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FRANK LAMPARD has the FULL backing of Chelsea fans – they’re just not able to show it. That’s the opinion of supporters’ group We Are The Shed, who have unfurled a huge 15m x 1.5m banner at Stamford Bridge to endorse the Blues legend. The banner – which reads ‘In Frank We Trust. Then. Now. […] More
SPURS could be handed their SECOND cup walkover of the season – after a Covid outbreak infected the Wycombe dressing room.
The Buckinghamshire club’s Championship clash with QPR tomorrow was postponed after Wycombe told the EFL they were unable to fulfil the fixture.
Tottenham could be handed an FA Cup bye after Wycombe’s Covid outbreakCredit: EPA
That will bring an EFL inquiry into the circumstances, although Wanderers said that a number of positive tests meant players and staff were now self-isolating.
But with the FA Cup fourth round tie with Tottenham due to be played at Adams Park on Monday January 25, Wycombe may struggle to be able to field a team.
The Chairboys would have the option of following Aston Villa’s third round example against Liverpool and fielding a youth side to fulfil the fixture.
If they were unable to field a team, a decision on the tie would be placed in the hands of the FA’s Professional Game Board.
But unlike with Shrewsbury’s game at Southampton, rearranged for next week with the Saints’ Prem clash at Leeds moved, there is far less wriggle room for FA bosses.
Spurs are due to play Liverpool on January 28, which would be a possible option.
But Tottenham already need to catch up two fixtures, this week’s postponed game at Aston Villa and the trip to Fulham, which clashes with the Carabao Cup Final at the end of April.
Spurs’ European schedule also limit the options.
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The north Londoners have back to back games against Austrians Wolfsberger next month in the last 32 of the Europa League, with the fifth round looming in the second midweek of February.
And just as Spurs were handed a Carabao Cup walkover against Leyton Orient in September, Jose Mourinho’s side might be gifted a passage through to the last 16.
Although FA chiefs will try to find a solution that prevents that worst-case scenario.
Tottenham vs Leyton Orient axed and Spurs declared winners of Carabao Cup tie after coronavirus rips through O’s squad More
ONCE again the world’s oldest and grandest cup competition resumes with one third and 16 fourth round games for fans to get their teeth into.
With the UK back in lockdown the magic of the FA Cup will be a tonic for supporters facing months under new coronavirus regulations.
Manchester United face Liverpool at Old Trafford after squeezing past Watford in the third roundCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And in a boost for fans, you’ll be able to watch every single clash on TV – with a number of matches on free-to-air.
FA Cup fourth round TV matches
There are 16 matches this weekend, spread across four days of action.
Matches are being shown on BT Sport, BBC and for the first time, on the FA Player.
Games on BBC ONE and BBC iPlayer are FREE to watch for everyone.
BT Sport games will be available to anyone who has a subscription to the service, with the BT Sport Extra channel available by pressing the red button.
BT Sport will be showing the majority of matchesCredit: Paul Marriott – The Sun
If you have an EE phone contract, you can grab a three-month BT Sport trial by texting SPORT to 150.
To get the FA Player, head to their official website or download the app from the App or Play Store on your mobile.
Third Round
Tuesday, January 19
Southampton vs Shrewsbury Town – 8pm (BT Sport 2)
Match rearranged due to Covid
Fourth Round
Friday, January 22
Chorley vs Wolverhampton Wanderers – 7.45pm (BT Sport 1)
Saturday, January 23
Southampton/Shrewsbury vs Arsenal – 12.15pm (BT Sport 1)
Bournemouth vs Crawley – 3pm (BT Sport Extra 2)
Swansea vs Nottingham Forest – 3pm (BT Sport Extra 4)
Barnsley vs Norwich – 3pm (BT Sport Extra 5)
Millwall vs Bristol City – 3pm (BT Sport Extra 6)
Brighton vs Blackpool – 3pm (BT Sport Extra 3)
Sheffield United vs Plymouth – 3pm (BBC iPlayer)
West Ham vs Doncaster – 3pm (BBC iPlayer)
Cheltenham Town vs Manchester City – 5.30pm (BBC One/iPlayer)
Sunday, January 24
Chelsea vs Luton Town – 12 Noon (BBC One/iPlayer)
Fulham vs Burnley – 2.30pm (BT Sport Extra 2)
Brentford vs Leicester – 2.30pm (BT Sport 1)
Manchester United vs Liverpool – 5pm (BBC One/iPlayer)
Everton vs Sheffield Wednesday (BT Sport 1)
Monday, January 25
Wycombe vs Tottenham 7.45pm (BT Sport 1) More
MANCHESTER UNITED’S FA Cup showdown with bitter rivals Liverpool will be shown live on BBC One.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will go head to head with Jurgen Klopp’s men in the fourth round as the race for the Premier League title heats up as well.
Manchester United will take on Liverpool on terrestrial TVCredit: Getty Images – Getty
United leapfrogged Liverpool this week to claim the top spot in the league following their narrow 1-0 win over Burnley.
And both club’s seasons could be heavily shaped by their back-to-back clashes in the Prem and FA Cup.
United and Liverpool’s fourth-round clash is the highlight of TV picks for the BBC when it kicks off at 5pm on Sunday, January 24.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford
The Old Trafford fixture will be the first meeting in the competition between the two teams since 2012.
Manchester City’s visit to League Two outfit Cheltenham Town the day before will also be screened on terrestrial TV.
Last season’s FA Cup finalists Chelsea will be looking to secure their fifth round spot when they host Championship side Luton Town on BBC One.
Elsewhere, Sheffield United against Plymouth Argyle and West Ham United v Doncaster Rovers will be available via BBC iPlayer.
Non-league Chorley have been handed another showing on BT Sport with the opening tie of the round against Wolves on the Friday night.
BBC’s TV Picks for FA Cup fourth-round
Saturday, January 23
Cheltenham Town v Manchester City – KO 5.30pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Sheffield United v Plymouth Argyle (15:00 KO) – Live on BBC Digital Platforms
West Ham United v Doncaster Rovers (15:00 KO) – Live on BBC Digital Platforms
Swansea City v Nottingham Forest (15:00 KO) – BBC One Wales
Sunday, January 24
Chelsea v Luton Town – KO 12.00pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Manchester United v Liverpool – KO 5.00pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer
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Similarly, FA Cup holders Arsenal will be on BT on Saturday, January 23 against either Southampton or Shrewsbury.
SunSport recently revealed that League One Shews have been handed an FA Cup reprieve – after Prem bosses agreed to put back Southampton’s trip to Leeds to create space in the calendar.
Shrewsbury faced being booted out of the competition when a Covid outbreak meant they could not play their third-round tie at St Mary’s last weekend.
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SHREWSBURY have been handed an FA Cup reprieve – after Prem bosses agreed to put back Southampton’s trip to Leeds to create space in the calendar.
League One Shews faced being booted out of the competition when a Covid outbreak meant they could not play their third round tie at St Mary’s last weekend.
Jason Cummings of Shrewsbury poses with the FA Cup trophy last year Credit: Getty Images – Getty
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When the winners were pulled out of the hat to face Arsenal in the fourth round, Saints appeared set to be handed a walkover because of the Gunners’ congested fixture schedule and Europa League games next month.
But Wembley’s Professional Game Board, which includes former Prem chairman and current FA acting head Peter McCormick, reached out to League bosses to find an alternative.
And now the delayed third round tie will be played with an 8pm kick-off on Tuesday, allowing the fourth round to proceed as scheduled the following weekend.
But the move will see Southampton’s scheduled Prem game at Elland Road, due to be played on Wednesday, postponed until a slot can be found later in the campaign.
Confirming the decision, Wembley said: “The FA would like to thank the Premier League, EFL, BT Sport, Southampton, Shrewsbury Town and Leeds United for helping to make the re-scheduling possible.”
The League said the delayed Prem clash “will rescheduled in due course”.
A spokesman added: “Any future FA Cup rescheduling decisions involving Premier League teams will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
The agreement is a sign of the mutual determination of the Prem and FA to complete the season as scheduled despite the growing list of Covid-enforced postponements.
League bosses are expected to confirm they have granted Aston Villa’s request to call off Sunday’s rescheduled trip to Everton with the club’s Bodymoor Heath training ground still closed.
Middlesbrough were sent crashing out the cup losing 2-1 against Brentford which came amid a Covid-19 outbreak.
The Teessiders training ground had been closed, leaving Neil Warnock’s side unable to prepare for the clash.
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WOMEN’S FA CUP clashes have become the latest sports events to be halted by the coronavirus crisis.
Football authorities say second and third round fixtures – currently classed as ‘non-elite’ sport by the government – will be paused during lockdown.
Women’s FA Cup fixtures are being paused during the national lockdown
And the announcement comes after 17 second round ties were cancelled in December due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Officials say they will monitor and review the situation before making a decision over the resumption of the competition.
In a statement on its web site the FA says: “We can today confirm that, following the latest national lockdown enforced by the government, the 2020-21 Vitality Women’s FA Cup will not resume during this period and will remain on pause.
“With all sport across the country outside of the elite level currently shut down, the competition is not in a position where the second and third rounds can be played, with clubs currently in the competition not permitted to train or play due to being at amateur level.
“Whilst it would have been possible to play elite-versus-non-elite fixtures under elite criteria with Government support, as seen in the Emirates FA Cup fixtures involving all non-elite teams do not meet elite criteria and cannot currently go ahead.
“Therefore, the competition will remain paused during the current lockdown, with a number of options currently being explored on how best to complete it.
“The health and wellbeing of players and staff are of paramount importance and we are not prepared to put any individual at risk during this pandemic.
“It remains our preference to complete the 2020-21 competition with all clubs having the opportunity to play their fixtures, however the developing situation will continue to be closely monitored and will be reviewed before any further decisions are made.
“We will now enter a period of consultation with all clubs that remain in the competition – alongside those who are due to enter from the fourth round – to discuss the options available.
Second and third round Women’s FA Cup clashes have been paused due to being classed as ‘non-elite’ sportCredit: PA:Press Association
“We will look to make a further announcement in due course.”
The postponement of the competition is the latest blow to hit the women’s game in recent weeks.
It comes a week after SEVEN games were axed in the Women’s Super League and Championship following a spate of positive Covid-19 test results.
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MANCHESTER CITY fans have delved into their pockets to help raise £20,000 for FA Cup fourth-round opponents Cheltenham Town.
Like many Football League clubs, the League Two side have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Cheltenham fans want to raise £20,000 from ‘virtual tickets’ to help their cash-strapped club survive the coronavirus pandemic
Pep Guardiola takes his Man City squad to Cheltenham in the FA Cup fourth round later this monthCredit: AFP
The Robins have seen a huge chunk of their income disappear due to lost matchday revenue from tickets sales.
And now, Cheltenham Town supporters’ group, 1887 Red Army, has set up a campaign on Crowdfunder in an effort to help the club.
The group are aiming to rake in £20,000 in ‘virtual tickets’ for the FA Cup clash at the empty Jonny-Rocks Stadium – likely to be picked for TV coverage.
And Man City fans have chipped in, as well as Cheltenham fans, to help the struggling side.
Already, over £19,000 has been raised for the Robins’ cause.
James Robinson, a Robins fan and 1887 Red Army member, has been instrumental in managing the fundraiser – which started before the third-round win over Mansfield Town.
All funds will be donated to Cheltenham Town, with Crowdfunder waiving platform fees for community and charity crowdfunding projects during the pandemic.
James said: “We had plans to carry on our Crowdfunder from round three into the next round even before the draw was made to help the club out during these difficult times.
Man City fans joined Cheltenham fans in donating money to the worthy cause
“When the draw was made, it was a no-brainer and we got the virtual tickets on sale as quickly as possible.
“The idea came from Marine, who raised thousands of pounds from virtual tickets in the third round against Tottenham.
“We also had a Crowdfunder against Mansfield, raising more than £2,000 that would have helped the club out even before the City draw was made.
“Crowdfunder is a ready-built platform so we simply designed the page around the Man City game within 20 minutes.
“Cheltenham and Man City fans have come together and raised just under £5,000 in the first few hours and it’s just built from there.
“There is a real sense of togetherness from both sets of supporters and Man City fans have been amazing as they were in a similar situation a few years back.”
Supporters of the campaign sent the team their well-wishes after more than 1,300 people chipped in.
One fan commented: “Being an old City fan I have never forgotten where we have been and come from.
“Gutted I can’t attend as, a part from anything else, Cheltenham is a beautiful town for those that have never been.
“Still hope we win of course.”
Another joked: “Will never forget our days in the Second Division.
“Good luck for the future… just not when you play us.”
Cheltenham manager Michael Duff said: “This shows you the community spirit within football.
“Man City were in lower leagues at one point and that’s given them a sort of grounding and certainly their older fans will know where they’ve come from and they’ve done the hard yards.
“The fact they are helping out with this is brilliant and hopefully it ends up being a TV game too.”
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ALL clubs left in the FA Cup have been warned they will face penalties for breaching Covid regulations.
Wembley beaks moved to draft the letter to the 33 teams that currently remain in the competition after a series of weekend incidents during the third round.
Wembley chiefs have warned FA Cup teams they face punishment for breaching Covid rulesCredit: Getty – Contributor
The letter was said to “strongly reiterate the importance of complete compliance” with Covid protocols and Government legislation.
Premier League and EFL bosses will send out similar letters to their individual members as football braces against calls for a shutdown if regulations are not followed.
But in a warning shot, Wembley said: “The FA is committed to ensuring that all matches played in the Competition are done so in an environment that protects the safety of players, club staff and all other attendees and public health more generally.
“As all clubs will be aware, it is absolutely essential that English football continues to demonstrate that the procedures it has in place for the continuation of elite football are reliable, robust and fully compliant with all necessary rules set by the government, Public Health England and the game itself.
“Clubs and players are required to comply with any legislation and/or guidance in relation to Covid-19.
“Furthermore, the Professional Game Board will consider any potential breaches and may impose such penalties as it deems necessary in the event of any proven instances of non-compliance.”
That is likely to mean fines for clubs who flout the rules, rather than bans for players or expulsion from the competition.
As SunSport reported, the post-game dressing room celebrations at Chorley and Crawley raised significant concerns, as well as goal celebrations with players openly hugging and giving each other high-fives.
But clubs were left in no doubt that they must follow any new “enhanced protocols”.
The letter added: “It is essential that clubs read and disseminate the content of those protocols to all relevant parties ahead of their FA Cup games on the weekend of 23 January.”
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