fa cup: January 2008 Archives

Jan

28

United to host Gunners in FA Cup 5th round

By Graham Clifford on January 28, 2008 4:25 PM |

FA CUP (5th Round Draw)

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The FA Cup has a habit of pitting the big guns against each other in the early rounds and after today's draw the most mouth watering of ties awaits us again.

Premiership leaders and Champions Manchester United will face Arsenal at Old Trafford in the fifth round in the most glamorous of all the ties decided today.

The clash of the top two sides in the Premiership will make many recall memories of the fiery encounters between the likes of Roy Keane and Patrick Viera (pictured left) in seasons gone by.

The other Premiership heavy weights left in the competition, Liverpool and Chelsea both secured comparatively easy draws in contrast.

The Reds host Barnsley at Anfield while Avram Grant's Chelsea will welcome Huddersfield Town to Stamford Bridge.

There are a number of other intruiging ties for football supporters to look forward to and the ties are scheduled to take place on the 16th and 17th of February.

Continue reading United to host Gunners in FA Cup 5th round.

Jan

25

Havant got a prayer.........or do they?!

By Graham Clifford on January 25, 2008 8:52 AM |

FA CUP 4TH ROUND

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If you ever wondered why the FA Cup has more charm than any other football tournament in the world then just fix your eyes on Anfield tomorrow afternoon at 3pm and you'll find out exactly why.

There in one of Europe's most celebrated stadiums you'll see little Havant and Waterlooville bidding to do the impossible and dump Premier League giants Liverpool out of the FA Cup.

The side who play in the Blue Square Southern non-league division will face the seven times winners Liverpool knowing that a victory would be acknowledged as the greatest ever FA cup shock result of all time.

While the Havant part-timers have faith in their abilities having knocked Bognor Regis, Fleet Town, Leighton Town, York City, Notts County and Swansea City out of the cup so far bookies are offering odds of a staggering 100/1 on them defeating the side managed by under-fire Spaniard Rafael Benitez.

However, impossible as it may seem, this is the perfect time for Havant to play the multi-millionaire professionals as the Reds are in crisis.

Continue reading Havant got a prayer.........or do they?!.

Jan

7

Non League minnows eye up bumper Anfield payday!

By Graham Clifford on January 7, 2008 4:20 PM |

FA CUP (4TH ROUND DRAW)

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Non League Havant and Waterlooville could be strutting their stuff at Anfield in the 4th round of the FA Cup if they can defeat Swansea in a replay of Saturday's drawn game.

The Blue Square South side would then be hoping that Liverpool overcome Luton Town in their 3rd round replay to set up a bumper payday for the Hampshire club.

But this wasn't the only tie from today's 4th round draw which had tongues wagging around Soho Square.

Last year's beaten finalists Manchester United will face the winners of the Reading versus Tottenham Hotspurs replay to set up only one of two definate all Premiership clashes in the next round.

Steve Bruce's Wigan will host FA Cup Champions Chelsea as reward for their impressive 3-0 win away to Sunderland on Saturday.

Sam Allardyce's Newcastle United could be lining up against Arsenal at the Emirates if they can overcome Stoke City at the second time of asking after the clubs played out a scoreless draw yesterday.

Elsewhere Oldham Athletic face fellow 3rd round suprise packets Huddersfield Town. Oldham dumped Everton out of the cup in convincing fashion while Birmingham City fell to Huddersfield town at the Galpharm Stadium.

Continue reading Non League minnows eye up bumper Anfield payday!.

Jan

4

O' Neill's Villa bid to dump Red Devils at first hurdle

1
By Graham Clifford on January 4, 2008 11:04 AM | | Comments (1)

FA CUP

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His credentials as a gifted football manager have never been in doubt but so far this season Aston Villa manager Martin O' Neill has surpassed even his own expectations.

In the Premiership the live-wire Irishman has guided Villa to victories over the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham and Blackburn Rovers and currently the Villans sit seventh in the table just three points off a Champions League spot.

Villa are unbeaten in their last five games and on Saturday welcome Manchester United to the midlands in a mouth watering FA Cup 3rd round tie.

Though Martin O' Neill is confident his side can cause an upset and defeat the Premier League Champions history indicates thats unlikely to happen.

Amazingly Villa have failed to defeat the Red Devils in 20 league and cup matches with the last win coming in a 3-0 triumph in the third round of the Worthington Cup in October 1999.

Continue reading O' Neill's Villa bid to dump Red Devils at first hurdle.
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