FA Cup

MANCHESTER UNITED have been drawn against Liverpool in what is the standout tie of the FA Cup fourth round.
The two fierce rivals will meet at Old Trafford on the weekend of January 22-25, just a week after their top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Anfield.

Meanwhile, holders Arsenal will either face Shrewsbury or Southampton after their third round tie was postponed following a coronavirus outbreak at the League Two side.
And 2019 champions Manchester City have been handed a trip to Cheltenham.
Chelsea have landed another favourable tie as they will play Luton at home.
Tottenham are on the road once again with Jose Mourinho’s men to pit their wits against Wycombe Wanderers.

Everton – who haven’t won a trophy since their 1995 FA Cup triumph – will take on Sheffield Wednesday.
Chorley’s reward for knocking out Derby is a home tie against Wolves in a repeat of their 1986 giant-killing, while Scott Parker’s struggling Fulham take on Burnley in an all-Premier League affair.
Crawley – who knocked out Leeds after easing to a 3-0 victory – have been handed a trip to boss John Yems’ former club Bournemouth.
Swansea host Nottingham Forest, with Barnsley to face Norwich in another all Championship match.

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Man Utd-Liverpool is one of the most-played Cup ties

Millwall have been handed a home clash against Bristol City, while Brighton host Blackpool.
Sheffield United reached the quarter-finals last season, and Plymouth now stand in their way in their quest to reach the latter stages yet again.
West Ham will face Doncaster after beating Stockport, with Brentford tasked with knocking out Leicester.
Just moments later, the draw for the fifth round was also made.
Those fixtures are scheduled to take place for the midweek of the week beginning Monday, February 8.
The winner of Man Utd and Liverpool will play West Ham or Doncaster.
Arsenal could be paired with minnows Chorley, with the Gunners or Shrewsbury or Southampton drawn against the Lancashire side of Wolves.
Chelsea or Luton face a trip to Barnsley or Norwich, while Man City or Cheltenham will be away to Swansea or Nottingham Forest.

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IAIN DOWIE is not the only man to look back on a wet and windy night out in Stockport with regret.
The former West Ham striker admits the infamous own goal he scored there in 1996 makes him wince and laugh in equal measure.

Iain Dowie infamously scored an own goal when playing for West Ham against StockportCredit: Action Images

The former striker also broke his leg in on that painful nightCredit: PA:Empics Sport

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What is not common knowledge is that the boyhood Hammers fan played on with a broken leg and was then spat at when he was put out of his misery and substituted.
The bullet header past his own startled keeper Ludek Miklosko in that League Cup fourth round tie against a team from the third tier is part of West Ham folklore and Dowie freely admits it.
From 1-0 up they lost 2-1 and the curse of lower league opposition struck again.

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Dowie said: “The only place in the world I get a standing ovation is Stockport County.
“I live up that way now and some of the fans have banter with me.
“Apparently there’s a spot by the corner flag which says ‘Iain Dowie was here’.

“Of course it still hurts but I have to laugh about it as well. People say it was a really good own goal.”
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Centre-forward Dowie, in his second spell with West Ham, had not scored a Premiership goal since March.
He said: “The team we picked was strong with Julian Dicks, Ian Bishop, Slaven Bilic, Miklosko, Ilie Dumitrescu.
“It was a bleak, horrible night and nearly 10,000 were in the ground. A massive chunk of those were West Ham. We started quite well, Dicksy scored a great goal. I was involved in the build up.
“It was blowing a gale and I think it was their full back who chucked in a long throw, it got clipped back into the box and I went to head it.
“I think it moved a bit in the wind, I wanted to head it out for a corner but it came off the side of my head and fired right into the top corner.
“I’ve always said Ludo should have come for the cross but it’s nothing more than just my horrendous error.
“I was having a difficult time with goals at the time and that just sums it up. Nobody to blame but me. The ball may have moved a bit but I should have headed it higher. Nobody said anything to me because there was nothing to say.
“I remember walking back to the halfway line hoping the ground would open and swallow me up.

Dowie spoke exclusively to Sun Sport about that miserable nightCredit: Pacemaker Press
“West Ham is the team I supported as a boy and I felt pressure. My own goal swung the momentum. Brett Angell made it 2-1, then I got put through on goal.
“The keeper came out, I knocked it past him, should’ve scored but didn’t and got clipped as I went past. As I landed I felt something funny in my leg.
“After a while I could hardly move and it turned out I had a spiral fracture on my right leg. Not only am I in horrendous form, have scored an own goal but have now broken my leg.
“As I walked up the tunnel I had to face the West Ham fans. They weren’t singing my name but the vast majority were very good.
“I felt some flecks of spit on my face. What really stuck in my mind though is that most of them were very good to me even though I was having a stinker.”
Dowie was back playing after just six weeks but reckons most people only remember him for his howler.
He said: “The plaster cast fell off my leg after about four and a half weeks because I was on the stepper in the gym all the time working hard to get back.
“By the time I came back I nicked a goal at home against Wimbledon – the first in 15 or so games . But it was disallowed! The following season I moved on to QPR.
“Some won’t remember the goal I scored that got us promoted but that’s how it is. No hiding – it was an horrendous mistake. I laugh about it now. I take full responsibility for getting us knocked out of the cup.”

Dowie is still an ardent Hammers supporterCredit: Reuters
Still an ardent Hammer, Dowie expects a better outcome this evening.
He said: “David Moyes is a fantastic manager. I love what he is doing, long may it continue. He has made great signings and is developing players like Declan Rice into a jewel.
“West Ham need to go there and win. Hopefully they’ll stay away from another own goal.
“I was part of the squad in 1991 when Tony Gale got sent off in the Cup semi final. I watched Trevor Brooking score the goal that won it. Winning the FA Cup would make it a phenomenal season.
“David’s a good fit. All of a sudden there is synergy. They must keep hold of the diamond Declan Rice and the cup is number one priority without a doubt. It would be a massive factor in trying to keep Declan at the club.”
Iain Dowie has asked for a donation to be made to the Justin Edinburgh 3 Foundation.

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MARK WRIGHT made a late cameo for Crawley in Sunday’s FA Cup clash against Leeds.
The reality TV star climbed off the bench in injury time of his side’s 3-0 win over the stunned Premier League team.

Mark Wright came on for Crawley against Leeds in the FA Cup on SundayCredit: Reuters

The reality TV star came on late in the 3-0 FA Cup victoryCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

The 33-year-old, who is married to actress Michelle Keegan, tried to make it as a footballer when he was young.
But the Essex-born star has found success from other avenues away from football, such as TV and radio.
But coming on for an FA Cup clash against Premier League Leeds even if just for a few minutes would’ve been a big deal for Wright.
He told the BBC: “The day I got released from Tottenham was one of the worst days of my life. I cried my eyes out, I realised I messed up.

Mark Wright warms up ahead of Crawley’s FA Cup clash with LeedsCredit: Rex Features

Mark Wright was named on the bench for Crawley’s clash with LeedsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“I didn’t want to face my family, I didn’t want to face my friends. I was embarrassed. I had it all, 18, going to clubs and I just thought, ‘It’s done.’
“I’ve been spoiled, I played for Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham all of my life and never had to suffer when it came to football.
“Captain of the youth team, playing for the reserves with Jamie Redknapp, Stephen Dalmat, Helder Postiga. I had it all.
“I went away one summer for a month, I drank alcohol for the first time, ate what I wanted every day, put on a stone and a half and came back to training pre-season and the goalkeepers were beating me. Never pulled it back.

“Went to League One club Southend and thought, ‘What is this?’ And that is the point where I looked back at “where it all went wrong.
“Instead of going, ‘Right, I’ve dropped the down to League One, I’ve got to get myself back up.’ I’m going to train harder, train longer. Do what I’m doing now at Crawley.
“Staying out after with the fitness coach. On my days, I’m going to work harder to get back.”
Wright is still haunted by how his actions cost him a place at Spurs and has urged youngsters at big club’s academies to never let their work ethic slip.
He added: “If I could tell any young player now, don’t do what I did. The hardest working players make it. And that’s what I didn’t do.”

The former Only Way is Essex Star signed for Crawley last month on a non-contract basis.
Upon joining the Reds, Wright said: “My love for the game has never gone away and the fact that I never played a professional game in the Football League has always niggled away at me. If I don’t do it now, I never will.
“When the manager, John Yems, who I played for 12 years ago here at Crawley asked me if I would like to take it further and sign for the club, of course I didn’t think twice and tonight I’m quite simply over the moon.
“I’ve worked so hard to get fighting fit and I will continue to do so. When/if the time comes for me to make my debut, it will be a day I remember and cherish forever.”

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JASON STEELE showed nerves befitting of his surname as Newport suffered Premier League penalty heartbreak for the SECOND time this season.
County, who lost out on spot-kicks to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup earlier this term, took it all the way after Adam Webster’s 96th-minute own goal erased Solly March’s late strike.

Jason Steele saved a quartet of spot-kicks in Sunday’s shootoutCredit: Reuters

The goalkeeper had missed an injury-time cross that Adam Webster converted into his own net for the equaliserCredit: Getty Images – Getty

But they could not keep their cool in the shootout as Steele made FOUR saves, allowing Webster to redeem himself by netting the decisive kick.
Graham Potter picked a strong XI to respect County’s recent history in this competition, which had seen them beat Leeds, Middlesbrough and Leicester in the last three years.
Yet Albion were lucky not to fall behind to their League Two hosts when Lewis Dunk got a backpass horribly wrong and allowed Padraig Amond in – but the striker fired wide.
It was a rare gaffe in this competition for Amond who is usually nuts for the FA Cup, having bagged 12 goals in it previously.

Ten of those have come for Newport, including strikes against Leicester and Manchester City, proving he is a man for the big occasion.
Potter’s pass-masters were having to get to grips with a cut-up pitch that doubles up as the home of rugby union side Dragons.
Ben White, who began his journey up the leagues with a loan spell at County, was lucky not to be punished on his old stomping ground when horribly miscuing thanks to a bobble.
Gradually, the Premier League side began to take control of the first half and came close when Dunk crashed a header from Pascal Gross’ corner.

But he was denied by a super stop from keeper Tom King, who then instinctively turned over Andi Zeqiri’s close-range volley.
Whether this fixture had any more on it for King given he began his career at Albion’s rivals Crystal Palace only he knew, but the 25-year-old certainly stepped up.
Newport lost midfielder Robbie Willmott to injury shortly before the break and were then cursing their luck further when Amond, again, spurned a superb chance.
Brighton keeper Steele had raced out to a long ball and got a header all wrong just outside his box, allowing striker Amond to lift it over him towards an empty net.
Yet an acrobatic, last-ditch clearance from Dunk rescued the visitors.
Sub Davy Propper an excellent opportunity minutes later to break the deadlock as he raced onto a loose ball, but could not hit the target.
It remained nip and tuck as King flicked over a March cross which was creeping in, before Steele blocked a goal-bound strike from Newport’s Wales international Josh Sheehan.
March looked to have settled things with his fine finish from 20 yards with 90 minutes on the clock.

Tom King made a fine attempt at his own heroics in the shootoutCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Brighton could not make their pressure pay in the 120 minutesCredit: Reuters

Yet, somehow, knackered Newport took it to extra-time as Steele missed a routine punch and the ball crashed in off Webster in the 96th minute.
His team may have been tired, but King kept his focus as he brilliantly tipped another Dunk header over the bar early on in the added 30.
To a shoot-out it went, with Steele making up for his error in normal time by saving from Josh Sheehan, Jason Demetriou, Liam Shepherd and Scott Bennett.
Webster succeeded where Neal Maupay, Yves Bissouma and Leandro Trossard failed to squeak his side through.

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