That's it for today
Thanks for your company and contributions – here’s a reminder of today’s biggest stories.
“Anything can happen” in Newport, says Guardiola:
Fresh injury problems for Manchester United:
Barney Ronay on football’s tangled “Sportswashing” web:
Have great weekends, all, and see you again soon!
And here’s our story on that last entry:
Wilfried Zaha to miss Doncaster game after ban appeal rejected
Wilfried Zaha’s appeal against an additional one-match ban and £10,000 fine for sarcastically applauding the referee after a red card at Southampton, has been rejected by an independent regulatory commission. He misses Palace’s FA Cup 5th round tie with Doncaster Rovers on Sunday.
Did Sergio Ramos deliberately get booked against Ajax this week so he could use up his suspension before the quarter-finals? The man himself has no idea why anyone would suspect such skullduggery, and here’s why, courtesy of the Press Association:
Ramos was booked in the 89th minute of Madrid’s victory in Amsterdam, just minutes after Marco Asensio’s late goal saw Madrid complete a comeback from 1-0 down, and he will now miss the second leg at the Bernabeu.
Speaking immediately after the match, Ramos was quoted as saying he “would be lying” if he denied deliberately earning the booking, comments which could attract an extended ban from UEFA. But the defender then used social media to deny it was deliberate, and on Friday he gave an interview to Spanish newspaper Marca to again deny any wrongdoing and claim his comments referred to deliberately giving away a free-kick to prevent an Ajax equaliser.
“I’m very surprised about all this,” Ramos said. “I was referring to forcing the foul, a foul that was inevitable. Not to forcing the booking.”
Asked if he knew the foul was likely to lead to a yellow card and a ban, he added: “Yes, but I had no choice. “It was a very dangerous counterattack in the 88th minute, with an open match and the tie as well. That’s why I said that I would lie if I said I did not know that I was carrying a penalty, just as I knew that I had no other choice than to make a mistake. And that’s what I meant when I said that in football you have to make complicated decisions.
“If I had wanted to force a penalty, I could have done it in the group stage, in the match against Roma because we were already classified as first of groups and the last game, against CSKA, was inconsequential. By the way, a match in which I did not play.”
So that’s that!
There is some truth in that. Guardiola has taken the cups seriously, as the bashing of Burton showed.
A transfer! In January! Derby have signed the free-agent defender Efe Ambrose, once of Celtic, until the end of the season and he had this to tell RamsTV. Sounds as if he’s a Frank Lampard fan:
I had other offers from abroad so when my agent called me and said Derby were interested and they had put an offer to us, with Lampard, I said there is no second choice. I’ve known Lampard since he was at Chelsea as a player, and he has been my hero and someone I’ve always enjoyed watching play football. He is a legend. For me to come and have the opportunity to play under him is a great honour and I didn’t think twice to come.”
I know the ambition what Frank Lampard wants for this club so for me, that is a motivation. Every player wants to make a mark and I want to do the best I can do to give back to the club. All I can do to make sure we are in the top six, the play-offs, or the coaches have said, automatic promotion, which is the best to put into the spirit of the players. I want to prove myself and make sure to repay his trust in me and that is why I’m here.”
UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings for incidents that happened at Malmo v Chelsea last night. Chelsea are being investigated for throwing of objects & field invasions by supporters, and Malmo for setting off of fireworks & throwing of objects.
It’s not ideal for Chelsea, who are already being investigated for alleged racist chanting by fans late last year.
Wilfried Zaha’s appeal against the additional one-match ban, for sarcastically applauding the referee after being sent off at Southampton, was apparently heard this morning. The club are currently waiting to discover whether or not he will be available for Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Doncaster. Meanwhile, Wayne Hennessey will contest his FA charge for allegedly making a Nazi salute during a meal with teammates in January.
Millwall boss Neil Harris wants his side to continue their rich recent cup tradition when they face AFC Wimbledon. He’s told the club website:
Just because we’ve had a final, semi-finals and quarter-finals in the last 15 years, you cannot take for granted what it means to get to the latter stages of this competition - or the euphoria and excitement that it brings. Some of them couldn’t believe they had the opportunity two years ago – most players go through their career without an appearance at this late a stage in the competition. The group may never get the chance again, so the message is clear – and that, with the inner-felt desire in the dressing room, should be enough for me not to have to tell them a lot more before the game.”
More reading matter for you – Jamie Jackson with the latest on Manchester United’s new injury problems:
@NickAmes82 Yes, the ownership issues in football actively bother me. Excess money ruining the game, and morally indefensible ownership regimes. As an Everton fan, I want Liverpool to win the league, as the lesser of two evils compared to UAE sportswashed Man City.
— Robin Cannon (@shinytoyrobots) February 15, 2019
Here’s an interesting take on my question below. People are compromised!
Wolves travel to Bristol City on Sunday in one of the round’s most interesting ties. Last season, when they met in the Championship, Nuno was a bit of a naughty boy and got himself sent to the stands, although his side won it at the death anyway. He promises to behave this time!
That game was so emotional. Particularly it was so hard for me as I was sent off and went to the stands. Being there, you realise that you cannot help the team. All the emotions come and later what I felt was a big, big joy and a tremendous moment of happiness. It was so important for us that I could not contain myself. All of us are different. I just try to follow my instincts and sometimes I know that I make mistakes. At the same time, I admit them, I apologise when I have to and I try to avoid them in the future.”
We know it’s going to be very tough. They are a good team with good momentum. We started against Liverpool and then we went to Shrewsbury. Those challenges were so, so difficult. Now we are in the fifth round and we know how tough it will be, we have played there before. The only way we’ll go through is if we compete to the best of our standards on Sunday.”
You know it’s the FA Cup when ... Gianfranco Zola is giving Chelsea’s press conference instead of Maurizio Sarri. I’ll deliver you the best of that when we have it!
Here’s a companion to Barney’s sportswashing piece – along with Rob Davies, he’s compiled an alternative guide to this round’s Champions League ties:
Interested: does this kind of thing actively bother you, as a football follower, or are you more inclined to block it all out and enjoy the show?
Here’s Paul Wilson, reporting from the press conference of Pep Guardiola, who is saying all the right things:
A little bad news from Manchester United, which I’m sure we will have more on later: Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard are both out with injury for “two or three weeks”, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Deepdale welcomes Forest tomorrow. After Wednesday's defeat of table topping Norwich, in what was a superb defensive & very effective attacking display, I'm really looking forward to it.
Let's be honest, The Championship is the best league in England.
It’s a real rollercoaster this season. Norwich have a few injuries going into their match at Bolton and the pressure is on them now. Who’ll make it into the top two?
Are you At A Game this weekend? Do email and tell me which one, and why, and what is going to make it special.
Hello again. Yes, it was sunny and shiny and I had a box of pasta. Let’s recommence with a bang – this big, important Barney Ronay read on the scourge of sportswashing:
I’m going to hand back to Nick Ames now, who is hopefully refreshed and revitalised after his stroll in the spring-like Kings Cross sunshine. He’ll bring you all the afternoon news as it happens.
Pep Guardiola has turned up for his press conference before the Newport game. I can confirm he’s not dressed in Sesame Street-style getup like he was last week and has gone for a 1980s Hacienda-style Manchester City-branded polyester sports hoodie look instead. The bad news for Newport is that he says he’s done his homework on them and is taking them very seriously. “We have been studying Newport. Some areas they are stronger than us, we have areas we are stronger than them. They were outstanding against Middlesbrough. My team is ready, it will be tricky,” says Guardiola. He’s not overly bothered about the pitch being a leveller either.
I have seen vintage games here in the 70s and 80s and all the pitches were bad. Now, most of the pitches are perfect. Newport own their stadium and can play how they want. We saw what happened at Wigan last season, we will take Newport very seriously. We played at Tottenham when there had been two NFL games on it, we have to adapt. We will take it seriously if we don’t we will find it very difficult.”
Nuno Espírito Santo takes Wolves to Bristol City in the FA Cup on Sunday. It’s probably an understatement to say he’ll be given a frosty reception in the boardroom and a piping hot one by City fans. The last time he was there he got sent off and then celebrated a 94th-minute Ryan Bennett winner wildly next to former City manager Alan Dicks, who is in his 80s now, getting a bit too close to Dicks in the opinion of Bristol City boss Lee Johnson:
He didn’t hold himself in the perfect light when he got sent off up in our board room. I’m surprised that Alan Dicks didn’t two-foot him when he was all over him celebrating.
As for Nuno, he said he just can’t control himself:
The game was so emotional. It was particularly hard for me – I was sent off and being there [in the stand] you can not help the team and the emotions come and what I felt was a big moment of joy was so important that I could not contain myself.
Judge for yourself here:
WATCH: “When you’re on the phone but your team score a winner with the last kick of the game! Heartbreak for Bristol City, but Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo won’t care!” 😂 pic.twitter.com/BHBI7qGAvz
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 30, 2017
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Brighton looked safe as houses in the Premier League at Christmas but they haven’t won in the league since 29 December and are now staring anxiously at the relegation zone below them. Chris Hughton hopes the FA Cup tie against Derby can provide a “welcome distraction” from the Seagulls’ woes.
There will be a frustration and disappointment because in such a short period of time, the dynamics have changed a little bit. In general most people felt we were quite comfortable but we never, ever felt that way. Our level of performance has been good but we all know it’s about picking points up. We’re hoping it [the Cup] is a welcome distraction. For us, it has to be about making sure we get through this next round. If we start thinking beyond that then we won’t get past a very good Derby side. But it is definitely a great opportunity for somebody.
Hello readers. Having just returned from my lunch I can confirm that there is indeed some lovely sunsheeeeeiiiine in London right now. Enjoy it Nick! Now, back to the football, where we may see Ashley Cole, who has won more FA Cups than any player in history, in action for Derby at Brighton tomorrow. Do we appreciate him as much as we should do? That’s the question being posed by Sean Cole (no relation, apparently) in this defence of the 38-year-old full-back who has. let’s be honest, a bit of a chequered past off the pitch.
While I nip out in to the sunsheeeeiiiiiine for a few minutes, Gregg Bakowski will keep you abreast of all the baking hot news ...
Mike Flynn: win would be biggest shock in Cup history
Here is more from the Newport manager’s press conference today, courtesy of the Press Association:
“If we win this, whether it’s extra time or penalties and I don’t care how we do it, it will be the biggest shock in FA Cup history,” Flynn said at his pre-match press conference.
“I say that with the biggest respect to other big giant-killings. My reasons for that are because of the sheer gulf in finances, the quality of the players Man City have, the level they are playing at, and that they have the best manager in the world right now. So for those reasons it will be the biggest shock the FA Cup has ever seen.”
“Of course there is,” Flynn replied when asked if a shock to end City’s hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple was possible. “Otherwise I’d just turn up, give them the game, say ‘let’s shake hands’ and walk off. “Who said we were going to draw with Tottenham last season or beat Leicester, Leeds and Middlesbrough? These players have a knack of rising to the occasion.
“We won’t just be sitting back, no chance. I would rather get thumped doing it properly than losing 1-0 with no ambition. I want to give the supporters something to cheer about and these players have to believe, which I know they do, that they can cause an upset.”
Do you give them a chance? Remember, they rattled a strong Spurs team last season too.
Confirmation from Martin Dubravka, the Newcastle goalkeeper who has made a slip or two of late, that he is a human being just like all/most of us:
My family and my girlfriend, she knows me a lot in this case because I am really professional, so if I have just made one bad pass, I am very critical of myself. I am trying to study from every game what I can do better. Of course, I have made some good saves and some games were not what they were supposed to be. I have made some mistakes, but I am also a human being, I am not a robot. Of course I have made some mistakes, but the important thing is how you will look up for the next game, how you react. I can’t put my head down, the only thing I can do is to be focused about my job and stabilise my performances, and that’s what I am trying to do.”
Highlights from Newport’s last home game, for any City fans who fancy a bit of scouting:
I've just come across this goal Makambo scored for FC Lupopo in the DR Congo Ligue 1 last season. The state of the pitches in DR Congo never fails to amaze me. (via Foot DRC) pic.twitter.com/sa1jDiMObV
— Salim Masoud Said (@salimosaid) February 15, 2019
Can you, unlike me, remember what happened yesterday? Or the day before that? Or the day before that? Our quizmeister extraordinaire, Paul Campbell, has this week’s fiendish teasers:
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We can look even further ahead, if you like, to next week’s Champions League games. Liverpool face Bayern Munich and Andy Robertson, always generous with his time and words, can’t wait for another Big European Night At Anfield. Will they respond to the crowd?
I think that’s what all good teams do. We had a good run last season and especially in the Champions League I think it helped massively. Everyone knows how special nights here are in the Champions League. We feed off each other. Players feed off the fans and the fans feed off the players because it’s up to us to get them to have something to shout about. But it also helps when they’re getting behind us and it can maybe give you that extra percentage or whatever in the game. That’s what home fans are for. Every club’s got it and it’s all about making the most of it.”
We're looking forward to welcoming a new face to The Peninsula Stadium tomorrow 👀
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) February 15, 2019
New co-owner David Beckham will be in attendance at our game against Dover Athletic!#WelcomeBecks 👋 pic.twitter.com/juDKO7CdfD
Imagine they’ll get a crowd in for that. Salford could easily be a Football League club next season. They’re fifth in the National League – although that table is topped by Solihull Moors, who are coached by another England legend, Tim Flowers.
This is interesting – Steven Gerrard wants artificial pitches, all the rage north of the border, banned from the Premiership:
The players’ strong views on this are very interesting too. I have to say, you don’t meet many who like them. But you can see why clubs everywhere do: they ensure you can get a game on and, used astutely, can make you a lot of money in the meantime. What do you think?
We've got Donny Rovers away and I've seen their excellent home record. I don't think this will be the walk in the park many think it will be.
Hopefully it'll be the game Benteke finds his scoring boots.
Big one for Palace – and for Donny. There are only seven top-flight teams left in the last 16, which is both an opportunity for the minnows and a lament about the fact so many mid-table managers would rather just laugh the Cup off.
For your aural pleasure, don’t forget to look ahead to the weekend with Max and the gang at Football Weekly Extra:
It is true that Newport’s pitch could be better. I’m going to that game tomorrow so I hope it holds up. A few years ago I travelled there to cover a cup tie with Blackburn, only for it to be called off 45 minutes before kick-off because the surface was waterlogged. Purists might tut but, really, it shouldn’t matter and really only adds to the spectacle. Not everything has to be pristine and Insta-perfect. Not even football pitches. Sometimes it’s OK for things to be a little bit rubbish.
“A lot is being made about the Newport pitch being a great leveller,” emails ‘Will’. “Obviously, it’s utter cr@p but surely Manchester City are too good to fear such a thing. De Bruyne could control a rubber ball on a bouncy castle. What do you think?”
I think more football should be played on bouncy castles.
“Chelsea believe in Sarri!” ROARS David Luiz.
We have had many meetings already asking if someone doesn’t believe. They can say. Nobody said anything. It’s because everyone believes [in it]. We lost against maybe the best team in the world at the moment in Manchester City. They were better than us from the beginning to the end. We lost a few matches because it is part of the process. The teams that are at the top of the table now are ones with managers who have been there for more than three years. There is a big difference when you have already understood everything, it is much easier to play football. I think we are in the right way to still improve to become a fantastic team.”
Jacob Steinberg has some hot transfer rumours for you – just promise to keep them to yourself:
We’ll have more from Newport later, but their manager Mike Flynn has just said it would be “the biggest shock in FA Cup history” if they beat City tomorrow. Do you agree?
Yesterday, Flamengo played their first match since the fire that tragically killed 10 academy players at their training ground. Here is an Associated Press report:
“Brazilian club Flamengo played its first match since the fire that killed 10 of its academy players at its training ground 8 Feb, losing 1-0 to rival Fluminense on Thursday night. Nearly 30,000 fans, many with white balloons, banners and flags, attended the state championship match. The game was initially scheduled for Saturday, only hours after the deadly incident.
“Flamengo supporters sang a song to honor the dead at 10 minutes of play. Luciano scored for Fluminense. Survivor Cauan Emanuel, who was released from hospital this week, was filmed crying in the tribunes of the Maracana, sided by family members and Flamengo fans. The victims were between 14 and 16 years old. Police are still investigating what caused the fire.”
Slightly damning from Petr Cech – he says Arsenal could have played for another couple of hours without scoring last night:
Yesterday it was one of those games where if we played for another couple of hours probably we wouldn’t have scored. But there are games in football like that. You try, you play, the goal does not arrive and you have to go home with the result you don’t want but you have to pick yourself up and be ready for the second leg. This is the advantage of playing two-legged ties - when one game goes wrong you can always make up for it. We didn’t take our chances. In the first-half in particular we played well and created enough chances to go ahead in the game but unfortunately we didn’t take our chances and then we conceded in the last minute of the first half which obviously gave them a lot of confidence and belief. We wanted to score goals and win to put ourselves in a good position. We’ve left it more tricky for ourselves and we need to win at home.”
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@NickAmes82 Watford v Wolves in the final. As irritating as the 'whole weekend' set-up is, away game straight from work today - can't beat it!
— JM (@JM_Magick) February 15, 2019
Yes, should be lively in Shepherd’s Bush tonight. And you really wouldn’t rule out at least one of Watford and Wolves going all the way on present evidence, to be fair.
Can you – or your team of choice – beat that for a post-victory recovery feed? I’m not talking jagerbombs at 4am down Vodka Revs, but strictly food-based.
Nothing rubs salt into the wounds more than sitting next to Alex Hleb and the BATE team while they celebrate beating Arsenal by wolfing down a Double Whopper meal at 8am pic.twitter.com/7DOW4XYsXE
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) February 15, 2019
No cryogenic chamber or isotonic drip-feed? I’m appalled.
Good news for Charlton fans: the League One club’s faithful have succeeded in having The Valley re-listed as an “asset of community value”, meaning their supporters’ trust must be notified if it is put up for sale and have the right to make their own bid. Might not seem earth-shattering but, given the trials and tribulations there in recent years, all measures of stability at Charlton are very welcome.
We can wallow – or lavish, depending on who you support – in some Europa League reaction too, if you like. What *on earth* was that from Arsenal in Belarus? And has Maurizio Sarri bought himself valuable time with Chelsea’s win over Malmo? Maybe we should all be Sarri for doubting him!
Stuart James has been in Newport with Padraig Amond, the striker who hopes to embarrass Pep Guardiola tomorrow. This is a cracking interview, and Amond’s thought process when scoring in the last round against Middlesbrough is described particularly nicely:
Valverde signs new Barcelona deal
News from Spain: Barcelona’s manager, Ernesto Valverde, has inked – which isn’t a verb – a contract extension until 2020, with the option of additional year. Excited, culés?
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Here’s a nice interview to kick things off with. It’s Harry Wilson, the Derby youngster on loan from Liverpool, talking to our very own Ben Fisher:
Morning all
It is Friday – a very crisp and bright Friday, here at least. And there’s lots to snap into today: FA Cup fifth round weekend is upon us and the matches we’ll be looking ahead to are thus:
Friday: QPR v Watford
Saturday: Brighton v Derby; AFC Wimbledon v Millwall; Newport v Manchester City
Sunday: Bristol City v Wolves; Doncaster v Crystal Palace; Swansea v Brentford
Monday: Chelsea v Manchester United
I swear that when we get to the semis they’ll still find a way of dragging this all out over four days. Anyway, two or three genuinely belting ties there, so if you’re a veteran of Rodney Parade or heading down to Kingsmeadow for the first time, I’d like to hear from you.
There’s also Championship promotion race action, Norwich visiting Bolton tomorrow. And plenty going on in that there Europe, too. While we get our little heads round all that, send your emails and tweets in to the addresses above. What’s rocking your weekend?
It may be an unpopular view but I think Man City have been great for the Fa Cup this season. And it’s painful saying that as my first footballing is non league Barnet and my footballing bit on the side is League Two Cambridge United. This season City have bucked the trend of the top clubs putting out reserve sides and barely scraping through. Instead they’ve put out strong sides and gone all out to win, spanking opposition as they’ve gone. Leading the way like that is, I believe, good for the competition and Id like to see more top teams do it, in both cups.