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      FA Cup round-up: Non-league Chorley make history by beating Covid-hit Derby as Everton edge past Rotherham in extra time

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      NON-LEAGUE Chorley kept their heroic FA Cup dream alive by beating Wayne Rooney’s Covid-hit Derby 2-0.
      The Rams were forced to field the kids as – similarly to Midlands rivals Aston Villa – the whole first-team set-up are in self-isolation with Manchester United legend Rooney watching on from home.

      Connor Hall continued his goalscoring FA Cup exploits for ChorleyCredit: Reuters

      Mike Calveley stabbed home to secure Chorley’s spot in the fourth roundCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Chorley celebrate their second goal against DerbyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Eight groundsmen camped out overnight at Chorley to defy bitterly cold conditions and get the game on following a pitch inspection.
      And they were rewarded when top scorer Connor Hall bundled in after ten minutes to become the first player to net in the first three rounds of the FA Cup in three years.
      Rooney’s side struggled in his absence, failing to muster a single effort on goal in the first 45.
      They came back into it after the break but struggled to create enough chances.

      And Chorley finally put the result beyond doubt when Mike Calveley stabbed in the all-important second goal after 84 minutes.
      National League North mid-table Chorley celebrated progressing in the last round by belting out Adele’s Someone Like You so perhaps the third-round victory over Rooney’s Derby calls for a special rendition of Set Fire to the Wayne.
      Everton 2-1 Rotherham United AET
      Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton needed an injury-time winner from Abdoulaye Doucoure to scrape past a spirited Rotherham United at Goodison Park.
      The Toffees thought they had won the game in normal time when Cenk Tosun reacted fastest to poke home from James Rodriguez’s free-kick with five minutes to play.

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      Cenk Tosun dinks over Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman in the Rotherham goalCredit: Reuters

      Matthew Olosunde slides the ball past Robin OlsenCredit: PA:Press Association

      Abdoulaye Doucoure stroked home the winner for Ancelotti’s sideCredit: PA:Press Association
      But VAR graph lines proved that Tosun was millimetres offside and the goal was scrubbed off – some beginners luck for VAR newbies Rotherham, playing their first game with the controversial technology.
      Tosun had ended a 14-month goal drought inside ten minutes at Goodison Park by dinking the ball past Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman after Anthony Gordon’s lovely turn and pass split the Rotherham defence open.
      But Carlo Ancelotti’s side did not use the early lead to their advantage and let Rotherham back into the tie.
      The Millers put a complacent Everton under huge pressure and finally were rewarded when Matthew Olosunde rolled the ball into the corner of the net 11 minutes into the second-half.
      But they could not make the most of their VAR reprieve and Rodriguez eventually did turn provider for former Watford midfielder Doucoure who smoothly stroked the ball home three minutes into extra time to put Everton in the fourth round.

      Norwich 2-0 Coventry City
      Norwich scored TWO goals in the first seven minutes of a barnstorming opening to their victory against Coventry.
      Kenny McLean and Jordan Hugill scored within one minute of each other on six and seven minutes to give the Canaries a flying start at Carrow Road.
      Daniel Farke’s 20-year-old shot-stopper Daniel Barden kept Norwich in front in the second-half denying Maxime Biamou on multiple occasions.
      Nottingham Forest 1-0 Cardiff

      Nottingham Forest striker Lyle Taylor smashed home a rocket after just three minutesCredit: Alamy Live News
      Lyle Taylor’s thumping volley gave Nottingham Forest the lead against Cardiff.
      A side-footed slammer after just three minutes from Gaetan Bong’s cross into the box, caught Neil Harris’ Bluebirds off guard.
      And they never recovered with Michael Dawson’s side taking a spot in the fourth-round draw.
      Luton 1-0 Reading
      Luton had the better of the all Championship clash at Kenilworth Road.
      George Moncur’s effort after 30 minutes gave Nathan Jones’ side a deserved win against familiar foes in the shape of the Royals – it was the third meeting between the sides already this season.
      Boreham Wood 0-2 Millwall
      Kenneth Zohore’s 31st minute effort gave Millwall a half-time lead away at National League Boreham Wood.
      Boreham Wood were playing in the first third-round FA Cup tie of their history.
      But Shaun Hutchinson dashed their dreams of progression by heading in for the Lions after 74 minutes.
      Scott Malone was a creative bright spark for the men from The Den, assisting both goals in the 2-0 win.

      National League Chorley belt out Adele’s someone like you in the changing room More

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      James Garner not allowed to play for Watford against parent club Man Utd due to FA Cup rules

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      JAMES GARNER is ineligible to play in Watford’s FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United this evening due to rules on players featuring against their parent clubs.
      Garner, 19, is loan with the Championship outfit for the duration of the 2020/21 season.

      James Garner is on loan at Watford for the duration of the 2020-21 seasonCredit: Focus Images

      FA Cup rules will prevent James Garner from playing against his parent club tonightCredit: Getty

      But he won’t be able to show United what they’re missing out on as FA Cup rules prevent loanees from facing their permanent employers.
      The rule states: “The Association will not give permission for players on loan or work experience to play against the lending club.”
      Garner has been a regular fixture for the Hornets this season, making 30 appearances and scoring one goal in all competitions.
      The midfielder’s performances have caught the eye of United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who said: “Jimmy [Garner] has done really well [at Watford].

      “Then there was a change of manager and the new manager has had only two games and Jimmy hasn’t really had a look-in.

      “The first four or five months have been really positive for Jimmy. He’s a boy that we really believe in.
      “Of course he needs that game time and exposure and the Championship is a very good level of football, so it’s been really good for Jimmy and hopefully he can fight his way back in the team again.”
      Garner has been satisfied with his contributions so far this season but still believes he needs to do more for the team.

      The teenager said: “I wouldn’t say I’ve been at my best lately.
      “The games have been tough, there have been lots of long balls, second balls, teams with big strikers, tall, aggressive players and lots of set-pieces.

      “The manager put me on set-pieces, on corners, on free-kicks so I need to knuckle down and start putting them on the money.”
      He added: “I’ve got to do the dirty side. In the majority of games, you’ve got to do the dirty side first and the football comes out second.
      “It’s about weathering that storm for 15 to 20 minutes and then letting our quality come through. I feel that’s in me.
      “I always played with older, bigger and stronger players in the youth teams. I was playing as a six doing the dirty work.
      “I’m not scared of it, I love doing it. It’s not all about assisting and scoring.”

      Solskjaer confirms Man Utd will not extend Rojo and Romero’s contracts More

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      Louie Barry rushes to swap back debut shirt with Fabinho after FA Cup heroics before classy Liverpool ace gives him both

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      LOUIE BARRY chased Liverpool ace Fabinho down the tunnel to swap back his debut shirt after scoring for Aston Villa’s kids in the FA Cup.
      The former Barcelona star, 17, had initially exchanged shirts with the Reds midfielder to take a memento from the 4-1 defeat at Villa Park.

      Louie Barry swapped shirts with Fabinho at full-timeCredit: BT Sport

      An Aston Villa youth coach was caught reminding the teenager he might want to keep his special debut topCredit: BT Sport

      Barry chased down Fabinho in the tunnel and ended up bagging both shirts for his collectionCredit: BT Sport

      This is amazing 😂Louie Barry swapped shirts with Fabinho, but after a word with a member of Villa staff, chased him down the tunnel to ask for it back!Now he’s got Fabinho’s shirt, and his debut shirt 🤝#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/6P36O5ciiW
      — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 8, 2021

      But a Villa youth coach pointed out he might want to hang onto his special top after scoring against the reigning Prem champs and he hurtled after Fabinho, only for the generous Brazilian to give him BOTH strips.
      Barry curled a fine finish past Caoimhin Kelleher in the 41st minute to level the game up at 1-1 as the Covid-hit Villans went in at half-time all-square after Sadio Mane’s early header.
      Villa were forced to play their academy talent after the whole first-team squad and coaching staff were made to self-isolate following an outbreak which saw the side return TEN positive results.
      The average age of the team coached by Under-23s boss Mark Delaney was just 18 years and 294 days.

      A second-half blitz of three goals in five minutes ended Villa’s hopes of a famous upset despite a heroic display.
      Gini Wijnaldum, Mane and Mo Salah found the net to ensure Jurgen Klopp’s side avoided a potential banana skin and progressed into the fourth round.
      But that wasn’t going to dampen the spirits of local lad and lifelong Villa fan Barry – who joined the club last January from Barca’s La Masia academy having previously been on the books of rivals West Brom.
      He is the first Englishman to ever mix it at the Catalan giants’ famous conveyor belt of talent and has represented the Three Lions at Under-17 level.

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      Louie Barry scores against Liverpool in the FA CupCredit: AFP

      Barry is mobbed by his team-mates after the strikeCredit: PA:Press Association

      Barry told BT Sport: “‘It’s the proudest I’ve ever been in myself. I guess my family were screaming at the TV when I hit the back fo the net.
      “I’ve never been so proud in my life. I was just happy to score and hopefully there’s many more.
      “I was working hard before and so was everyone else. When I celebrated, everything came out of me. It was relief, kind of. It was good.”

      Jurgen Klopp says all analysis videos went in the bin after Liverpool prepared for Aston Villa first team More

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      Man Utd vs Watford FREE: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for FA Cup third round match

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are up against Championship outfit Watford in the third round of this season’s FA Cup.
      The Red Devils will be looking to win their first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, but come up against a tricky Hornets side.

      Man Utd take on Watford in the FA Cup third roundCredit: AP:Associated Press
      What time does Man Utd vs Watford kick-off?
      Man Utd’s home clash with Watford in the FA Cup will get underway from 8pm UK time on Saturday, January 9.
      The game will take place at Old Trafford.
      There will be no fans in attendance for the clash because of the nationwide lockdown.
      What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?
      Man Utd’s FA Cup game with Watford will be shown live on BT Sport 1.
      Coverage will get underway from 7.30pm UK time.
      The clash will be available for live streaming from the BT Sport app, which can be downloaded onto your mobile or tablet device.
      Can I watch for FREE?
      EE customers can get a free three-month trial of BT Sport by texting SPORT to 150.
      At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £15 per month subscription.
      Or you can cancel the trial at any time during the three months by texting STOP SPORT to 150.

      Team news

      United don’t have any notable injury worries to fret about ahead of their clash with Watford in the FA Cup.
      Long-term absentee Phil Jones is still out of action with a knee problem, with no return date set.
      But Marcos Rojo could return to the side and even get a runout, after the injured recovering from a calf injury.
      On the suspension list, however, is Edinson Cavani, who is serving the final game of his three-match stretch following an inappropriate social media post.

      For Watford Christian Kabasele is still out with a knee injury, while Craig Cathcart and Joao Pedro have returned to training, though they won’t be fit to play.
      Odds
      Man Utd – 3/10
      Draw – 4/1
      Watford – 9/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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      Arsenal vs Newcastle FREE: Live stream, TV channel, team news and kick-off time for FA Cup third round clash

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      ARSENAL take on fellow Premier League side Newcastle in the third round of the FA Cup.
      The Gunners won last season’s competition by beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final and they’ll be looking to get off to a hot start this term.

      Arsenal won last season’s FA Cup with a 2-1 win over ChelseaCredit: PA:Press Association
      What time does Arsenal vs Newcastle kick-off?
      Arsenal’s home tie with Newcastle will get underway from 5.30pm UK time on Saturday, January 9.
      The game will take place at the Emirates Stadium.
      There will be no fans in attendance because of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
      What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?
      Newcastle’s trip down to London will be shown live on BBC One, free for supporters to watch.
      The game will be available for live streaming from the BBC iPlayer app, which can be downloaded onto your mobile or tablet device.
      Can I watch for FREE?
      Yes, the game is available for FREE on BBC One, so long as you have a TV licence.
      You can also catch the action on the BBC iPlayer.

      Team news

      Arsenal could be set to ring the changes with young goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo called up into first-team training this week.
      Thomas Partey is almost back fit after suffering from a recurring thigh problem, while Gabriel Martinelli and Willian could get game-time.
      Martin Dubravka could return between the sticks for the Magpies after missing the Christmas period with an ankle problem.
      Jamaal Lascelles has been side-lined after suffering from Covid-19 and returned to light training, so might be able to make his return from the bench.

      Odds
      Arsenal to win – 1/2
      Draw – 13/4
      Newcastle victory – 11/2
      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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      National League Chorley hoping to continue tradition of belting out Adele after taking on coronavirus-hit Derby

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      IT HAS been Adele of an FA Cup journey for Chorley so far.
      And tomorrow the National League North giant-killers are targeting ‘Someone Like Roo’ at their Victory Park home.

      Chorley are hoping for another FA Cup upset against DerbyCredit: Rex Features

      The National League side belt out Adele after a win

      The Magpies have seen off League One sides Wigan and Peterborough — as well as York and Gateshead — to get to the third round.
      And their traditional celebration for a big win involves belting out the Adele smash hit ‘Someone Like You’ in the dressing room afterwards.
      Jamie Vermiglio’s men could be singing it again, particularly with Derby boss Wayne Rooney and many of his first-teamers absent due to Covid.
      Andy Preece, director of football and assistant manager of Chorley, said: “We just needed a song that was special to us that everybody knew. It happened to be that Adele song.

      “Everybody knows the words to it, there’s a little bit in the middle where you can really get into it.
      “It’s just great to share something like that at the end of the game, great for camaraderie. You need that togetherness if you’re going to win big games.
      “When we got promoted, had big cups wins, it’s always been that one.”
      FA Cup treble boost: Back Chelsea, Man City and Spurs at 20/1

      We are just missing that shout-out from Adele. Maybe if we had the fans in and they were all singing it then it might have had a bit more prominence

      Preece believes it might even have caught the attention of the superstar singer if the fans had been joining in.
      He said: “We are just missing that shout-out from Adele. Maybe if we had the fans in and they were all singing it then it might have had a bit more prominence.”
      After battling through two qualifying rounds, Chorley were given a bye into the first round.
      They are used to over-turning the odds to get through but Preece insists they have come this far on merit.

      Wayne Rooney’s Derby have been hit with a Covid outbreakCredit: Alamy Live News
      He said: “We’ve been the underdogs right through — we got York, Gateshead, Wigan, Peterborough and Derby.
      “The only one we were favourites for is the round when we got a bye!
      “But the wins we had over Wigan and Peter- borough weren’t flukes — we fully deserved those.”
      Preece himself is no stranger to the magic of the FA Cup, having experienced it as both player and manager.

      As a striker, he got the winner when lowly Stockport bundled Premier League QPR out in 1994 and helped Crystal Palace to the semis a year later.
      He was in charge of Northwich when they put a Charlton side containing Jonjo Shelvey and Darren Randolph out in 2009.
      Preece said: “I tell them about those games and hopefully it makes them realise that it can happen and does — and that it gives them a bit of belief.”

      Chorley’s assistant Andy Preece wants a shoutout from AdeleCredit: Refer to Caption

      Wayne Rooney reveals he is ready to retire aged 35 if Derby offer him manager job amid Championship struggles More

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      Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 4 LIVE REACTION: Mane and Salah put Villa kids to sword after SHOCK equaliser – latest updates

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      LIVERPOOL made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-1 win over a makeshift Aston Villa team of academy players.
      Louie Barry equalised after Sadio Mane opened the scoring before the Senegalese international, Gini Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah added to the goals in the second half.
      RESULT: Aston Villa 1-4 Liverpool
      Aston Villa XI: Onodi, Bridge, Revan, Walker, Rowe, Chrisene, Barry, Kesler, Sylla, Raikhy, Bogarde
      Liverpool XI: Kelleher, N. Williams, R. Williams, Fabinho, Milner, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Jones, Mane, Minamino, Salah

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…

      THAT’S IT FROM VILLA PARK
      Liverpool made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a comfortable 4-1 win over a depleted Aston Villa side, who had all their senior players and staff self-isolating.
      The Reds opened the scoring after just four minutes when Curtis Jones’ header found Sadio Mane unmarked and the Merseysiders’ star forward headed the ball to the back of the net.
      But Villa’s youngsters showed tremendous resilience as Akos Onodi made a number of saves and Louie Barry equalised just four minutes before half-time when he outran a careless Rhys Williams and beat Caoimhin Kelleher.
      But Liverpool put an end to the young lads’ hopes after 60 minutes when Georginio Wijnaldum drove a low shot past Onodi and buried the ball into his left-hand corner.
      Three minutes later Mane tripled Liverpool’s lead with another header before Mohamed Salah sealed the victory on the 65th minute.
      Thank you for following our live blog and have a great night!

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      DELANEY REACTION
      Stand-in Aston Villa manager Mark Delaney is very proud of his young side explaining that his players put together a “monumental effort”.
      Delaney said: “We’re all very proud, as a club, as coaches and as players.
      “It was a monumental effort really, considering what the players have had to go through in the past couple of days.
      “I thought, first half, they had a lot of ball and a few chances but I thought we thoroughly deserved to come in at 1-1.
      “We scored a good goal as well – we were very pleased at half-time.”

      KLOPP REACTION
      Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is also pleased with the result but insists it shouldn’t have been as challenging, which was a hint that there is still room for improvement.
      Klopp told BT Sport: “It was a little bit more of a challenge than it should have been.
      “First of all we have to say that the kids did really well, so that’s good. We had football problems and in the second half we solved those football problems with football.
      “We needed a little bit longer but from then on it was completely clear and completely comfortable and completely how it should have been.”

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      BARRY PROUD
      Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry insists he is very proud of his team regardless of the result.
      Barry told BT Sport: “The ball came through from Rowie and I knew that I had it as soon as I seen it
      “I put the ball in the back of the net and obviously it was the proudest I’ve ever been in myself.
      “I’ve never been so proud of a team before – from start to finish we worked so hard. When I scored I thought we might have a chance but obviously it wasn’t meant to be.
      “I was cramping up towards the end but with age comes more physicality and mentality.”

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      MILNER ON YOUNGSTERS
      Liverpool star James Milner praised Aston Villa’s youngsters for their performance tonight.
      Milner is pleased with the result but insists the situation was not “ideal” for either side.
      He told BT Sport: “They put in a shift. We got the result but it wasn’t an ideal situation for either team.
      “One of their lads said they hadn’t played for three months.”

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      ON TARGET
      Aston Villa’s youngsters will remember this game forever as some of them got their break-out moments.
      One of them was Akos Onodi, who made eight saves throughout the match as explained below.
      That is the highest amount for a Premier League goalkeeper in an FA Cup game since 2018.
      Not bad at all for a debuting 19-year-old shot-stopper…

      8 – Aston Villa’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Akos Onodi made eight saves tonight, the most by a goalkeeper for a Premier League team in an FA Cup match since March 2018 (Kristoffer Nordfeldt, Swansea vs Spurs, 8). Stoic. pic.twitter.com/R5fCAazEad
      — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 8, 2021

      STATS
      Liverpool dominated a staggering 83.2 per cent of possession throughout the match, which saw Aston Villa completing only one clear chance and that was their goal.
      The Reds also recorded a whopping 29 shots, 13 of which were on target, compared to Villa’s two shots, with one of them being on target.
      The Villans couldn’t get their passing right as they only had a success rate of 52.9 per cent compared to the Merseysiders’ 89.7 per cent.
      Caoimhin Kelleher was basically non-existent in the game as he didn’t have to make a single save.
      But Kelleher’s counterpart Akos Onodi was very busy as he made eight saves!

      FT: ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      Liverpool made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
      The Reds opened the scoring just after four minutes when Curtis Jones’ cross found an unmarked Sadio Mane, who headed the ball to the back of the net.
      Aston Villa, though, refused to give up as Akos Onodi made a number of crucial saves and Louie Barry outran Rhys Williams to beat Caoimhin Kelleher and net a shocking equaliser four minutes before half-time.
      Villa’s hopes were raised but Georginio Wijnaldum put an end to that after 60 minutes with a beautiful low shot thanks to an assist by Takumi Minamino.
      Three minutes later Mane made it three with another header following a cross by Xherdan Shaqiri and Mohamed Salah sealed it thanks to another assist by Shaqiri on the 65th minute.
      Liverpool picked up a comfortable win against a depleted Aston Villa side, who were missing their senior players as they were self-isolating.
      But Villa’s youngsters have nothing to be ashamed of as they put together a solid and passionate performance with almost no preparation whatsoever against arguably the best team in the country

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
      AND THAT’S IT AT VILLA PARK!!!!!!!!

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      90+1 CHANCE
      Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gets to the edge of the area and delivers a low shot which just misses the target

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      90 Two more minutes of additional time to go.
      Aston Villa haven’t completed an attack in the second half

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      88 Thiago has been magnificent ever since his introduction.
      The Liverpool summer signing is basically everywhere making sure there is perfect harmony between midfield and attack.
      Klopp expects much from him this season, especially now that he has overcome his injuries…

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      85 CHANCE!
      Thiago made Liverpool’s fourth goal and almost got himself into the scoresheet!
      The Spain international has been on fire ever since his introduction after all.
      He gets the ball at the edge of the area then fires a shot which rattles the top of the crossbar!

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      84 CHANCE
      Firmino finds space inside the box and shoots from the left side onto Onodi’s tight corner.
      But the ball hits the outside of the net.

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      83 Aston Villa’s youngsters are truly putting on a brave performance at Villa Park.
      No one expected them to achieve much against Liverpool but are still showing true grit against arguably the best team in the country right now.
      And they even got a goal!

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      80 We’re closing in on full-time and Liverpool got exactly what they wanted.
      The Reds have been dominating throughout the match, bar the last few minutes of the first half when Barry equalised.
      But Aston Villa have nothing to be ashamed of.
      They are missing their starting players and their youngsters are still giving it their all!

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      78 But Liverpool’s comeback would probably never have happened if it wasn;t for Shaqiri.
      The post below explains why…:

      2 – Xherdan Shaqiri is the first Liverpool player to assist two goals as a substitute since James Milner vs Spartak Moscow in December 2017 (3) and Shaqiri assisted those two goals within 208 seconds of coming off the bench. Impact. pic.twitter.com/tJyJivStfL
      — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 8, 2021

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      77 Liverpool were dealt with a scare just before half-time.
      But this is how quickly they reacted:

      4m 20s – There were just four minutes and 20 seconds between Liverpool’s second and fourth goals against Aston Villa. Clinical.
      — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 8, 2021

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      75 SUBSTITUTION
      Origi takes Salah’s place whereas Oxlade-Chamberlain comes in for Mane.
      Told you Liverpool are now focused on Manchester United….

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      74 SUBSTITUTION
      Aston Villa manager Delaney brings in Sil Swinkels, who replaces Rowe

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      73 Salah sealed Liverpool’s FA Cup victory after a tiny little scare during first half when Barry equalised.
      The Reds are now focused on Manchester United already

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      72 Mane scored Liverpool’s third goal and is now on a hat-trick.
      Liverpool have slowed down now but are still dominating possession

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      71 Wijnaldum put Liverpool back in the game with a beautiful low shot.
      And then the floodgates opened!

      GETTY IMAGES – GETTY

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      70 SUBSTITUTION
      Aston Villa make another switch as Lindley takes Bogarde’s place

      ASTON VILLA 1-4 LIVERPOOL
      67 SUBSTITUTIONS
      Just to remind you that Roberto Firmino and Xherdan Shaqiri came on for Minamino and Jones.
      Chrisene made way for Young and Sohna also came on for Raikhy.

      Load more entries… More

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      Wolves 1 Crystal Palace 0: Adama Traore scores thunderbolt to seal fourth-round berth

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      NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO is taking the approach of his former manager when it comes to Cup football.
      Jose Mourinho sees trophies as the ultimate status symbol of a manager and has been rewarded with a place in the final of the Carabao Cup after taking the competition seriously.

      Adama Traore scored the only goal as Wolves beat Crystal PalaceCredit: Rex Features

      And Santo, who played under the Spurs boss at Porto, was true to his word when promising a strong team and Adama Traore scored a first half belter for a deserved win over Palace.
      Not many top-flight managers will be emulating Santo this weekend as they will be making excuses about a jam-packed season.
      But the Wolves boss made two changes from the previous game at Brighton – with keeper John Ruddy and Leander Dendoncker – and they should have won by more.
      Santo knows that Wolves, with no relegation issues, have a decent chance of doing well in the FA Cup.

      And although they will look to sign a striker this January in place of the injured Raul Jimenez, they will be even more of a threat if Traore can score a few more.
      His previous domestic goal was here at Molineux in the 3-2 win over Manchester City on December 27, 2019
      Yet despite not winning by more, Santo will still have been happy with the performance which also included a substitute appearance for Patrick Cutrone, who has been recalled from a loan spell at Fiorentina. This was his first Wolves appearance for 13 months.
      Santo’s side were semi-finalists in 2019 and had they reached the final, would probably have put up a better show than Watford who were hammered 6-0 by Manchester City.

      Adama Traore has scored his first goal since February 2020 for Wolves across all competitions.His scoreless streak finally comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/YP1SlEvxwd
      — Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 8, 2021

      Palace struggled at times to create opportunitiesCredit: Reuters

      In contrast, there were nine changes for Palace as manager Roy Hodgson shuffled his pack but they struggled to make much of an impression apart from Jack Butland, who enjoyed a decent debut with some good saves.
      Yet although there was only one goal in it, Palace rarely threatened and did not manage a single shot on target. Wilf Zaha was not introduced until the 70th minute.
      Wolves created numerous chances with Fabio Silva delivering a poor miss with a header and Nelson Semedo forcing a decent save from Butland, who was also given his England debut by Hodgson in 2012.  
      Yet there was not much Butland could do about Wolves’ opener, a 35th minute thunderbolt from Traore. 
      Palace did not help themselves with some feeble defending as he cut in from the right. Both Eze and Jairo Reidewald failed to show enough aggression but it was still a terrific left-footed effort from the edge of the box which had too much power for Butland.
      At the break, Hodgson replaced Cheikhou Kouyate for Mamadou Sakho at the back but Wolves continued to cause a few problems before running out of steam.

      Jack Butland made his Crystal Palace debutCredit: PA:Press Association

      Fabio Silva didn’t have much luck in front of goalCredit: Reuters
      Teenage forward Silva missed another easy header and Leander Dendoncker was denied by a brilliant save from Butland.
      Christian Benteke, although having improved of late for Palace, had little impact and it was a surprise he lasted until the 70th minute, when Zaha was finally introduced.
      Equally, Wolves forward Silva was no better and was put out of his misery with 10 minutes left for Cutrone.
      Palace pressed for a leveller at the end but ultimately they were unable to test Ruddy who actually made his England debut in the same game as Butland eight years ago.
      As for Wolves, they were rewarded for being positive and are worth a tenner for going all the way in the Cup this season.

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