FA Cup 2016: Chelsea, Everton crush minnows’ dreams

Oscar’s hat-trick put Chelsea in command by halftime. (Source: Reuters)

Chelsea banished any fears of a repeat of last season’s shock FA Cup fourth-round exit to Bradford City when they crushed Championship (second-tier) side Milton Keynes Dons 5-1 to reach the fifth round on Sunday.

Everton comfortably won 3-0 at League Two Carlisle United in the early kickoff, with the fourth-tier club playing at home for only the second time after floods damaged their Brunton Park home in December.

A first half hat-trick by Brazilian Oscar put Chelsea in command by halftime at Milton Keynes thanks to a tap-in after 15 minutes and two superb strikes after 32 and 44 minutes. Chelsea dominated the game with 15 shots on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Eden Hazard, who had not scored for 30 matches, made it 4-1 from the penalty spot after 55 minutes before substitute Bertrand Traore, who had been on the pitch five minutes, scored his first goal for Chelsea to make it 5-1 in the 62nd.

MK Dons, who defended poorly in an entertaining match, got a brief glimmer of hope after 22 minutes when former Liverpool midfielder Darren Potter scored with a long-range shot that looped over Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois after taking a deflection off Nemanja Matic.

Chelsea are unbeaten in nine games under interim boss Guus Hiddink, who led the club to victory in the 2009 final during his first spell in charge.

“These games are always difficult. When you play Arsenal, Man U, Man City…, the concentration is automatically high but for these games you have to be well prepared mentally.”

Chelsea missed at least five clearcut chances in the first half, but MK Dons never looked like emulating the achievement of League One Bradford, who won 4-2 at Chelsea at this stage of the competition last year after trailing 2-0.

“I thought they were scary. They were on it, and they were unplayable,” said MK Dons manager Karl Robinson.

Carlisle’s hopes of an upset were doused within two minutes of kickoff as Arouna Kone tapped home the simplest of goals after Aaron Lennon swept down the right and sent in a low cross.

When the rampant Lennon cut past a static defender to fire in a second goal after 14 minutes, a long afternoon looked in store for Carlisle but they held out until a brilliant 65th minute Ross Barkley strike from the edge of the area made it 3-0.

Police afterwards said they were investigating allegations of racist chanting from a section of the home fans following Everton’s first goal scored by Ivory Coast forward Kone.

Barcelona reach Copa del Rey semi-finals; Atletico Madrid crash out

Gerarad Pique scored in the 81st minute for Barcelona. (Source: Reuters)

Holders Barcelona produced a second-half blitz to come from behind and beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 to book a place in the King’s Cup semi-finals after Atletico Madrid crashed out in a shock 3-2 defeat by Celta Vigo.

Inaki Williams put Bilbao ahead after 12 minutes against a lacklustre Barca who held a 2-1 lead from the first leg.

The Catalan side woke up in the second half with in-form Luis Suarez knocking in the equaliser. A Gerard Pique header after 81 minutes put Barca ahead and Neymar cracked in a drive in stoppage time.

“We went out with a good advantage but then conceding made it complicated for us,” Suarez told reporters.

“It was a poor first half from us but then we went out (for the second half) with a different attitude and that made the difference.”

Pablo Hernandez scored twice for Celta to stun Atletico who lie second in La Liga.

The first leg had finished 0-0 but the return was a feast of attacking football in which Celta showed the greater cutting edge.

Hernandez nodded home after 22 minutes and although Antoine Griezmann pounced on a rebound to equalise, John Guidetti struck to restore the visitors’ advantage after 56 minutes.

Celta extended their lead through another Hernandez header and Atletico could only pull one goal back through substitute Angel Correa nine minutes from time.

Barcelona were missing Arda Turan while Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta were also only fit enough for the bench, so coach Luis Enrique started with Javier Mascherano and Sergio Roberto in midfield.

The home side were unsettled by Bilbao’s pressing and Williams latched on to a defence-splitting pass from Aritz Aduriz to put them ahead with a clinical finish.

Barca were far from their best but they clicked into gear after the break with Suarez getting his 30th goal of the season from close range having been found by Lionel Messi.

Barca went close to scoring again through Neymar and Pique before the latter headed home a Dani Alves cross and a minute into stoppage time Neymar found the top corner with a left-foot strike from the edge of the area.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone again left striker Jackson Martinez on the bench with Luciano Vietto partnering Griezmann in attack.

Both sides went into the game struggling for goals with Atletico’s 0-0 draw against Sevilla on Sunday costing them the lead in La Liga.

Atletico’s Koke struck an early shot just wide before Celta took a surprise lead with Hernandez given space to head in a Fabian Orellana cross.

Griezmann slotted home after a Yannick Carrasco shot was parried into his path by Blanco but Celta took charge in the second half.

Guidetti powered home a 25-metre drive and Correa struck the crossbar at the other end before Hernandez got his second with a header from Hugo Mallo’s cross.

Correa finished clinically after a fine run but Celta held out to reach the semi-final of the cup for the first time in 15 years.

Liverpool edge past Norwich in nine-goal thriller

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Liverpool celebrate a goal against Norwich in their English Premier League contest on Saturday. (Source: Reuters)

Adam Lallana’s strike deep into stoppage time gave Liverpool a 5-4 win over Norwich City in an extraordinary Premier League game at Carrow Road on Saturday.

Liverpool had fought back from 3-1 down to lead 4-3 after 90 minutes but central defender Sebastien Bassong’s fierce drive looked to have earned struggling Norwich a point before Lallana bundled the ball into the net with seconds remaining.

The visitors took the lead after 19 minutes when Roberto Firmino’s scuffed strike found the corner of the net but Dieumerci Mbokani equalised with an audacious back-heel after Liverpool failed to deal with a corner on the half-hour.

Steven Naismith, making his Norwich debut, beat Simon Mignolet with a fierce shot from a narrow angle before halftime and Wes Hoolahan converted a penalty to give the hosts a two-goal cushion.

The unmarked Jordan Henderson then pulled one back for Liverpool with a low shot and Firmino’s deft finish from Lallana’s cross levelled the scores before James Milner slotted in following a dreadful back pass from Russell Martin.

Jurgen Klopp says-sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest ever

Sir Alex Ferguson led Manchester United to a record 20th Premier League title before calling time on his career. (Source: Reuters)

Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp described former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson as the “John Lennon of football” ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting between the arch-rivals.

Klopp’s comments on the man who retired having fulfilled his long-standing ambition of knocking Liverpool “off their perch” will raise eyebrows on Merseyside, especially after he compared the Scotsman to the city’s most famous son.

Ferguson led United to a record 20th Premier League title before calling time on his career, eclipsing the 18 won by Liverpool, a club with whom the United manager always had a stormy relationship.

“Maybe Sir Alex Ferguson is the greatest ever,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “I had really good moments with Sir Alex. It was an honour to talk with him,” Klopp added.

Ferguson, a master at playing mind games with rival managers, has gone on record to express his admiration for the German, who was less effusive in his praise for United’s current manager Louis van Gaal.

“I don’t know Louis too well but we have had a few intensive games. We both want to be successful,” the German said.

“We are different characters. He is more experienced. Maybe I’m more lively on the touchline than him, but sometimes that is not always good.”

Defender Mamadou Sakho, captain Jordan Henderson and winger Jordon Ibe came through Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Arsenal on Wednesday unscathed after recent injuries and are available to face United.

Wayne Rooney calls conceding late goal silly, avoidable

Wayne Rooney stands dejected after missing a chance to score Newcastle United. (Source: AP)

Wayne Rooney was in no mood to celebrate moving closer to a goal-scoring milestone with a double blast in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle United on Tuesday, the striker instead admitting he was frustrated his side had failed to secure the win.

“After going 2-0 up we were in control of the game and then we let them back into it,” Rooney told Manchester United TV after he moved to within eight goals of Bobby Charlton’s all-time record tally for the club.

“To then get our third goal and concede again was disappointing from us,” he added of Paul Dummett’s last minute equaliser for the home team in the Premier League encounter.

“I think they were silly goals to concede on our behalf and they were avoidable. They have cost us two points so we’re disappointed… you can score as many goals as you want but if you keep conceding goals then it’s a problem.”

Rooney has responded well to criticism of his below-par performances earlier this season and was back to his best at relegation-threatened Newcastle, also laying on United’s second goal for Jesse Lingard with some clever approach play.

As well as the assist, Rooney scored with a penalty and a venomous long-range effort to take his tally to 241 goals in 505 appearances for the club, eight adrift of Charlton, who netted 249 times in 758 matches.

Manager Louis van Gaal has consistently defended his captain and was clearly irked by a question about the 30-year-old striker during a post-match news conference.

“We don’t speak any more about Wayne Rooney, you have criticised him, I didn’t,” said a stony-faced Van Gaal as he got up from his chair and brought proceedings to an abrupt end.

The England captain became the second highest Premier League goal-scorer of all-time when he was on target against Swansea City earlier this month and is now 70 goals behind Alan Shearer’s record haul of 260.

Then he ended a run of 553 minutes without a goal for his club by deftly flicking in a cross to secure a 2-1 triumph against Swansea that halted a sequence of six league games without a victory for Van Gaal’s side.

The United striker also became England’s record scorer when he grabbed his 50th international goal in a 2-0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Switzerland in September. He scored his 51st in a friendly against France in November.

Neymar to appear in Spain court over Barcelona transfer fraud case

Barcelona forward Neymar has been ordered to appear in a Spanish court next month as one of the defendants in a fraud case brought by Brazilian investment fund DIS.

The firm alleges it was the victim when Barca signed the player, third in the latest world football



player of the year poll, from Brazilian club Santos.

A judge in Madrid, acting on a request from the state prosecutor, ordered Neymar, his parents, former Barca president Sandro Rosell, incumbent Josep Maria Bartomeu and two former Santos officials to present themselves on Feb. 1 and 2.

Javier Faus, a former Barca vice president, was called to appear as a witness.

“The judge … believes that the prosecutor’s requests are ‘relevant, necessary and balanced’ for them to require an examination of the facts,” the court said in a statement on Wednesday.

Neither Barcelona, Neymar or any of the other defendants could immediately be reached for comment.

The club has said it acted “fully within the law” and rejected the accusations contained in the DIS suit.

The fund, which owned 40 percent of Neymar’s rights when he was at Santos, alleges it was paid far less than it was entitled to when the player agreed to join the Spanish and European champions in 2013.

The complaint was the latest twist to a saga that has also led to Barca, Rosell and Bartomeu facing trial for tax fraud.

Bartomeu was a vice president under Rosell when Neymar was signed in a complex deal involving multiple contracts.

Bartomeu, Rosell, who resigned over the allegations, and the club have been accused of defrauding the tax office of some 13 million euros ($14.1 million). All three have denied any wrongdoing.

Prosecutors have asked for a prison sentence of two years and three months for Bartomeu and 7-1/2 years for Rosell, plus fines and payments of outstanding taxes totalling more than 60 million euros.

The tax probe was launched after a club member questioned the figures given for the Neymar deal. Barca initially said they paid 57.1 million euros but later admitted the cost was nearer 100 million.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/neymar-to-appear-in-spain-court-over-barcelona-transfer-fraud-case/#sthash.7pwpqPpI.dpuf

Joel Campbell’s attitude proves Arsenal were right to keep him: Arsene Wenger

Joel Campbell wanted to leave Arsenal at the end of last season. (Source: Reuters)

Arsene Wenger has praised winger Joel Campbell’s attitude after his goal in Saturday’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Sunderland offered further proof that Arsenal made the right decision to keep the Costa Rica international at the club.

Campbell wanted to leave at the end of last season after making just four Premier League appearances off the bench before he was shipped out on loan to Spanish side Villarreal.o

“I flat-refused to let him go because I saw something in him that gives you belief, because of his attitude,” Wenger told the club’s website.

“You want to be surprised by the quality of your players and where he surprises you is in the intensity of his teamwork.”

The 23-year-old, who had three spells out on loan before he made his Arsenal debut, has already made six league starts this season, scoring twice.

Wenger said he was convinced Campbell deserved more playing time after his impressive performance in the 3-0 Champions League win over Olympiakos Piraeus in Greece last month.

“After Olympiakos, in a game where we were like that, knife on the throat, he turned up with something special… Then I thought ‘he can play under pressure as well, what is important for us’,” the Frenchman said.

Arsenal had to beat Olympiakos by two clear goals to reach the knockout stages for the 16th time in a row.

The emergence of Campbell on the wing might see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being pushed into a central role and Wenger was confident the England international has all the attributes to succeed in the middle of the pitch.

“He has the attributes to play in central midfield, he has that important quality — little surge to get out of pressure,” Wenger said.

“One of the things to get out of pressure is to have a little dribble to get away from the guy who closes you down and nobody has that more than Oxlade-Chamberlain.”

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Home SportsFootball ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Romelu Lukaku very much ready to play against Manchester City: Everton manger

Romelu Lukaku missed Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup win over fourth tier side Dagenham and Redbridge with minor ankle problem.

Romelu Lukaku sustained an injury after scoring for Everton in their FA Cup match against Manchester City. (Source: Reuters)

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku will be fit for Wednesday’s Premier League clash against third-placed Manchester City, manager Roberto Martinez said on Tuesday.

Lukaku, who netted the winner in the 2-1 win over City in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final last week, missed Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup win over fourth tier side Dagenham and Redbridge with minor ankle problem.

The Belgium international has been pivotal to Everton this campaign, having scored 15 goals from 20 league starts, the joint-highest in the league along with Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy.

“He trained well and is very much ready to play tomorrow,” Martinez told reporters on Tuesday.

Martinez remained coy over the future of Steven Naismith, after he admitted last month that the striker could leave the team in search of first-team playing time.

The Scotland international has found it difficult to break into the first team, having made just four Premier League starts, and faces stiff competition from in-form Lukaku.

“There’s going to be a lot of rumours and speculation but I just want him fully fit for the squad. He has an ankle niggle. If anything happens before the window closes, we will be the first to announce it,” Martinez said.

Everton are 11th in the table with 27 points after 20 games.

Lionel Messi wins FIFA Ballon d’Or for fifth time

FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi of Argentina (C) holds the World Player of the Year award next to FIFA’s acting President Issa Hayatou (L) and former palyer Kaka during the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 ceremony in Zurich. (Source: Reuters)

Lionel Messi reclaimed the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for the world player of the year on Monday from his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo who had walked off with the award for the previous two years.

The Barcelona and Argentina forward took 41.33 percent of the votes followed by the Portuguese and Real Madrid forward (27.76 percent), with Brazil and Barcelona forward Neymar third (7.86 per cent).

“It is a very special moment for me to be back here on this stage, winning again another Ballon d’Or after being there in the audience watching Cristiano win,” said Messi as he accepted the award at the end of a drawn-out 90-minute ceremony.

“It’s incredible this is my fifth.”

Barcelona’s Luis Enrique was voted coach of the year while United States World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, who scored a hat-trick in the final against Japan, was named women’s player of the year.

Initially started as the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1991, it became known as the Ballon d’Or after merging with France Football’s European footballer of the year award in 2010.

The award, shared exclusively between Messi and Real Madrid’s Ronaldo since Brazilian Kaka won in 2007, has been heavily promoted by FIFA and was broadcast to 190 countries with 1,100 guests including players and coaches attending the ceremony.

But it is not everyone’s cup of tea and some critics, such as Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, say it is not appropriate in a team sport.

“I’m a big enemy of the Ballon d’Or. Who will win it? You know as well as I do that it’s certainly Messi who will win it.

I think so. Overall I’m not a big fan of that,” the Frenchman said earlier on Monday.

The breakdown presented by FIFA also revealed tactical voting among the 165 national team coaches, 162 national team captains and 171 media representatives who cast votes.

Messi, eligible to vote as Argentina captain, named Barcelona team mates Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta as his top three.

Portugal captain Ronaldo choose three Real Madrid team mates — Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.

Belgium captain Vincent Kompany opted for his compatriots Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne as his top two.

More surprisingly, Spain captain Iker Casillas — the former Real Madrid goalkeeper who now plays for Portuguese club Porto — was among those who did not vote.

Despite a red carpet and plenty of glitz, the event had a low-key air of predictability about it and was held against the backdrop of FIFA going through the worst corruption crisis since it was founded in 1904.

The sport is facing criminal investigations in both Switzerland and the United States, where some leading FIFA officials are among 41 individuals and sports entities who have been indicted on corruption charges.

Outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter, normally a central figure in the ceremony, was not involved after being banned for eight years by the Ethics Committee in December and there was no President’s Award, usually given out by Blatter for outstanding services to the game.

Past recipients have included Pele, former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, the Haiti national team, Queen Rania of Jordan and South African anti-apartheid activist and veteran cleric, Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Acting president Issa Hayatou played a low-key role, reading a brief speech before the start and appearing on stage when the awards for best player and women’s player were presented.

Ronaldo said the players did not want to discuss FIFA’s problems.

“We avoid answering this kind of question,” he told a press conference before the ceremony.

“We are professional football players, we compete every week, every day, we train and we just focus on that. These things happen not just in football but in life, and the best thing would be no corruption anywhere.”

In terms of individual achievement, Ronaldo had slightly the better in the last year, scoring 54 goals in 52 games for Real Madrid, compared to Messi’s 48 in 53.

Arsene Wenger extols heavy schedule for helping Arsenal rhythm

Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger during their FA Cup match against Sunderland. (Source: Reuters)

Manager Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s heavy schedule has helped the side maintain a rich vein of form that continued with a 3-1 victory over Sunderland in an FA Cup third round tie on Saturday.

The packed fixture list in England over the Christmas and New Year period has come under fire from several Premier League managers, including Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp and Sunderland’s Sam Allardyce, but Wenger holds a different view.

After winning seven of their last eight games in all competitions, the Frenchman said the hectic schedule had given the league leaders a perfect platform to build on in the second half of the campaign.

“You have a rhythm (when you have a lot of games). You try to check who needs a breather and who needs a rest and you do it,” Wenger told the club’s website (www.arsenal.com).

“It is easier to keep the squad focused and motivated when you have many games. It has both a positive and negative impact.”

Wenger also suggested he could rotate his squad for the midweek Premier League trip to Liverpool and again for Stoke City on Sunday.

“When you are on a roll and have no injuries, everyone is in the same direction and it is easier to keep everyone on board. Everyone in the next competition thinks they have to play, and that is a positive,” Wenger said.

“There is fatigue and injuries at the end of the season but you can’t say we are not a big club and that we can’t go for the big competitions, that is important.”

Gareth Bale gives Zinedine Zidane flying start at Real Madrid

Gareth Bale fired three goals in Real Madrid’s 5-0 win. (Source: Reuters)

Zinedine Zidane got off to a flying start as Real Madrid coach when Gareth Bale hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday after a Lionel Messi treble had fired Barcelona to the top of La Liga.

Zidane, a former Real and France midfielder who took over from the sacked Rafa Benitez on Monday, was given a hero’s welcome by his adoring fans at the Bernabeu and the team responded with a dominant performance, with Karim Benzema scoring twice, against ninth-placed Deportivo.

A sparkling Messi had earlier inspired Barca to a 4-0 success at home to struggling Granada that lifted the Spanish and European champions above Atletico Madrid into top spot at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Barca, who have a game in hand over their main rivals, lead on 42 points, with Atletico a point behind in second ahead of their game at fifth-placed Celta Vigo (31 points) on Sunday.

Real have 40 points in third spot, four ahead of fourth-placed Villarreal (36) who host Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

Sevilla (29) moved up to sixth after French forward Kevin Gameiro’s double secured a 2-0 victory against seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao (28) at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Sevilla’s stuttering local rivals Real Betis fell 1-0 at Getafe, piling pressure on under-fire coach Pepe Mel.

The Real faithful gave Zidane a rousing reception before kickoff, in marked contrast to their recent treatment of the unpopular Benitez, who was abruptly discarded after less than half a season in charge.

Zidane had in-form compatriot Benzema to thank for opening the scoring in the 15th minute when he cleverly backheeled a Sergio Ramos effort past Deportivo goalkeeper German Lux.

Bale, who scored four goals against Rayo Vallecano last month, made it 2-0 seven minutes later when he headed in a Dani Carvajal centre and the Wales winger crossed for Cristiano Ronaldo to nod against a post six minutes before halftime.

Ronaldo turned provider four minutes into the second half and Bale clipped the Portugal forward’s low cross firmly past Lux to make it 3-0.

The world’s most expensive player completed his hat-trick, his third for Real, in the 63rd minute when he powered another header into the net from a Toni Kroos corner.

Bale is the first player in La Liga to score two trebles this season and the fans gave him a huge send-off when he was replaced by James Rodriguez with around 15 minutes left.

Ronaldo squandered a host of chances before Benzema crashed home a shot in added time.

“Amazing return to the Bernabeu following the New Year,” Bale posted on his Twitter feed along with a picture of him with Zidane.

GOLDEN BALL

Earlier at the Nou Camp, Turkey playmaker Arda Turan, making his La Liga debut for Barca, set captain Messi up to score the opening goal from close range in the eighth minute.

The Argentina forward, who missed two months at the end of last year with a knee injury, made it 2-0 six minutes later from a clever Luis Suarez assist and a dominant Barca wasted several chances before halftime.

Messi, favourite to win a fifth FIFA Ballon d’Or award on Monday, completed his 25th La Liga treble in the 58th minute after Neymar’s shot came back off a post, ending his longest hat-trick drought in six years.

Neymar added a fourth goal seven minutes from time when Messi, who was in an offside position, let the ball run through to the Brazilian and he lifted it over Granada goalkeeper Andres Fernandez into the roof of the net.

With Granada hovering just above the relegation zone, Barca coach Luis Enrique rested first-choice midfielders Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, centre back Javier Mascherano and full back Dani Alves and said he would continue to rotate in the coming weeks.

“I make some changes now when I can and I have the chance to share out the burden,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.

“The key will be to get to the matches in a couple of months feeling fresh and that’s why I have to ration (playing time),” added the former Barca and Spain midfielder.

Wayne Rooney saves Manchester United the blushes; Arsenal begin FA Cup defence with win

Wayne Rooney celebrates after converting his penalty. (Source: Reuters)

It was not a day for FA Cup romantics as Manchester United scrambled past Sheffield United and minor league Eastleigh came within a whisker of causing the third round’s only genuine shock on Saturday.

Old Trafford fans endured more than 90 minutes of insipid stalemate before Wayne Rooney’s stoppage-time penalty gave 11-times winners Manchester United a 1-0 win against a third-tier side 48 places below them in the football pyramid.

None of the 25 matches played on Saturday will enter the folklore of the historic competition but tiny Eastleigh did their best against four-times winners Bolton Wanderers, a club steeped in FA Cup tradition.

On a gluepot of a pitch at their 5,000-capacity Ten Acres ground, the part-timers who are nicknamed the Spitfires after the World War II plane that first flew from the local airfield, led through Dorian Dervite’s own goal.
However, they had their wings clipped when debt-ridden second tier strugglers Bolton levelled three minutes from time.

Holders Arsenal, bidding to become the first club to win the trophy three times in succession since Blackburn Rovers in the 19th century, came from a goal down to beat Sunderland 3-1.

Manchester City and Everton advanced, Manuel Pellegrini’s men winning 3-0 at Norwich City in one of four all top-flight clashes while Roberto Martinez’s team ended the hopes of fourth-tier Dagenham and Redbridge with a 2-0 victory at Goodison Park.

Wycombe Wanderers will be in the hat for the fourth round, along with fourth-tier rivals Exeter City, after a 1-1 draw at home to the Premier League’s bottom club Aston Villa who have now gone 16 matches without a win.
Exeter held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw on Friday.

Watford beat Premier League rivals Newcastle United 1-0, Crystal Palace overcame Southampton 2-1 and West Ham United edged past second tier Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at Upton Park.

BOGGY PITCH

Manchester United enjoyed 71 percent of the ball against Sheffield United but managed only two shots on target as they ran out of ideas against hard-working opposition.

Rooney finally broke the deadlock, clinically converting his spot kick after Memphis Depay tumbled theatrically in the area.

“Everybody should give applause to Sheffield United. They were very organised but it is much more difficult to attack than to defend,” said Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal.

Staff at Eastleigh, who play in the fifth-tier National League, worked overtime to make their boggy pitch playable.
Their efforts looked like being rewarded as the hosts took the lead after 51 minutes when Dervite nudged a low cross into his own goal.

With Eastleigh fans counting down the remaining minutes, Bolton’s Darren Pratley levelled to deny the minor leaguers a place in the fourth round for the first time in their 70-year history.

“We deserved to win,” Eastleigh manager Chris Todd said. “We’re the National League team, they are the Championship side, three divisions above us, but I heard shouts from their bench saying ‘get it in the corner’.”

Bolton are bottom of the Championship with crippling debts although their late escape showed they still have a “beating heart”, according to manager Neil Lennon.

Premier League leaders Arsenal notched a 13th consecutive FA Cup win with goals from Joel Campbell, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud after Jeremain Lens put Sunderland ahead.

Sergio Aguero scored a superb individual goal and set one up for Kelechi Iheanacho as Manchester City eased past Norwich.

Arouna Kone and Kevin Mirallas earned Everton victory over Dagenham who are 79 places lower.

No Premier League clubs suffered defeats by lower league opponents but West Bromwich Albion needed James Morrison’s late goal to steal a 2-2 draw at home to Bristol City.

On Sunday, Leicester City visit Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea host Scunthorpe United and Swansea City hope to avoid embarrassment at fourth tier Oxford United.

FA Cup Fixtures and Results

Sat 9th January

• FACWycombe11A VillaFT
• FACArsenal31S'land
• FACEverton20Dag + Red
• FACLeeds20Rotherham
• FACNorwich03Man CityFT
• FACSo'ton12C Palace
• FACWatford10Newcastle
• FACW Brom12Bristol C
• FACWest Ham10Wolves
• LIGABarcelona40GranadaFT
• FACMan Utd17:30Sheff Utd
• LIGAR Madrid19:30DeportivoSS1