Big four set date with underdogs in FA Cup
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AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 03, 2009 00:00
LONDON - The world's oldest football competition will stage clashes of England's top clubs setting date with outfits from lower divisions tonight. While the giants of the Premier League, such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal hope to avoid any early slumps in the FA Cup, their fairly weaker opponents will try to make the headlines with big surprises.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, with 32 FA Cup wins between them, begin their 2009 campaigns this weekend with the world's oldest knockout competition poised to satisfy its appetite for shocks.
Much-loved by minnows keen to grab a rare national headline, as well as significantly boost their bank balances, the game's giants seem more concerned with transfer window bargains and securing places in the Champions League.
Not that being distracted is necessarily a barrier to success in the tournament.
Portsmouth's win in the 2008 final was the first by a club outside the 'big four' since Everton edged Manchester United in 1995.
League leader Liverpool's opening tie at Preston has been given an added dimension as it could be the first match in which club captain Steven Gerrard plays since being charged with assault following an alleged brawl in a bar.
Gerrard shows up for training, but may be sidelined
Manager Rafael Benitez may take the heat off the Reds captain by leaving him out of Saturday's FA Cup game at Preston. With Premier League teams usually playing with backup players in earlier rounds of the cup, while Liverpool faces a team from the second-tier League Championship, Benitez's problem is that he does not want to disrupt Liverpool's impressive form by making too many changes. He also knows that Gerrard likely will get plenty of abuse from the home fans at Preston's Deepdale, whereas he would get a more supportive reception from his own followers at Anfield.
By fielding him against Preston, however, Benitez would help Gerrard take his mind off the assault and affray charges he faces, which could lead to a jail sentence of up to five years. The England midfielder is on police bail and is due to appear in court Jan. 23, and Liverpool fans fear the criminal proceedings might affect Gerrard's form at a time when the club is top of the Premier League.
"We've worked very hard to get into the position we're in going through to the new year and all of us are determined to keep that progress going," said Benitez, who had talks with Gerrard when the player arrived for training on Wednesday after 20 hours in police custody.
Even without Gerrard, Benitez should be able to field a lineup capable of easily beating Preston, which has not been in the top flight of English football since 1961 and last won the FA Cup in 1938.
The leading contenders stayed apart in the third-round draw and none of the traditional top four face opponents from the Premier League.
Arsenal is at home to Plymouth, Chelsea welcomes Southend to Stamford Bridge while Manchester United, the 11-time champion, travel to second-tier Southampton, a repeat of the 1976 final where the south coast club defeated its illustrious opponent 1-0.
Portuguese defender wants ’to be there’
Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho is determined to reach the final after missing the win over Manchester United two seasons ago through a knee ligament injury.
"I was there (at Wembley). I was watching the game and the atmosphere was fantastic and after we got the trophy, I went in the dressing room and the feeling was unbelievable," said the Portuguese star. "I want to repeat that and to win at home on Saturday."
High-flyers Aston Villa and Everton face potentially awkward trips to Gillingham and Macclesfield respectively.
However, the tie, which best encapsulates the spirit of the third round takes place on Monday when non-league Blyth Spartans are at home to Premier League strugglers Blackburn Rovers.
Back in 1978, the north-east side's fifth round replay against Wrexham was witnessed by a crowd of more than 42,000 at Newcastle's St James' Park and the Spartans have high hopes of giving their supporters another set of memories to last a lifetime.
"We're absolutely buzzing for it. I've had all my mates on the phone telling us to stick it to them," Blyth captain Gareth Williams said.
And it seems you can put a price on the 'Romance of the Cup'.
"Win, lose or draw we will be talking about 160,000 pounds just for the televised rights," club chairman Tony Platten explained to the Daily Telegraph.
Much-loved by minnows keen to grab a rare national headline, as well as significantly boost their bank balances, the game's giants seem more concerned with transfer window bargains and securing places in the Champions League.
Not that being distracted is necessarily a barrier to success in the tournament.
Portsmouth's win in the 2008 final was the first by a club outside the 'big four' since Everton edged Manchester United in 1995.
League leader Liverpool's opening tie at Preston has been given an added dimension as it could be the first match in which club captain Steven Gerrard plays since being charged with assault following an alleged brawl in a bar.
Gerrard shows up for training, but may be sidelined
Manager Rafael Benitez may take the heat off the Reds captain by leaving him out of Saturday's FA Cup game at Preston. With Premier League teams usually playing with backup players in earlier rounds of the cup, while Liverpool faces a team from the second-tier League Championship, Benitez's problem is that he does not want to disrupt Liverpool's impressive form by making too many changes. He also knows that Gerrard likely will get plenty of abuse from the home fans at Preston's Deepdale, whereas he would get a more supportive reception from his own followers at Anfield.
By fielding him against Preston, however, Benitez would help Gerrard take his mind off the assault and affray charges he faces, which could lead to a jail sentence of up to five years. The England midfielder is on police bail and is due to appear in court Jan. 23, and Liverpool fans fear the criminal proceedings might affect Gerrard's form at a time when the club is top of the Premier League.
"We've worked very hard to get into the position we're in going through to the new year and all of us are determined to keep that progress going," said Benitez, who had talks with Gerrard when the player arrived for training on Wednesday after 20 hours in police custody.
Even without Gerrard, Benitez should be able to field a lineup capable of easily beating Preston, which has not been in the top flight of English football since 1961 and last won the FA Cup in 1938.
The leading contenders stayed apart in the third-round draw and none of the traditional top four face opponents from the Premier League.
Arsenal is at home to Plymouth, Chelsea welcomes Southend to Stamford Bridge while Manchester United, the 11-time champion, travel to second-tier Southampton, a repeat of the 1976 final where the south coast club defeated its illustrious opponent 1-0.
Portuguese defender wants ’to be there’
Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho is determined to reach the final after missing the win over Manchester United two seasons ago through a knee ligament injury.
"I was there (at Wembley). I was watching the game and the atmosphere was fantastic and after we got the trophy, I went in the dressing room and the feeling was unbelievable," said the Portuguese star. "I want to repeat that and to win at home on Saturday."
High-flyers Aston Villa and Everton face potentially awkward trips to Gillingham and Macclesfield respectively.
However, the tie, which best encapsulates the spirit of the third round takes place on Monday when non-league Blyth Spartans are at home to Premier League strugglers Blackburn Rovers.
Back in 1978, the north-east side's fifth round replay against Wrexham was witnessed by a crowd of more than 42,000 at Newcastle's St James' Park and the Spartans have high hopes of giving their supporters another set of memories to last a lifetime.
"We're absolutely buzzing for it. I've had all my mates on the phone telling us to stick it to them," Blyth captain Gareth Williams said.
And it seems you can put a price on the 'Romance of the Cup'.
"Win, lose or draw we will be talking about 160,000 pounds just for the televised rights," club chairman Tony Platten explained to the Daily Telegraph.