Danny Ings’s belatedly awarded goal helped Southampton on their way into an FA Cup sixth round derby away to Bournemouth as Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side responded to four successive league defeats in the best possible fashion. Stuart Armstrong added a late second as Southampton deservedly overcame Wolves who paid the penalty for leaving out their first-choice forward line.
With the teams meeting in the Premier League on Sunday, Hasenhüttl admitted his gamble paid off while Wolves held players back for the next game.
“With our position in the league [in mid-table], we can concentrate on this competition,” the Southampton manager said. “But against Arsenal in the last round, we picked up two big injuries. It’s the deal we have to make I guess. But we tried to pick the best team available.” Nuno Espírito Santo by contrast fielded a callow forward line of Fábio Silva, Morgan Gibbs-White and Vitinha. When substitute Adama Traoré hit a shot for Fraser Forster to save late on, it was only Wolves’ second effort on target in 238 minutes of Molineux action as their last hope of glory this season slipped away.
They have failed to score in four of their last five matches but Nuno, who introduced Willian José, Pedro Neto and Traoré midway through the second half, stood by his decision.
“It’s not about regrets,” the Wolves head coach said. “It’s about making the decision to consider other options. Playing with four midfielders was clearly an attempt to play with more control. It’s my responsibility.
Everton’s reward for their thrilling 5-4 victory over Spurs is a FA Cup quarter-final tie against the Premier League leaders Manchester City.
City, six-times winners who last lifted the FA Cup in 2019, will travel to Goodison Park on the weekend of 20-21 March with Pep Guardiola’s side still hoping to complete the quadruple. As well as their FA Cup exploits, City are top of the league by five points, into the knockout stages of the Champions League and face Tottenham in the April’s Carabao Cup final.
Manchester United, who beat West Ham 1-0 in the fifth round, visit Leicester City, having drawn 2-2 in the Premier League in that fixture back in December. Leicester, four-times losing finalists, have never won the FA Cup.
Chelsea, victors over Barnsley last night, face Sheffield United, with the Blades aiming to use a cup run to reignite their league form. Chelsea were beaten finalists by Arsenal last year and only the Gunners (14) and Manchester United (12) have won the FA Cup on more occasions than the Blues.
Southampton, who beat Wolves last night, face a trip to neighbours Bournemouth.
Quarter-final draw in full
Everton v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Southampton
Leicester City v Manchester United
Chelsea v Sheffield United
Ties to be played the weekend of 20-21 March
“We have to compete better in every aspect. We have to be more aggressive.” Perhaps the tempo was set as the ink dried on the team sheets. Southampton were more on the front foot from the start and should have been further in charge of the tie before Ings got the benefit of both VAR and a rebound off goalkeeper John Ruddy early in the second half.
Armstrong had just sidefooted wide of a gaping goal from no more than five yards out, from Ryan Bertrand’s cross, when Ings scored his eighth goal of the season for Southampton.
For the umpteenth time Bertrand was again the provider, playing a neat pass through the inside-left channel. Ings showed good control as he ran through and although his first shot was well parried by Ruddy, the rebound hit the striker and rolled over the line, just as the flag went up for offside. But VAR correctly reversed the decision.
Wolves by contrast, making six changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Leicester on Sunday, constantly found themselves under pressure in the first half as nothing stuck up front.
When Nuno did make the attacking changes, the game was stretched and Wolves lacked cohesion. Nathan Redmond went clear only for Ruddy to save but the Wolves goalkeeper was at fault for Southampton’s second goal in the 89th minute when his attempted pass out invited substitute Nathan Tella to tee up Armstrong to guide a right-footed shot in off the far post.
VAR may have saved Wolves from conceding a third goal in injury time when a penalty decision for João Moutinho’s foul on Tella was belatedly deemed to be outside the box but it had already helped Southampton into the quarter-finals.
