FA Cup
MANCHESTER UNITED WILL GUARD ‘OLD DOG’ ROONEY
Manchester United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plans to stop club legend, Wayne Rooney from wounding Red Devils in FA Cup fifth round.
The coach is wary of the threat Wayne Rooney poses to Manchester United’s FA Cup hopes as the Derby forward looks to prove “there is still fight in an old dog”.
The Red Devils, who are on an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions, head to Pride Park today for their fifth-round tie that will pit them against their all-time top-scorer.
Rooney scored a club-record 253 goals across 559 appearances during a trophy-laden spell at United between 2004 and 2017, before returning to boyhood club Everton and then joining Major League Soccer outfit DC United a year later.
The 34-year-old ended his 11/2-year spell in the United States to link up with Championship side Derby as a player-coach in January and is now preparing to gun down his former club.
Having played together at Old Trafford for three seasons until 2007, Solskjaer is all too familiar with what Rooney is capable of, even though he may no longer be the marksman he once was.
“He gave absolutely everything for this club and we all appreciate that,” the United manager said at his pre-match press conference yesterday. “But any goal he scores against us will be chalked off his goal tally! He doesn’t want to score too many of them.
“He’s a threat, in and around the box, set plays, and of course, this game, Wayne will show what he can do and he wants to prove there is still fight in the old dog. We’ve got to be on our toes, don’t give him any space in and around the box or in midfield.”
Solskjaer also noted how Rooney evolved his game and likened him to former United midfielder Paul Scholes.
“At the latter end, when he played in midfield, you can see he’s got Scholesy-like passing range,” he added.
Asked whether England’s record scorer, with 53 goals from 120 appearances, was under-appreciated in some quarters, Solskjaer insisted he would always be held in the highest regard at United.
“He’s been a fantastic player for United… he’s the club’s top scorer, he’s won so many trophies,” the Norwegian added of the five-time Premier League champion, who lifted 11 other trophies as a Red Devil. “For me, I don’t think the fans underrated him…
“He will get a good reception from our away fans.”
Derby coach Shay Given has warned that Rooney will not hesitate to celebrate should he score.
The former Ireland and Newcastle goalkeeper told radio station talkSport: “It’s a huge game for everyone and it’s a sell-out so it’ll be a fantastic night. Wayne, he’s with us on Thursday so hopefully he can do some magic against United. He’s looking forward to the game and to play against his old team. It’s like the stars have aligned… it’s a bit of a fairy tale.”
Rooney agreed that he was prepared to break the hearts of the fans who once idolised him.
“It’s a big challenge for us here against a very good team,” he told club channel RamsTV yesterday.
“They will be favourites, so we just have to try and take our chances, and stay in the game.
“It is always strange if you play against a former team, but it’s football. I love Manchester United and I want the team to do well and win, but for these 90 or 120 minutes, I want them to lose and for us to go through to the next round.”
–AFP
The first weekend of semi-automated offside decisions in English soccer descended into confusion on Saturday as Bournemouth had a goal ruled out after a record eight-minute VAR check.
Bournemouth, who eventually beat Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties in the FA Cup fifth round after a 1-1 draw, thought they had doubled their lead when defender Milos Kerkez scored in the 35th-minute goal.
However, new technology could not be used because the six-yard area was too crowded and VAR officials had to revert to manually drawing lines before disallowing the goal.
Fellow defender Dean Huijsen was adjudged to have been in an offside position as Kerkez’s effort brushed his shoulder before going in to the net.
The VAR check was further complicated as VAR officials Timothy Wood and Darren England also had to also examine the possibility of hand balls prior to the tight offside call.
Both sets of fans voiced their disapproval at the interminable wait, chanting “it’s not football any more” and “this is embarrassing”.
Referee Sam Barrott, who eventually announced the decision to the crowd via a microphone, had to explain to the respective managers and players what was happening during the delay.
-Reuters
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FA Cup giant-killers Plymouth Argyle drew Premier League champions Manchester City on Monday as the second-tier side’s fifth-round reward for a shock defeat of Liverpool at the weekend.
Holders Manchester United will host Fulham at Old Trafford in one of at least three all-Premier League clashes, with League Cup finalists Newcastle United at home to top-tier rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.
Bournemouth will host Wolverhampton Wanderers in another all-top-flight encounter.
Struggling Plymouth caused one of the great upsets of the FA Cup on Sunday when they beat a second-string Liverpool 1-0, ending the Premier League leaders’ hopes of a quartet of trophies this season.
The Pilgrims are bottom of the Championship but City, who reached the fifth round with a 2-1 win at third-tier Leyton Orient on Saturday after going behind early on, have been misfiring this season.
There will be a fourth all-Premier League clash if Nottingham Forest avoid trouble at League One (third tier) Exeter City on Tuesday, with Ipswich Town awaiting the winners.
Aston Villa, who ended Tottenham Hotspur’s hopes on Sunday, host second tier Cardiff City.
The fifth round matches will be played on the weekend of March 1 and 2.
Last 16 draw:
- Preston North End v Burnley
- Aston Villa v Cardiff City
- Doncaster Rovers or Crystal Palace v Millwall
- Manchester United v Fulham
- Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion
- Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle
-Reuters
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A much-changed Liverpool were dumped out of the FA Cup by struggling second-tier side Plymouth Argyle, who pulled off a stunning 1-0 fourth-round win at Home Park on Sunday that put an end to the visitors’ hopes of a quadruple.
The hosts took the lead in the 53rd minute after they were awarded a penalty for a handball by midfielder Harvey Elliott and Ryan Hardie stepped up to send Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher the wrong way.
Premier League leaders Liverpool were bereft of ideas and had just one shot on target in the opening half, with Plymouth keeper Conor Hazard making a diving save in the 36th minute to keep out James McConnell’s long-range shot.
Ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton on Wednesday, Liverpool made wholesale changes with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Alexis Mac Allister among the big-names rested and left at home.
Liverpool, who were also forced into an early change when defender Joe Gomez went down injured, failed to create many chances in a scrappy encounter as Plymouth, who sit bottom of the second-tier Championship, gradually grew in confidence.
Arne Slot’s side switched gears after going down but Hazard proved to be the hero for Plymouth as the Northern Irishman brilliantly kept out Diogo Jota’s volley in added time, as well as a header from Darwin Nunez.
With Liverpool top of the Premier League, having strolled into the Champions League’s last 16 and reached the League Cup final, some fans and pundits had begun to speculate about a potential quadruple.
Plymouth’s remarkable victory, however, brought a shuddering halt to talk of clean sweep of silverware for Slot’s side, who had only lost three games all season, prior to Sunday.
Meanwhile, there was no surprise in the other FA Cup fourth-round tie with Premier League Wolverhampton Wanderers beating second-tier Championship side Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Ewood Park.
There was little to separate the two teams in the opening minutes before Wolves hit Blackburn with two rapid-fire goals through midfielder Joao Gomes in the 33rd minute and seconds later via forward Matheus Cunha.
Blackburn defender Dominic Hyam had the ball in the back of the net in the 19th minute, but his celebrations were cut short when the linesman’s flag went up for offside.
-Reuters
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