That’s the Clockwatch action for today. Thanks for reading.
And Ed Aarons was at the London Stadium.
Tumaini Carayol was at the Amex.
No FA Cup shocks in the fourth round just yet. But maybe, just maybe. Ok, probably not but why not join Scott Murray?
Nick Ames was at St Mary’s in the lunchtime match.
A roundup of Saturday afternoon’s action in Europe.
Richard Jolly was at Bramall Lane.
The fifth round draw as it stands.
To be played on 9, 10, 11 February
- Fulham/Burnley vs Bournemouth/Crawley Town
- Manchester United/Liverpool vs West Ham
- Sheffield United vs Bristol City
- Wolves vs Southampton
- Barnsley vs Chelsea/Luton Town
- Everton/Sheffield Wednesday vs Wycombe/Tottenham
- Swansea City vs Cheltenham Town/Manchester City
- Brentford/Leicester vs Brighton
EFL final scores
Championship
- QPR 0-1 Derby
League One
- Charlton Athletic 2-2 Swindon Town
- Crewe Alexandra 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
- Gillingham 2-2 Rochdale
- Ipswich Town 0-1 Peterborough United
- Lincoln City 2-1 Northampton Town
- Oxford United 2-0 Bristol Rovers
- Portsmouth 0-4 Hull City
- Sunderland 1-0 Shrewsbury Town
- Wigan Athletic 0-0 Fleetwood Town
League Two
- Exeter City 3-1 Stevenage
- Scunthorpe 3-0 Grimsby
- Cambridge United 0-0 Bradford City
- Leyton Orient 0-1 Forest Green Rovers
- Morecambe 3-0 Colchester United
- Oldham Athletic 3-2 Newport County
- Port Vale 1-3 Walsall
- Southend United 0-1 Mansfield Town
- Tranmere Rovers 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
Wayne Rooney has his second win, his first away win as Derby manager, and that’s thanks to Colin Kazim Richards’ goal at QPR.
Updated
FA Cup fourth round scores
Barnsley 1-0 Norwich
Brighton 2-1 Blackpool
Millwall 0-3 Bristol City
Sheffield United 2-1 Plymouth
Swansea 5-1 Nottingham Forest
West Ham 4-0 Doncaster
Updated
Full-time: West Ham 4-0 Doncaster Rovers
The Hammers led from the second minute and didn’t let up. Not a fun day out for the South Yorkshiremen.
Full-time: Millwall 0-3 Bristol City
Gary Rowett’s team are not on form, and the Robins made short work of them.
Full-time: Brighton 2-1 Blackpool
A second consecutive win for the first time in a long time for Graham Potter’s team.
Full-time: Swansea 5-1 Nottingham Forest
Great stuff from Swansea, hopeless from Forest.
Full-time: Barnsley 1-0 Norwich
A good win for the Tykes against the league leaders.
Updated
Full-time: Rangers 5-0 Ross County. And Steven, one of the few football men known by his first-name (Brendan is another, as is Rafa. And Kenny. It’s Liverpool, isn’t it?), is sitting pretty.
Goal! Swansea 5-1 Nottingham Forest (Cooper, 84)
Forest have been hopeless and concede on the counter. Swansea were queueing up to score and it’s Oliver Cooper who gets it.
Updated
Derby are still leading at QPR, and Wayne Rooney is on course to claim his first away win of his managerial career. Into the last five minutes of that game now.
Updated
Blackpool are pushing on against Brighton but Maupay has gone close and really should have scored. All he could do was hit the goalkeeper. Two matches that may go to extra time are this one and the game at Bramall Lane. And between Barnsley and Norwich.
Updated
Rangers now 5-0 up on Ross County, with Connor Goldson supplying it.
Goal! West Ham 4-0 Doncaster (Afolayan, 78)
Ryan Fredericks comes down the right and his shot is palmed into the path of Afolayan for his first ever West Ham goal.
Updated
Goal! Sheffield United 2-1 Plymouth Argyle (Camara, 75)
Nice move from the Pilgrims as the ball is cut back. Camara’s finish is a little soft and Aaron Ramsdale will be very disappointed with that. Game on at Bramall Lane!
Updated
Goal! Millwall 0-3 Bristol City (Semenyo, 72)
A driving run, and a lovely cool finish from Antoine Semenyo. Millwall have been bad but Bristol City have been very good at the Den.
Updated
In League One, Ipswich’s Paul Lambert purgatory continues, with Peterborough leading 1-0 at Portman Road thanks to a Mark McGuinness OG.
Goal! Swansea 4-1 Nottingham Forest (Cullen, 67)
Another Cullen goal, another move from the left and he slots home. Nice and easy for Steve Cooper’s men, more trouble for Chris Hughton.
Final scores in the Bundesliga, and big losses for RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen. A good day for Bayern then.
Arminia Bielefeld 1-5 Eintracht Frankfurt
Augburg 1-2 Union Berlin
Freiburg 2-1 Stuttgart
Leverkusen 0-1 Wolfsburg
Mainz 3-2 RB Leipzig
Goalfest for Frankfurt 🎉
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 23, 2021
Big wins for Wolfsburg, Augsburg and Freiburg 💪
MASSIVE win for Mainz 👏#BLMatchday pic.twitter.com/eaWGSl1SDs
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 17 | 24 | 39 |
| 2 | RB Leipzig | 18 | 14 | 35 |
| 3 | Bayer Leverkusen | 18 | 14 | 32 |
| 4 | Wolfsburg | 18 | 8 | 32 |
| 5 | Borussia M'gladbach | 18 | 7 | 31 |
| 6 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 18 | 8 | 30 |
| 7 | Borussia Dortmund | 18 | 9 | 29 |
| 8 | Union Berlin | 18 | 10 | 28 |
| 9 | Freiburg | 18 | 4 | 27 |
| 10 | Stuttgart | 18 | 4 | 22 |
| 11 | Augsburg | 18 | -8 | 22 |
| 12 | Hoffenheim | 17 | -5 | 19 |
| 13 | Werder Bremen | 17 | -6 | 18 |
| 14 | Hertha Berlin | 17 | -5 | 17 |
| 15 | Arminia Bielefeld | 18 | -15 | 17 |
| 16 | Cologne | 17 | -13 | 15 |
| 17 | Mainz | 18 | -20 | 10 |
| 18 | Schalke 04 | 17 | -30 | 7 |
Updated
Rangers now 4-0 up on Ross County, and with Ryan Jack getting the goal.
Goal! Swansea 3-1 Nottingham Forest (Grimes, 61 pen)
That was a soft penalty, one born of simulation as Joe Worrall wafts a leg at Ryan Manning and referee Kevin Friend gives it. Grimes steps up and scores from the spot.
Updated
Goal! Swansea 2-1 Nottingham Forest (Knockaert, 56)
Forest get back into it, as Knockaert scores from inside the box. Forest have stepped it up.
Goal! Brighton 2-1 Blackpool (Alazte, 58)
Mac Allister’s long-range shot is deflected and Graham Potter’s team have a lead they perhaps do not deserve.
Goal! Millwall 0-2 Bristol City (Wells, 58)
Millwall’s horror run continues, as Nakhi Wells’ free-kick comes off the wall and into the net.
Updated
Wayne Rooney’s Derby County have the lead at QPR after a half-time change of shape and it’s Colin Kazim Richards who slots home.
Goal! Barnsley 1-0 Norwich (Styles, 56)
The ball is switched back across and Styles, the full-back, beats Tim Krul. The ball bobbled along.
Updated
Goal! West Ham 3-0 Doncaster (Butler, 54 own-goal)
Doncaster’s day is not going well. It’s a an unfortunate own-goal by Andy Butler.
Into the last 15 minutes in the Bundesliga, where Eintracht Frankfurt are leading Arminia Bielfeld 5-1, their latest goal scored by the returned Luka Jovic.
Goal! Sheffield United 2-0 Plymouth (Sharp, 47)
Oliver Norwood’s pass and Billy Sharp does not miss from there. The Pilgrims will not be progressing.
Updated
In La Liga, Sevilla are 2-0 up on Cadiz, with Youssef En-Nesyri getting both.
Half-times in League One and League Two
- Charlton Athletic 0-2 Swindon Town
- Crewe Alexandra 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
- Gillingham 1-0 Rochdale
- Ipswich Town 0-0 Peterborough United
- Lincoln City 0-0 Northampton Town
- Oxford United 1-0 Bristol Rovers
- Portsmouth 0-1 Hull City
- Sunderland 1-0 Shrewsbury Town
- Wigan Athletic 0-0 Fleetwood Town
League Two
- Cambridge United 0-0 Bradford City
- Leyton Orient 0-1 Forest Green Rovers
- Morecambe 1-0 Colchester United
- Oldham Athletic 2-2 Newport County
- Port Vale 1-1 Walsall
- Southend United 0-0 Mansfield Town
- Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Bolton Wanderers
But what’s this? Roma have won 4-3 v Spezia, with Lorenzo Pellegrini getting the winner in the 92nd minute. That cements third place for them.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL pic.twitter.com/zvW85ebbOs
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) January 23, 2021
⏱ |90’+2’
— Spezia Calcio (@acspezia) January 23, 2021
⚽️ Gol della @OfficialASRoma con Pellegrini#RomaSpezia 4-3
Wayne Rooney looks rueful as he lopes down the Loftus Road tunnel. QPR are having the better of it and Wayne Rooney’s Derby County are lucky to be level at 0-0 going into half-time.
A shocker in Serie A as Spezia equalise in the last minute against Roma. It’s 3-3. Some contrasting social media reactions.
⏱ |90’
— Spezia Calcio (@acspezia) January 23, 2021
⚽️ GOOOOOOOOOOOL! VERDEEEEE! Pareggia lo #Spezia!!!! #RomaSpezia 3-3
90': pareggio di Verde #RomaSpezia 3-3
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) January 23, 2021
Half-time in the FA Cup
Barnsley 0-0 Norwich
Brighton 1-1 Blackpool
Millwall 0-1 Bristol City
Sheffield United 1-0 Plymouth
Swansea 2-0 Nottingham Forest
West Ham 2-0 Doncaster
Goal! Brighton 1-1 Blackpool (Madine, 45+2)
Lovely striker’s goal from Gary Madine, the ball comes in from the left and is steered home.
Updated
Rangers now three up, and Joe Aribo has just made Steven Gerrard’s afternoon sweeter. RB Leipzig are losing 3-2 to Mainz, by the way. Tyler Adams of the USA has scored his first Bundesliga goal.
Updated
Goal! Sheffield United 1-0 Plymouth (Basham, 39)
A well-worked goal, and the play is switched back across for Basham to slot in. It had been coming.
Updated
Goal! Millwall 0-1 Bristol City (Diedhiou, 32 pen)
Vyner slips in Diédhiou who is brought down by Fielding. He gets up to smash home from the spot.
Goal! West Ham 2-0 Doncaster Rovers (Yarmolenko, 32)
Nice pass from Benrahma, even better dinked finish from the Ukrainian.
Updated
Goal! Swansea 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Grimes, 29)
Looks like the Swans are flying through, and Matt Grimes scores from 25 yards out with a left foot shot. Lyle Taylor is lying in the back of the net as it goes in.
Updated
Rangers have doubled their lead against Ross County, with Filip Helander getting the second.
Goal! Brighton 1-0 Blackpool (Bissouma, 27)
What a strike, and from 35 yards out. Pick that one out. Blackpool had been defending well until that.
Updated
Both Plymouth and Sheffield United have gone close at Bramall Lane. First, the Pilgrims’ Panutche Camara, and then John Lundstram. Both will be be very disappointed with that.
Updated
RB Leipzig enter the half-time break at 2-2 with Mainz, for whom Moussa Niakhaté has scored both goals.
In League One, Sunderland are beating Shrewsbury 1-0 thanks to Charlie Wyke.
Rhian Brewster goes close for Sheffield United against Plymouth, and he’s set up by John Fleck, but misses. In truth, that was the miss of a striker in no sort of form.
But Diego Farias has got one back for Spezia, meaning Roma only lead 3-2. A humdinger in the capital.
Roma now 3-1 up on Spezia, thanks to Rick Karsdorp.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AC Milan | 18 | 20 | 43 |
| 2 | Inter Milan | 18 | 22 | 40 |
| 3 | Roma | 19 | 10 | 37 |
| 4 | Napoli | 17 | 24 | 34 |
| 5 | Atalanta | 18 | 18 | 33 |
Rangers have a penalty, one that looks outside the box, conspiracy fans, and James Tavernier has his attempt saved, his second miss in succession.
Roma now beating Spezia 2-1 thanks to a goal from Borja Mayoral.
In the National League, Stockport County, shorn of manager Jim Gannon for “cultural reasons”, are beating Boreham Wood 1-0. Let us speculate on what those cultural reasons were.
Goal! Swansea 1-0 Nottingham Forest (Cullen, 7)
Forest had started so well but a counterattack caught them out, and the ball was swept in by an onrushing Cullen.
In Scotland, Rangers are beating Ross County 1-0, and it’s Ryan Kent with the goal.
6' GOAL! GOAL! @ryankent 💥The perfect start at Ibrox. pic.twitter.com/QquMJAKLfL
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) January 23, 2021
Updated
A tribute to Luton Shelton, the Sheffield United striker and Jamaica’s all-time scorer, who died yesterday.
RIP, Luton. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Nx0ZhhkApX
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) January 23, 2021
In Germany, RB Leipzig are now winning 2-1 at Mainz, thanks to a goal from Marcel Halstenberg.
Goal! West Ham 1-0 Doncaster Rovers (Fornals, 2)
A great run by Yarmolenko, and he slots it back to Fornals who drills it into the roof of the net.
Updated
We are underway in the 3pm kick-offs, up for the Cup we go.
Scunthorpe 3-0 Grimsby is a final score.
In Serie A at half-time in the only game being played at the moment, it’s Roma 1-1 Spezia.
There’s one game in the Championship, QPR v Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, and a raft of matches in the bottom two divisions. Exeter have beaten Stevenage 3-1 and Scunthorpe are beating Grimsby 3-0 in the Lincolnshire derby.
League One
- Charlton Athletic v Swindon Town
- Crewe Alexandra v AFC Wimbledon
- Gillingham v Rochdale
- Ipswich Town v Peterborough United
- Lincoln City v Northampton Town
- Oxford United v Bristol Rovers
- Portsmouth v Hull City
- Sunderland v Shrewsbury Town
- Wigan Athletic v Fleetwood Town
League Two
- Cambridge United v Bradford City
- Leyton Orient v Forest Green Rovers
- Morecambe v Colchester United
- Oldham Athletic v Newport County
- Port Vale v Walsall
- Southend United v Mansfield Town
- Tranmere Rovers v Bolton Wanderers
Updated
And ahead of the big one tomorrow.
A preview for Sunday night’s clash.
Nick Ames reports on the exit of the holders.
And finally, Bramall Lane. Billy Sharp and Rhian Brewster lead the line for Sheffield United hosted Plymouth as Chris Wilder only made two changes. Plymouth made one alteration as Adam Lewis came in for Panutche Camara.
Sharp & Brewster lead the line. 👊
— Sheffield United (@SheffieldUnited) January 23, 2021
Young forward Iliman Ndiaye, who has impressed for the U23s this season, is also named amongst the substitutes.#SUFC 🔴
And how we think we'll line up 👇 #pafc pic.twitter.com/sKs947yZkc
— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Only1Argyle) January 23, 2021
Team news from the Liberty, a Swans debut for Conor Hourihane and veteran Wayne Routledge gets a runout.
Swansea: Woodman, Latibeaudiere, Bennett, Guehi, Roberts, Hourihane, Grimes, Manning, Dhanda, Routledge, Cullen.
Subs: Fulton, Lowe, Ayew, Bidwell, Naughton, Cooper, Garrick, Webb, Cabango.
Nottingham Forest: Smith, Jenkinson, Worrall, Tobias Figueiredo, Bong, Bachirou, Mbe Soh, Lolley, Knockaert, Freeman, Taylor.
Subs: Christie, Grabban, Ameobi, Mighten, Cafu, Guerrero, Dawson, Blackett, Samba.
Team from the Den. Millwall make eight changes, Bristol make six.
👇 Here's how The Lions line-up:#Millwall
— Millwall FC 💙 (@MillwallFC) January 23, 2021
📋 Here's how we line-up this afternoon!#MILBRC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/Dtq8xPrmbZ
— Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) January 23, 2021
Updated
Team news from the Amex. Graham Potter has made six changes from the team that got that vital win over Leeds last week.
👊 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎...
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 23, 2021
The Albion side for this afternoon’s #EmiratesFACup tie at the Amex. 👇
📲 https://t.co/S3j1TIedJv#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/sStK0d4Dia
🔢 Today's team to face Brighton, in association with @smithshire:
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) January 23, 2021
🔸 MJ Williams returns to the starting XI
🔸 Ellis Simms on the bench
🔸 Youth team players Rob Apter, Luke Mariette and Brad Holmes included in 20 man squad.
🍊 #UTMP pic.twitter.com/iGLTyf5Zi9
Team news from Oakwell.
💪 THE REDS 🔴
— Barnsley FC (@BarnsleyFC) January 23, 2021
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) January 23, 2021
◾️Four changes from Wednesday
◾️Hernandez and Rupp return to the starting XI following injury
◾️Tettey and Placheta also start
Some team news, seven Hammers changes for David Moyes.
West Ham: Fabianski, Fredericks, Balbuena, Diop, Johnson, Soucek, Noble, Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma, Yarmolenko.
Subs: Trott, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Baptiste, Cresswell, Rice, Antonio, Afolawn.
Doncaster Rovers: Balcombe, Halliday, Anderson, Butler, John, Smith, James, Taylor, Wright, Lokilo, Okenabirhie.
Subs: Richards, Simoes, Jones, Amos, Williams, Ravenhill, Blythe.
That fifth round draw in full, as drawn by Peter Crouch after the fourth round.
To be played on 9, 10, 11 February
- Fulham/Burnley vs Bournemouth/Crawley Town
- Manchester United/Liverpool vs West Ham/Doncaster
- Sheffield United/Plymouth vs Millwall/Bristol City
- Wolves vs Southampton
- Barnsley/Norwich vs Chelsea/Luton Town
- Everton/Sheffield Wednesday vs Wycombe/Tottenham
- Swansea City/Nottingham Forest vs Cheltenham Town/Manchester City
- Brentford/Leicester vs Brighton/Blackpool
The big news is that the holders are out, with Southampton beating Arsenal 1-0. It means Saints face Wolves, who beat Chorley in the fifth round.
Updated
Preamble
Remember when the FA Cup used to be a miasma of 3pm kick-offs that would mean an overworked Des Lynam on the box or Renton Laidlaw on the wireless scrabbling from ground to ground in search of a shock? No? You missed out. Well, there’s something of a return to tradition with a mighty six ties kicking off at that time today. And for once on a Saturday at that time, Crystal Palace are not playing. Wonders never cease.
So, what do we have for you?
Barnsley v Norwich
Brighton v Blackpool
Millwall v Bristol City
Sheffield United v Plymouth
Swansea v Nottingham Forest
West Ham v Doncaster
So, that’s three all-Championship clashes, potential trouble for Chris Wilder with Plymouth, a match between coastal clubs and a chance for the high-flying Hammers to get on a cup run/have their reserves embarrassed. Bournemouth’s tie with Crawley has been postponed after a Covid outbreak in the League Two club’s ranks. It’s not a stellar line-up but as they always say, you just never know in the Cup of Dreams. [Anyone remember which used to use that epithet, in an attempt to steer away from the cliché of the Magic of the Cup?]
Plus, there will be updates on the Football League and perhaps a bit of Euro content too. Join me!
