t scared before, now they’ll be terrified.”
Another said: “Serie A aint ready, bald Zlatan seems more dangerous.”
A third added: “Bald Zlatan looks like an extra from Game of Thrones.”
However, some suspicious fans noted that a mysterious smudge behind the ex-Manchester United striker’s head may have been the giveaway sign of some Photoshop shenanigans.

When Ibra is not sending fans wild on social media, he is busy helping Diogo Dalot settle in Italy.
The Portuguese full-back has recaptured his form on-loan in Milan after falling out of favour at Old Trafford.
And after missing out on the chance to play with Ibrahimovic during his two-year stint at the Red Devils, the 21-year-old has credited the Swedish international for bettering him.

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JAY RODRIGUEZ struck twice – and sent up another – to send Burnley into the FA fifth round for only the second time in 10 years.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche made nine changes from the side which stunned Liverpool 1-0.

Jay Rodriguez ended his goal drought as Burnley beat FulhamCredit: Rex Features

The ex-England star headed in his first strike since JulyCredit: Rex Features

The striker doubled his own haul by slamming home from the penalty spotCredit: PA:Press Association

Rodriguez then turned provider as Kevin Long notched Burnley’s thirdCredit: Reuters

But even though it was a different team, Dyche will be pleased the way his squad were able to focus just three days after the club’s massive win over the champions.
Rodriguez put Burnley ahead with a first half header and then scored a 71st minute penalty before Kevin Long struck to seal the tie.
Burnley, who will entertain Bournemouth or Crawley in the next round, last reached the fifth round in 2017 and suffered an embarrassing 1-0 loss to Lincoln.
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James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil were the only survivors from the win at Anfield while Fulham kept just three players from the one which started the 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United.
Matej Vydra thought he had scored in the third minute but was offside while he then forced a decent near-post save from Marek Rodak.
Phil Bardsley tried his luck from distance but Rodak saved and Vydra’s follow up was poor.
Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic also put the ball in the net with a header but Aboubakar Kamara was offside.

Vydra wasted another chance when clean through and Rodak saved but Burnley finally got the goal they had threatened in the 31st minute.
Rodriguez played the ball out wide to Jack Cork and then charged into the area to meet a terrific cross with a glancing header. Vydra was offside when Cork crossed but the ball sailed over his head towards Rodriguez.

At least Fulham improved after the break. They had a good chance at the start of the second half but Burnley keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell made a triple save to keep out a strike from Joe Bryan and then two efforts by Mitrovic.
Vydra wasted another good opportunity but was forced wide by Tim Ream but soon after won a penalty after being barged by Michael Hector. Rodriguez delivered an assured finish to end Rodak the wrong way.
With nine minutes left, Rodriguez turned provider and after Fulham failed to clear their lines. He chested the ball back towards defender Long to scramble the ball over the line.

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REF David Coote was shown the red card on social media after he TACKLED Mason Mount as the Chelsea midfielder prepared to shoot against Luton.
Fans fumed as statuesque Coote unwittingly did a better of stopping England star Mount than many Premier League defenders have managed. in the FA Cup clash.

Ref David Coote reacts slowly and impedes Chelsea star Mason Mount in a very dangerous position against Luton

Mason Mount was floored by the accidental block from ref David Coote

Tammy Abraham’s hat-trick saw off Championship side Luton 3-1 to earn a fifth-round trip to Barnsley and slightly ease pressure on Blues’ boss Frank Lampard.
But even Lamps could not have expected the glaring spotlight to switch from him to Coote in such a bizarre manner.
Mount cut back sharply onto his left foot just outside the box – but straight into Coote, who was doing an awkward-looking 180-degree turn when caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Coote immediately blew up and raised his hands in front of him to admit his mishap.
Mount and Co seemed forgiving but social media was less so, although some fans saw the lighter side of such a rare incident.
One said: “Cleanest tackle. Ever” while another pointed out: “We’re in need of a ball-winning midfielder as well.”
And a more stats-minded armchair critic claimed: “One assist for Chelsea first goal. Mr. Incompetent.”

That was a reference to Coote’s role – or lack of it – in Abraham’s controversial opener.
Despite a multi-ball system NOT being used, Chelsea threw in a different ball after Luton keeper Simon Sluga booted a goal-kick straight into touch.
And there were even two balls in play briefly, before the Blues knocked the spare one off.
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England star Mason Mount must have been happy with his sharp turn – until the man in the middle, David Coote, unwittingly intervened
But the officials never halted the action and Abraham promptly tucked in strike-partner Timo Werner’s cut-back.
Furious Hatters’ boss Nathan Jones claimed he had never been “disrespected” by a ref as much as Coote – when the official shrugged off Luton’s queries over the build-up.
LutonToday quote Jones as saying: “The rules have changed apparently, so I don’t know when but the rules have changed.
“First of all, we asked the fourth official is it multi-ball? He said ‘no’, so you have to use the same ball.
“I asked the referee if it was multi-ball and he just kept quoting the rule book to me, so I have no idea, I couldn’t get clarification.

“I waited 30 minutes and he actually got changed and has gone, so I’m baffled, I don’t know what’s going on as I did not know.
“I’ve been a professional footballer for 29 years, I’ve been a manager and a coach for nine, and in all that time when a second ball comes on the pitch, play stops, but apparently not today, so I don’t know.
“When I went to speak to the referee, he literally couldn’t make eye contact with me, he treated me with the biggest amount of disrespect I’ve ever been treated with and just kept quoting a rule book about something I wasn’t actually asking him, so it puzzled me.”

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BRENDAN RODGERS may have higher priorities than the FA Cup – but the Leicester boss sent out a potent attacking team and was rewarded with a stirring second-half comeback.
Brentford’s Championship promotion contenders had knocked out four Premier League clubs on their way to the Carabao Cup semi-finals – and they could have led the Foxes by more than a single goal at half-time.

Leicester cruised past Brentford after another impressive showing from James MaddisonCredit: AFP or licensors

The England star was on the scoresheet again as the Foxes moved into the fifth roundCredit: Rex Features

But when Leicester cranked up their intensity levels after the break, there was no contest.
Cengiz Under struck the equaliser, Youri Tielemans won and converted a penalty and James Maddison tapped in the third as the Foxes cruised in to a fifth-round home with Brighton next month.
Leicester are widely regarded as being the biggest club never to have won the FA Cup – with four defeats in the final all more than half a century ago.
While Leicester are pursuing Champions League, and perhaps even a second Premier League title, as well as this season’s Europa League, Rodgers refused to send out a seriously weak team.

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A second-string Foxes defence looked shaky in the first half, conceding to an early Mads Bech Sorensen effort – and were grateful to keeper Danny Ward for a couple of fine saves.
But there was no doubting Leicester’s appetite after the break as they put Brentford to the sword.
After morning blizzards in west London, the ground staff were using leaf blowers to clear the penalty areas of snow.

Both clubs have massive midweek league fixtures coming up – the Bees a promotion six-pointer with Swansea and Leicester a Champions League six-pointer at Everton.

Youri Tielemans won and converted a penalty after Cengiz Under struck the equaliserCredit: Reuters
So the line-ups were stronger than we might have imagined, despite six changes for the hosts and eight for Leicester.
The Foxes began brightly, twice going close before Brentford’s sixth-minute opener.
Turkish winger Under cut back for Harvey Barnes to blaze a shot wide, then Under cut in from the right and saw his shot turned wide by Luke Daniels.
Yet as soon as the Bees put pressure on Leicester’s second-string defence, the Foxes were rocking.
Brentford’s first corner saw Rodgers’ men apparently frozen by the bitter cold, Marcus Forss getting the first touch, Nampalys Mendy unable to clear, keeper Danny Ward also hesitant and Sorensen poking over the line.
Leicester threatened a swift equaliser when a Barnes shot was hacked away by Ethan Pinnock and when Maddison whistled a free-kick wide after Jan Zamburek was booked for a foul on Ayoze Perez.

Mads Bech Sorensen had put the home side in front earlyCredit: AP:Associated Press
But Brentford ended the first half well on top – the lively Tarique Fosu having a volley pushed wide by Ward before Saman Ghoddos was given to sighters at goal from free-kicks on the edge of the area.
After Caglar Soyuncu was booked for a crude challenge on Forss, Ghoddos pinged one narrowly over.
And after Youri Tielemans fouled Foxu, Ghoddos produced a brilliant effort which forced Ward into a spectacular leaping save.
But for all Leicester’s defensive paucity, they always possessed attacking quality.
And within a minute of the restart, Soyuncu won possession high up the pitch and fed Maddison, who jinked past two defenders and slipped in a pass for Under to drill into the far corner.
Perez headed over from a Tielemans centre and then drove in a shot which almost knocked Daniels back into his own net.
Leicester’s second, on 51 minutes, was controversial, Tielemans going down easily with minimal contact from Fosu – VAR might have overturned it but there is no such technology available at EFL stadiums.
And Tielemans rose to send Daniels the wrong way from the spot.

Then Pereira motored down the right and cut back for Under, who swept wide when he should have killed the tie.
Leicester had turned up the quality-control switch considerably and Barnes soon screwed wide after an excellent run from Luke Thomas
And with 20 minutes to go, the killer blow arrived – sub Timothy Castagne winning an excellent interception on halfway, and a Barnes shot pushed out by Daniels for Maddison to tap in.

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