FA Cup

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd’s FA Cup hero Altay Bayindir makes incredible gesture to team-mates after stunning Arsenal victory

      by

      ALTAY BAYINDIR took his Manchester United team-mates out for dinner after his FA Cup heroics, Andre Onana has revealed.The Turkish international, 26, was brilliant as the Red Devils dumped Arsenal out on penalties.Altay Bayindir was Man Utd’s FA Cup heroCredit: GettyAndre Onana revealed Bayindir’s brilliant gestureCredit: AlamyBayindir saved Martin Odegaard’s second half spot kick, before denying Kai Havertz in the subsequent shoot-out.Clearly a popular figure among the squad, Bayindir was congratulated by his thrilled team-mates.And Onana has revealed that his understudy made a great gesture after the match.Speaking to United’s club media, the 28-year-old said: “We all congratulated him because he did a fantastic job. We are all proud of him.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”He’s here for a year-and-a-half, or even more, and he’s working hard every day. Now he gets his reward. He deserves it.”He invited us, by the way, to the restaurant [after the game] because he had such a nice performance.”Hopefully, he’s going to invite us more, much more, because that means he will continue playing like this.”Having signed from Fenerbahce for around £4m in the summer of 2023, Bayindir is still yet to play in a Premier League game for United.Most read in FA CupSUN BINGO GET £50 BONUS & 50 FREE SPINS TODAYHe made just one appearance in all competitions last term, and has made a further four this time around.After Sunday’s match, skipper Bruno Fernandes heaped praise on his pal.Manchester United squad transfer verdict: stay or go? articleThe Portuguese told the BBC: “The circumstances of the game, we suffered a lot but we sacrificed a lot as a team. At the end, you get this.”A big moment for (Bayindir) with the first penalty (in normal time) and then another save here (in the shootout).”We are really happy for him because he deserves it. It’s tough to be the second goalkeeper, he came here to play.”Whenever he gets his chances, he’s top class for us and he truly deserves this moment.”Bruno Fernandes was thrilled for team-mate BayindirCredit: Reuters More

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Son of Arsenal hero makes himself unavailable for match after suffering vile racist abuse following Tottenham game

      by

      TAMWORTH star Chris Wreh has made himself unavailable for selection after suffering racist abuse following the match against Tottenham.It should have been a day to remember for the son of former Arsenal star Christopher Wreh, as Tamworth forced Spurs to extra time before losing.Chris Wreh withdrew from a Tamworth match after suffering vile racist abuseCredit: Not known, clear with picture deskHe was subjected to racist abuse following the Tottenham gameCredit: GettyHe is the son of former Arsenal star Christopher WrehCredit: RexBut instead he was on the receiving end of sickening racist abuse, which he has reported to the police.Wreh condemned the awful abuse but withdrew from the squad to face Boldmere St. Michaels in the Birminghan Senior Cup as he is unhappy with how his club have responded to the incident.He wrote in a statement: “I wanted to provide an update following the game over the weekend and the unfortunate incident that occurred afterwards.”I have been contacted by the police and the incident is under investigation.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”I would like to extend my gratitude to the Tamworth supporters and members of the public who have reached out to offer their support and assistance in identifying the individual responsible.”Incidents like this highlight the ongoing issue of racism. It is shameful to be racially abused by someone simply because they lost a bet, but sadly, this happens all too often.”Unfortunately, I will not be available for this evening’s game. While I have the utmost respect for my manager, who has supported me throughout this issue, I am disappointed that the club has not publicly supported me yet, which has left me feeling confused and disappointed.”Although we are well compensated to play football and for many it is a dream job, we are also human beings.Most read in Football”To date, I have received only one call from an official at the club, more than 36 hours after the incident.”At no point was I asked if I was okay, instead, I was informed that the silence was due to a desire to keep the matter internal. I cannot agree with or condone this approach.’What a weekend he’s having’ say fans as Tamworth GK Jas Singh puts on stunning performance hours after birth of his son”If these incidents are kept ‘in-house’, they will never be addressed. I hope everyone understands my reasons for speaking out.”SunSport has contacted Tamworth for comment. More

    • 263 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Ange Postecoglou hits out at ‘vile and detestable’ abuse he suffered at Tamworth and claims he had objects thrown at him

      by

      ANGE POSTECOGLOU has hit out at the “vile and detestable” abuse he received at Tamworth – claiming he had objects thrown at him.Spurs were taken to extra-time by the National League side in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round clash – before running out 3-0 winners.Ange Postecoglou slammed the Tamworth fans who went too far with their abuseCredit: GettyFor the most part, Postecoglou enjoyed the interaction he had with the crowd at the 4,000-capacity Lamb Ground.But he was unhappy with some of the flak he received, with social media footage capturing supporters shouting “w***er, w***er” at the Aussie from behind the dugouts.Spurs chief Postecoglou said: “I said after the game, credit to Andy (Peaks) and his players and the people of Tamworth at the football club.“I thought they did themselves proud on the day with the way they presented everything. 90 per cent of the crowd were very good and enjoyed the banter.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“There was 10 per cent who were pretty unacceptable.“The stuff I heard was pretty vile and detestable, and getting things thrown at me, not a great experience, but we’re kind of expected to be the bigger person.“I would have loved to have turned around and not be the bigger person in that moment, but you deal with it and go on.”Postecoglou’s side will have an extra recovery session on Tuesday after the rigours of playing on Tamworth’s plastic pitch.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSWhile Timo Werner picked up a hamstring injury during the cup game, ruling him out of Wednesday’s North London derby at arch-rivals Arsenal.Postecoglou, who has Richarlison back available after nearly ten weeks out with his own hamstring problem, said the club are waiting on the scan results on Werner to assess the damage.Ange Postecoglou praises hosts Tamworth after hard-fought FA Cup win The German forward, on loan from RB Leipzig, has been linked with a move to Antonio Conte’s Napoli this month.Yet Postecoglou reiterated his desire not to let any senior players go right now due to the club’s injury crisis.He added: “We can’t afford to let anyone go at the moment. Some of the young players, Alfie Dorrington went out on loan and we will probably do similar for young Will (Lankshear) because he hasn’t really played a lot.“Aside from that, we are looking at incomings if anything happens.” More

    • 238 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Moment Millwall star scores with ‘strangest goal ever seen’ as fans say ‘straight from Phil Jones school of finishing’

      by

      MILLWALL ace Mihailo Ivanovic scored perhaps the strangest goal in FA Cup history against Dagenham & Redbridge.The Lions beat the Daggers 3-0 at the Den on Monday in the third round clash.Millwall ace Mihailo Ivanovic scored perhaps the strangest FA Cup goalCredit: GettyIvanovic tapped the ball with his head while lying on the grassIvanovic led Millwall to victory against Dagenham & RedbridgeCredit: GettyThat brought back memories of Manchester United hero Phil Jones’ classic head blockIvanovic, 20, led Alex Neil’s side to the fourth round of the FA Cup albeit in absolutely unconventional fashion in the half-hour mark.George Honeyman delivered a pinpoint cross from the left and found Jake Cooper at the far post.Cooper got the header and set Ivanovic for one of his own from close range that was barely saved by Dagenham & Redbridge goalkeeper Elliot Justham.The ball rolled back towards the Millwall ace who was lying on his stomach on the grass.Read More on FootballAnd in a moment of pure instinct – or absolute madness – the striker used his head to tap the ball behind the net and break the deadlock.The Serbia international then celebrated by pointing to his head as his team-mates and the crowd watched in awe.That brought back memories of former Manchester United ace Phil Jones’ legendary head block in 2015 against Arsenal.The iconic moment took place when Jones slipped while turning back to block Olivier Giroud’s path to goal.Most read in FA CupGiroud found the opportunity to shoot but the ex-England international was determined not to be beaten and in a moment of raw passion he decided to put his physical wellbeing on the line.The former defender lunged in front of the shot and cleared it with his head.Fans call for Jose Mourinho to stick to his word with Millwall hunting for new manager Fans were left staggered after Ivanovic’s own version as they stormed social media.One tweeted: “Mihailo Ivanovic with possibly the strangest finish we’ve seen.”Another commented: “Straight off from Phil Jones school of finishing.”A third wrote: “Phil Jones nodding appreciatively.”This one posted: “Contender for headed goal of the season.”And that one gushed: “One of the best headers I have seen.”Millwall sealed qualification in the second half with a brace by Casper De Norre and now face a massive fourth round tie at Championship rivals Leeds. More

    • 188 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      How Tottenham can kill off Arsenal’s title hopes with Ange Postecoglou’s ‘wheels of chaos’ tactic

      by

      ARSENAL face a make-or-break North London derby as they look to shrug off back-to-back cup defeats.Mikel Arteta’s side drew against Brighton before falling to a Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle.Ange Postecoglou’s wheels of chaos could kill off Arsenal title hopesCredit: GettyBut Mikel Arteta will need to be brave if he is to earn a huge win against SpursCredit: GettyThey then exited the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United.Yet all is not lost, because the Gunners have the chance to regroup and refocus their attention on the Premier League title battle, currently six points behind Liverpool.However, their next match could be a season-defining game for them as they host bitter rivals Tottenham on Wednesday.Ange Postecoglou’s side have been in sticky form of late, beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup before needing extra time to triumph over National League side Tamworth.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSunSport’s Will Pugh and tactical guru Dean Scoggins have highlighted five areas how Spurs could KO Arsenal’s title bid this season.Organised chaosThere is a perception about Tottenham that they play a very wild style of football, and while this is true to a degree there is more than meets the eye within Postecoglou’s system.The Aussie manager’s uniquely rigid attacking structure incorporates a left-hand set and a right-hand set of players.And in the last few weeks, that system has – believe it or not – been adapting amid a flurry of errors from young and inexperienced players parachuted into the team due to an injury crisis.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe current treatment room list means the likely centre-back pairing for this game will force Radu Dragusin to be paired alongside Archie Gray, with brand new goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in goal.Spurs will look to nullify their mistakes by playing out from the back even more than has been seen previously, with Yves Bissouma dropping into the space between them as they split to receive the ball.Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou channels his inner Gladiator as he defends his gung-ho tacticsTottenham have been ravaged by injury that has seen Postecoglou tweak his tacticsTypically Spurs build up with just one pivot player, but this has changed to two in recent weeksSpurs normally deploy two wheels of chaos on either side of the pitchIn attack, Tottenham look to operate as a pair of wheels on either side of the pitch but without much crossover to the other flanks.In this system, only the centre-backs, holding midfielder and striker are asked to stick to their main position, often allowing them to dominate possession due to overloads.Unfortunately, this system can make Spurs susceptible to teams setting up against them, as Arsenal did at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season.Underlap, overlap, wandering freeTottenham are a team who often do not look to generate chances through crossing from out wide, but do tend to score a lot with cutbacks.This is often due to Spurs relying heavily on underlaps with the wingers hugging the touchline while the fullbacks – likely to be Pedro Porro and Djed Spence against Arsenal – invert centrally.Spence, a right-footed full-back, has been particularly impressive deputising for Destiny Udogie at left-back in the last few weeks.In a perfectly executed gameplan, this pair of wheels allow for the full-backs to move forward into a dangerous area before being able to find a cutback for a more central team-mate.The three-player units on either side of the field allow for underlapping full-backs to be as deadly as a wingerA quick passage of passing can unleash an underlapping defender into a dangerous areaOne of the main sources of Postecoglou’s frustration this season has often come with Spurs giving the ball away and the wheels literally falling off.But to that end the former Celtic boss has tweaked his tactics. The first change to the system has been to concede some ground and move the team deeper to accommodate for Gray and Dragusin not being as quick as Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.The full-backs are also not going forward as quickly, with Porro in particular showing much more discipline in the last few weeks.The third change has been to use to two pivots to collect the ball and build up instead of one, with Bissouma and one other dropping in to help the ball progress.Sterling effortIt does not take a genius to figure out Bukayo Saka’s absence from the Arsenal team has hit them hard.The Hale End graduate has been a talismanic figure for the Gunners since breaking into the team, and was their spearhead across their last two title challenging campaigns.While most teams may tend to split attacks more evenly across the field, Arsenal often played much more down the right, mainly due to Saka’s excellence and his strong link with Martin Odegaard.Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus had both played in the role before getting injured themselves, which almost certainly means Raheem Sterling is going to be asked to play there against Spurs.The former Liverpool and Manchester City star will be key for Arsenal if they are to get anything from the game.Raheem Sterling will be asked to deputise for Bukayo Saka with Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus both injuredSterling will need to emulate the way Saka receives the ball on the touchlineThe winger can step inside with the ball and drag the defenderThis could allow for an overload with a bombing full-back or a pass to Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz or Gabriel MartinelliWhat Arteta will ask the ex-England international to do is pick up the ball on the run, rather than with his back to goal, allowing him to then make a diagonal run into an interior position.Movement like this will allow Sterling to crossover with Kai Havertz in a nightmare rotation for the Spurs defence, offer a lay off to Odegaard, or try and find Gabriel Martinelli as he bombs up the left flank.The presence of Spence up against Sterling will create a unique opportunity for Arsenal to exploit, with Jurrien Timber potentially being allowed to go up the space left on the outside.Sterling, 30, has flattered to deceive since arriving at the Emirates on loan.He had an indifferent game against Man Utd on Sunday, but could have a watershed match against Spurs as he is finally given the chance to prove he can help the misfiring Gunners hit their mark.Art stoppersThere is a perception around Arsenal that they have failed to hit the same heights as they did last season, having struggled to score in open play in many games this campaign.Despite going out of the FA Cup, Arsenal still have the chance to make a Carabao Cup final if they can muster a heroic performance against Newcastle at St James’ Park.They can also close the gap on the top of the league if some results go in their favour, which would serve to turn the current negative narrative of the club around.Arteta has built the bedrock of his team on being defensively sound, and are actually set up in such a way that they have an extra player screening to prevent counter-attacks.Arsenal are build on a rock solid defensive foundationDeclan Rice and Mikel Merino are screening midfielders ideal for stopping counter-attacksBut Arsenal can often look too rigid as a result of this safety first approachAnd unless Arteta unlocks one of them to run beyond the midfield his team could lack a creative sparkDeclan Rice and one of Mikel Merino or Thomas Partey are often the players charged with this duty, but the key to unlocking Spurs may need to come from Arteta taking the shackles off of his team.While Arsenal have a dangerous attack on paper, the lack of movement from midfield – while often proving defensively sound – hurts their chances of open play goals due to there not being enough movement to give opposition defenders cause for concern.Consequently, this has led to their attack becoming stodgy due to it being too rigid.However, to break down Spurs, Arsenal may need to unlock one of these screening players to make runs beyond the defence and give the defence food for thought.King Dom’s comeToothless Tottenham needed to bring on talisman Dominic Solanke to beat Tamworth in the FA Cup.There was a lot of debate over whether he would be a better signing for them than Ivan Toney, but 11 goals and six assists already this season have proven Solanke to be the right deal.But there are still many aspects of his game which do not get the credit they deserve, such as his effort, ability to track, pressing and overall world class team ethic.Solanke is often overlooked for a lot of the off-ball work he makes to open space up for team-mates.These exploits can include his runs forcing a defender to commit to marking him or pinning defenders.Against Arsenal he is likely to target William Saliba rather than Gabriel Magalhaes in the air.Spurs will look to use the England international as a key pivot player up front, using him to play off the two wheels on either side of their attack.Solanke is often able to unlock defences when he has runners such as Brennan Johnson going beyond the defensive line in behind, with this ability being integral to a number of goals through pre-assists.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe 27-year-old will be key for Spurs’ front-footed defence against Arsenal, while his team-mates know if they can use him to his best he will help them create a dangerous chance even if he is not the one to finish it off.And it is thanks to the likes of Solanke, that the last game Arsenal would want at the moment is Tottenham. More

    • 225 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      Eagle-eyed Man Utd fans spot Amorim’s tactical masterclass after chat with Bruno Fernandes as star gets new position

      by

      EAGLE-EYED Manchester United fans spotted an amazing tactical switch made by Ruben Amorim involving Bruno Fernandes in the dying minutes of their FA Cup third round clash with Arsenal.United went into extra-time with ten man at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s red card in the 61st minute and were desperately holding on to ensure the game went to penalties.Eagle-eyed Manchester United fans have spotted an amazing tactical switch Ruben Amorim made involving Bruno FernandesCredit: RexIn the final moments of extra-time Fernandes moved to playing as a centre-backCredit: GettyLisandro Martinez moved up front after reportedly beginning to cramp up during the second half of extra-timeCredit: GettyFernandes was seen in conversation with Amorim about the changeCredit: @_StrettyEnd/TwitterFernandes then directed his team-mates to change positionsCredit: @_StrettyEnd/TwitterHowever, deep into injury time and having played almost an hour of football a player down, Amorim gave the green light for a desperate tactical switch.Fernandes, who had scored the Red Devils opener, was seen running over to his manager to discuss something.As Fernandes then ran back into the middle of the pitch, Amorim could then be seen waving his finger in both directions before the subject of the chat became clear.Fernandes, 30, was seen filling in at left centre-back role for the final minutes of the game, with Lisandro Martinez bizarrely moving up front as part of a shuffling of the pack.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Argentine defender was reportedly beginning to cramp up due to the astonishing workload.But the change saw Martinez move up front and seemingly stick close to Gunners star Martin Odegaard to lessen his burden for the final few minutes before the shootout.The bold move paid dividends as the 26-year-old went on to score, while Fernandes himself also scored the first of United’s five successful spot-kicks in the shootout.Reacting to the change on social media, one fan said: “Ruben Amorim tactical mastermind! He reorganises the team deep into extra time! Martinez up front.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA second said: “Martinez playing up front for the last five mins was the funniest thing ever.”A third added: “Martinez playing higher up due to injury.”Arsenal and Man Utd stars in furious brawl as Harry Maguire goes for Kai Havertz as players hit the deck in mad scrambleAnother said: “[Fernandes] Spoke with Amorim then ran back and shuffled the team and made Martinez go up top where he doesn’t have to run a lot.”This happened around last few mins of the game, after running his heart out for 120 minutes and scoring that amazing goal. I love him.”Fernandes has played as an emergency defender for the Red Devils before, famously doing so during United’s 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool last season.Speaking to Sky Sports following the win over Arsenal, he said: “It’s really easy when you don’t get results, when you don’t get performances to start losing belief in everything you’ve been doing.”That’s a good thing about the team is that we kept belief on what we are doing, how we are training and where we want to go as a team and what we want to improve as a team. “Every time you lose, or something goes wrong everyone has an opinion on what you should do differently.“Obviously, the manager has his own idea, and he really believes in this, so there is no way that he makes you not believe it. “Everything he says to you, everything he tries to pass you, he does it in a way that we really believe in what we are doing. “Even in games where you concede a goal or have a setback, he just wants us to understand that the things we are doing will result if we do them in the right way. That’s the most important thing.”United, who are the holders of the competition, were pitted at home against Leicester for the fourth round that will see Ruud van Nistelrooy return to Old Trafford.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Red Devils icon had a brief interim spell in charge of the team before Amorim took over following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.But first United have a Premier League clash against Southampton to contest with and to try and improve their 13th place standing.Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb. More

    • 213 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Man City given special dispensation to make major change to badge for FA Cup clash vs Salford

      by

      MANCHESTER CITY were given special permission to make a major change to their FA Cup sponsor badge for the third-round clash against Salford.Pep Guardiola’s side romped to an 8-0 win over the League Two outfit with James McAtee scoring a second-half hat-trick.Manchester City were given special permission to not wearing the ‘Emirates’ sponsor name on their sleeveCredit: RexMeanwhile, Salford did wear the ‘Emirates’ name on the FA Cup badgeCredit: RexPrevious seasons have seen Man City not wear the sleeve badge at all, like during last years finalCredit: RexBut Manchester United did wear the full sponsor on their sleeveCredit: RexThey have been allowed to not wear the badge since the 2015/16 seasonCredit: PA:Press AssociationHowever, eagle-eyed fans might have noticed a subtle difference between City’s and Salford’s kits on the right sleeve where the FA Cup sponsor badge is located.City were allowed to wear a badge which simply said “FA Cup” and showed a icon trophy icon, while the Salford badge said “Emirates FA Cup” with the trophy icon.The reason for this is because City have been handed special dispensation to not wear the Emirates name on their sleeve.City’s main sponsor is Abu Dhabi backed airline Etihad Airways, a direct competitor of competition sponsor Emirates who are based in Dubai, a neighbouring City in the UAE.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLFA Cup commercial rules allow for certain dispensations for clubs such as City to not wear the badge on their sleeves due to the direct rivalry and consequent conflict of interest.The club did not wear any sleeve badge at all for last years final defeat against Manchester United, while the Red Devils did.Going back as far as the 2015/16 season, City have been granted permission to not wear the badge on their matchday kit.Emirates became the sponsor of football’s old competition back in 2015.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis deal has twice been extended, with the latest extension being signed in August 2024 to run until 2028.The current deal is reported to be worth around £10million a season.Pep Guardiola reveals Kyle Walker has asked to LEAVE Man City with England defender set or £400K-A-WEEK Saudi transferAfter dispatching the Class of 92 owned club, City were drawn away against one of Leyton Orient or Derby for the fourth round.The fixture will be played out on the weekend commencing February 8, while the opponent will be decided when the teams play each other on Tuesday evening.Man City have won the competition seven times overall, with their most recent coming in 2023 over Man Utd.They have won it twice in the Emirates era, having been to three finals. Since the club was taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, City have also been in the 2011 and 2013 finals, winning the former in what was a first major trophy for 35 years.FA Cup fourth round draw in fullTo be played weekend commencing February 8:Man Utd vs LeicesterLeeds vs Millwall/Dagenham & RedbridgeBrighton vs ChelseaPreston/Charlton vs WycombeExeter City vs Nottingham ForestCoventry vs IpswichBlackburn vs WolvesMansfield/Wigan vs FulhamBirmingham vs NewcastlePlymouth Argyle vs LiverpoolEverton vs BournemouthAston Villa vs SpursSouthampton vs BurnleyLeyton Orient/Derby vs Man CityDoncaster Rovers vs Crystal PalaceStoke vs Cardiff More

    • 200 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      FA Cup may never look the same again as major change to tournament format is considered

      by

      WEMBLEY bosses will consider scrapping extra-time in next season’s FA Cup.But there is NO chance of replays coming back.FA bosses are considering a big change to extra time in next year’s FA CupCredit: PATamworth held Spurs to a 0-0 draw on Sunday, which in previous years would have seen them earn a replayCredit: PATamworth were denied the prospect of a money-spinning trip to N17 when they were forced into an extra half-hour after holding Spurs to a goalless draw in 90 minutes.In every other season, those third-round heroics would have guaranteed a replay.Those matches have previously seen minnows scoop more than half a million in gate receipts and TV cash.Prem clubs’ concerns over fixture congestion, exacerbated by the new initial stage of the Champions League and Europa League spreading into the last two weeks of January, saw the FA force through the decision to end all replays in April.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHowever, there is a growing feeling within the FA that finishing games after 90 minutes and going straight to a shoot-out will be better – especially for the lower-tier teams.Tamworth visibly tired after Ange Postecoglou was able to send on Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski for extra time on Sunday, with Spurs eventually scoring three in the additional 30 minutes.Manchester United also had to play for an extra half hour with 10 men against Arsenal, although they did then win the shoot-out to progress to round four.United will have played 16 matches between the start of December and the end of this month, with the heavy workload likely to bring further injuries.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThose European dates – which mean there would have been no space for Arsenal, Spurs or United to fit in a replay – will ensure that ties will all be settled on the day from now on.But FA chiefs are ready to discuss following the EFL Cup approach, with ties in the Carabao Cup having gone to spot-kicks after 90 minutes six seasons ago.Tamworth vs Tottenham kick-off DELAYED as players get piggyback to tape up net after spotting hole in goalTamworth themselves beat League One Burton on penalties in the first round.But non-leaguers Harborough, Kettering and Oldham all lost to EFL sides in extra-time.Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb.Now the FA plans to review the situation at the end of the season.And the “lottery” factor of a shoot-out after 90 minutes is a major argument in favour of shortening games from next term. More