FA Cup
VICTOR MOSES’ NEMESIS, ANTHONY TAYLOR TO REFEREE FA CUP FINAL AGAIN
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
Anthony Taylor who officiated the 2017 FA Cup final match of Arsenal and Chelsea will be the referee again on Saturday when the two clubs meet again.
He is well remembered for the red card he gave to Nigerian-born Chelsea wingback, Victor Moses in the memorable encounter.
Taylor will be joined by assistant referees Gary Beswick (Durham FA) and Adam Nunn (Wiltshire FA), fourth official Chris Kavanagh (Manchester FA) and reserve assistant referee Lee Betts (Norfolk FA).
Stuart Attwell (Birmingham FA) will be the video assistant referee (VAR), and will be joined at Stockley Park by assistant VAR (AVAR) Steve Child (London FA).
And having previously refereed the 2017 final match, Taylor will join a unique group of officials to have taken charge of the Final on two occasions, becoming only the eighth person to do so and the first to repeat the duty since Arthur Kingscott in 1901.
While the appointment to officiate an FA Cup Final usually happens only once in an official’s career, the FA Referees’ Committee decided that, in this unique year, it was necessary to make an exception, the FA stated in its official website.
“Refereeing an FA Cup Final is a dream but, unlike the players, a referee usually only does the Final once,” explained FA Referees’ Committee chairman David Elleray.
“This makes the appointment very special and a significant part of the Cup Final appointment is the opportunity to share this – the English refereeing pinnacle – with partners, family, friends and those who have been an important part of their long journey to the Final.
“Sadly, this year’s Final will be very different and will be held without all these elements in an empty stadium. With this in mind, the Committee decided it would be unfair to appoint someone who has not yet done the Final and have, instead, appointed Anthony Taylor to his second FA Cup Final.”
Altrincham-based Taylor, who is regarded as one of Europe’s and England’s top officials, will next month referee in the UEFA Champions League or Europa League with the same team of assistants, Nunn, Beswick and Attwell (VAR).
And he spoke of his honour at being able to take charge of this year’s Final, ironically featuring the same clubs from his last Final appearance in 2017.
“Of course, any Final is obviously a huge honour and privilege for the whole team to be doing and I sincerely mean that about the team because I’m in the fortunate position where I get to work with the same two assistants on every game both at home and abroad,” he said.
“It’s just an iconic occasion at the best of times, but this year is a unique one with no spectators. We know there are different circumstances this year and the 2020 Final will always be remembered because of this.
“But it was a little bit unexpected to get the call, having already refereed the FA Cup Final a couple of years ago, so I’m very humbled and equally honoured to have been asked to take charge of the Final again.
“It’s ironic that it’s the same clubs, but it’s now two different teams. Clubs who reach the Final don’t get there by fluke, and whichever teams end up in the FA Cup Final, it’s always going to be an intense occasion to officiate.
“However, any official who has refereed the FA Cup Final will say that when you’re appointed to the game, it’s not just recognition for you as an individual, it’s a recognition for all of the people who’ve supported you over the years and helped you to reach the elite level.
“That’s what makes the occasion so special, not just the match but that you get to share it with your close friends and family who will be there supporting you.
“Obviously, that’s not going to be possible this time, but there’s other ways and means that friends and family can be supporting us on the day.”
FA Cup
Eight-minute VAR check at Bournemouth is new English record

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
FA Cup giant-killers Plymouth draw Man City in fifth round

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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FA Cup
Liverpool suffer shock FA Cup defeat to Plymouth

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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