Domestic Cups: Premiere League Pauses for English FA Cup; Carabou Cup Final Set

FA Cup

The Premier League schedule of league matches pauses this weekend as teams participate in The Football Association Challenge Cup, better known simply as the FA Cup.  The expansive FA Cup competition includes the Premier League, the three levels of the English Football League (Championship, League 1, and League 2) and “non-league” teams down to Level 10 of English football.  A series of byes sees the two largest leagues enter at the “Third Round Proper” of the competition as the twenty Premier League teams and twenty-four Championship teams join the twenty winners from the Cup’s second round in thirty-two matches scheduled across this coming weekend.  

Action begins Friday with two matches pairing Premier League competitors.  Aston Villa will face Liverpool for the first time since Villa’s 7-2 October shellacking of the Reds.  While Liverpool will have some squad rotation, Villa’s line-up for the match will be unrecognizable.  Due to a COVID outbreak within the first team, Aston Villa will be utilizing U-23 and academy players managed by U-23 boss Mark Delaney for its match. Crystal Palace faces Wolves in a second Friday encounter.  Saturday matches include a matchup of Premier League teams Arsenal and Newcastle.  

Other Premier League sides are matched this weekend against competition from the lower levels in English football.  The open nature of the competition, which includes clubs not fully professional, creates “David and Goliath” matches which are part of the fabric of the oldest national football competition in the world.  Perhaps the most talked about “David and Goliath” fixture this weekend features Tottenham Hotspur against Marine on Sunday.  While fans are banned due to COVID, the match will be played at the Merseyside home of Spurs’ lower division opponent which normally seats only 389 spectators with a full capacity of 3,185 fans.  A charitable foundation of football pundit and former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher is sponsoring the Marine squad’s warmup gear for Saturday’s match.  The FA Cup concludes in May with the eventual winner earning qualification to next season’s Europa League.  Arsenal defeated Chelsea in last year’s FA Cup final.

 

Carabou Cup

The matchup for the Carabou Cup Final is set following semifinal matches played this week. Spurs defeated Championship side Brentford 2-0 on goals by Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko.  Spurs will face Manchester City in the Final following the Citizens’ 2-0 defeat of crosstown rival Manchester United which featured goals from defensive midfielder Fernandinho and center back John Stones.  City will be seeking a fourth consecutive Carabou Cup title in the Final against Spurs where they will be facing the last manager other than Pep Guardiola to lift the Cup.  Current Spurs Manager Jose Mourinho won the competition with Manchester United in 2017.  Spurs won the Cup in 2008, the last trophy garnered by the north London club.  The Final, originally scheduled to take place in February, has been delayed until April in the hope that the COVID situation will be improved enough for fans, in some number, to attend the match.  This year’s winner will qualify for the inaugural Europa Conference League, a new third tier European competition added to the existing Champions League and Europa League competitions.  The Carabou Cup, also known as the EFL Cup or League Cup, is a sponsored competition amongst teams from the Premier League and the three divisions of the English Football League (Championship, League 1, and League 2).

Premier League and COVID

As the UK goes into another period of lockdown amid rising case numbers, all of English football is seeing increased COVID impact.  Aston Villa’s entire first team is sidelined for its FA Cup match.  Southampton will not be playing this weekend as its FA Cup match was canceled due to a COVID breakout suffered by its opponent, Shrewsbury. Four Premier League matches have been postponed so far this season due to COVID.  A season high forty positive cases was reported this week from the league’s latest round of testing.  The Premier League remains committed to carrying on, but further cancellations will be problematic to reschedule amid an already congested fixture list. Burnley manager Sean Dyche has gone so far as to lobby for fast tracked vaccination of Premier League players.

Match Week 17: Saints Be Praised; Devils Go Level; Spurs Bury Leeds; More Blues for Chelsea; Gunners Firing on All Cylinders

Top of the Table

Liverpool -Liverpool went scoreless for a second time in three matches, falling 1-0 to the Saints of Southampton.  The Reds have now dropped seven points in their last three matches, allowing Manchester United to come level on points with the Red Devils having a game in hand.  Liverpool failed to put a shot on target until the 75th minute in the loss, their latest in a league match in over five years.  Premier League goals leader Mohamed Salah had no shots on target.

Manchester United – A fifth successful penalty kick of the season by Bruno Fernandes secured a 2-1 win over Aston Villa for United’s eighth victory in a ten-match unbeaten stretch.  United’s successful run has drawn them level on points with suddenly vulnerable Liverpool.  Fernandes is third in the league for both goals and assists with eleven goals and seven assists, respectively.  Anthony Martial scored the opener in a third consecutive home win for the Red Devils. 

Leicester – Leicester won a fifth consecutive league match at St. James Park in defeating Newcastle 2-1.  Leicester’s seventh away win this season equals their prior season total.  Midfielders James Maddison and Youri Tielemans each scored their fourth league goal in the Foxes’ victory.  The win saw the Foxes maintain their hold on third in the table.

Tottenham Hotspur – Spurs registered their first win since early December in a 3-0 defeat of Leeds.  A goal by Son Heung-min was Son’s 100th goal in all competitions for the club.  The assist by Harry Kane on Son’s goal was his ninth this season to the Korean forward, tying a Premier League season record for assists to a single player.  Kane also scored to become the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to reach double digits in both goals and assists this season.

FULL-TIME: Spurs 3-0 Leeds

Goals from Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Toby Alderweireld get Spurs off to a winning start in 2021! 💪

Recap and reaction 👇

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 2, 2021

Manchester City – Manchester City won for a fifth time in a seven-match unbeaten run by decisively beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge 3-1. Only Manchester United has captured more points during that stretch. Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne each had a goal and an assist in a dominant first half for City.  De Bruyne played in a "false nine" role to successfully bolster the City attack as the Belgian scored his fourth career goal against his former team.

Southampton – Southampton scored for a first time in four games and made it stand up for a 1-0 victory over visiting Liverpool.  Danny Ings scored his fiftieth career Premier League goal.  The Saints deserve praise for beating Liverpool for a first time in almost five years while missing several of their core players to injury and COVID.  Southampton rises to sixth in the table, twelve places improved on their 2019/20 standing after seventeen matches.

Everton – Everton conceded only the second goal in its past five league matches as its four-match winning run ended in a 1-0 loss to West Ham. Striker Dominic Calvert Lewin went without a goal for a fifth consecutive match after scoring eleven in his first eleven matches of the season.  It was a third loss in the last five league matches at Goodison Park for the Toffees.

Aston Villa – Aston Villa’s 2-1 loss at Manchester United ended a five-match winning run and was only a second defeat this season away from Villa Park.  Jack Grealish’s assist on the goal by Bertrand Traore was the Villa captain’s seventh of the season, joint third highest in the league.  Despite a well-played game, Villa’s winless streak versus Manchester United was extended to sixteen matches with the Villans last win coming in 2009.   

Chelsea – Chelsea lost for a fourth time in six matches with a 3-1 home defeat to Manchester City. During that stretch Chelsea has toppled from third in the table to its current ninth position.  The Blues attack is struggling with just three goals in the past three matches as the temperature of Manager Frank Lampard’s seat becomes ever warmer.  A Callum Hudson-Odoi extra time goal avoided the clean sheet at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham – Tomas Soucek hammered home an 86th minute winner to give West Ham a 1-0 victory at Everton.  Manager David Moyes’ first win at Goodison Park since leaving Everton in 2013 also continued his unbeaten league record against current Everton Manager Carlo Ancelotti.  The victory ended a four-match winless streak for the tenth place Hammers who are one of three teams sitting on twenty-six points, just seven points behind the league leaders.

Mid Table

Arsenal – The Gunners fired four goals past West Brom in a 4-0 victory marking a third consecutive win and second consecutive clean sheet for Arsenal.  The streaking Gunners are now just three points off the top half of the table after the relegation talk of just a few weeks ago.  Alexandre Lacazette had a brace for Arsenal and has scored four goals during the Gunners’ three match winning run.

Leeds – Despite numerous opportunities against Spurs, Leeds failed to score in an away match for the first time this season in a 3-0 defeat in north London.  The Whites were also guilty of mistakes in defense and conceded a penalty leading to a Harry Kane goal.  The penalty was a league leading sixth committed by Leeds this season.

Wolves – Wolves squandered a two-goal half-time lead in escaping with a point in a 3-3 draw at Brighton.  The three goals represented Wolves highest tally of the season as they were assisted by a Brighton own goal and penalty in the first half.  Defender Romain Sais opened the Wolves scoring while Ruben Neves converted the penalty kick for his first goal this season.

Crystal Palace – Eberechi Eze sealed the 2-0 win over Sheffield United with a box to box run moments before the first half whistle.  Eze, in his first Premier League season, adds excitement to an Eagles line-up which rumors have once again claimed is in jeopardy of losing Wilfried Zaha to a bigger club.  Jeffrey Schlupp scored the opener in Palace’s first win in six matches.

Newcastle –  Andy Carroll’s first Newcastle goal in over a decade was not enough to prevent the Magpies from losing 2-1 to Leicester.  The loss was a third in a current five match winless run for Newcastle who remain eight points clear of relegation concerns.

Bottom of the Table

Burnley – Burnley’s match with Fulham was postponed due to COVID.

Brighton & Hove Albion – Brighton overcame a 3-1 deficit to draw 3-3 with Wolves, a fourth draw in the last five games for the Seagulls.  It was a tough day at the office for Brighton Defender Dan Burns who was involved in conceding all three first half goals for Wolves.  The Seagulls’ second half comeback included goals from Neal Maupay and Lewis Dunk.  

Fulham – Fulham’s match with Burnley was postponed due to COVID.

West Bromwich Albion –  A 4-0 loss to Arsenal made the Baggies the first Premier League team in over a decade to lose two consecutive home matches by at least four goals.  The leaky Baggies defense has conceded thirty-nine goals, six more than any other league team. 

Sheffield United - A threadbare roster was further depleted by COVID related absences in a 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace. Substitute Antoine Hackford became the twentieth sixteen-year-old to play in the Premier League as the Blades fell for a fifthteenth time in their seventeen matches.

Week 17 Preview: Devils and Villans; Showdown at the Bridge; Return of the Moyesiah; Bielsa’s Irresistible Force Faces Mourinho’s Immovable Object

Top of the Table 

Liverpool tries to improve on its less than stellar road performance when it travels to Southampton on Monday.  The Reds have won but two of eight away matches but the Saints have failed to win in their last four matches at home. Both Liverpool and Southampton have drawn their past two league matches.  

Manchester United will be tested at home versus Aston Villa in a match of two of the league’s hottest teams.  Villa has lost but one of seven away matches this season.  Streaking Manchester United have won three and drawn one of their past four home matches.  The Red Devils enjoy a current nine game home and away league unbeaten run, winning seven of those matches.  Aston Villa is looking to extend its own unbeaten run to six matches.  

Leicester travels to Newcastle hoping to recapture its winning form after dropping points in its past two matches.  Leicester have won their last four away matches at Newcastle.  

Everton will be looking for a fifth consecutive league victory when they host West Ham.  Everton has conceded only one goal in a four-match winning run.  The stingy Toffees lead the league with eight clean sheets.  

Manchester City will be without five players due to COVID when they face Chelsea in a key league battle at Stamford Bridge.  Chelsea will be hoping to have midfielder Hakim Ziyech back  for a first match since early December.  A Ziyech return could help kick start an attack which has sputtered during a current stretch where Chelsea has won but one of five league matches.  Manchester City has been relying on its defense this season.  The Citizens’ thirteen clean sheets in all competitions is more than any club in Europe’s top five leagues.  

Jose Mourinho’s tactical acumen will be challenged when his defensive minded and currently struggling Spurs side play host to Leeds.  While currently winless in their last four league matches, Spurs have been a strong home side in winning three of their last four at their north London home.  

Mid Table

West Ham attempts to end a four-game winless streak when they visit Everton.  While the Hammers have lost in six of their last eight league matches at Everton’s Goodison Park, a fourth away win of this campaign would match their total away wins for all last season.  West Ham manager David Moyes has defeated current Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti in their five previous Premier League confrontations.  Moyes will be facing the club he once managed for over five hundred matches.

David Moyes returns to Goodison, but Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping to keep the Toffees flying high...

🔵 Everton 🆚 West Ham ⚒

Today, 5pm | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/7XsxnJUAr8

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 1, 2021

 

Leeds takes its swarming attack to north London in a matchup between Marcelo Bielsa and Jose Mourinho, two renowned managers with polar opposite styles.  

Wolves will try to return to the top half of the table with a win at Brighton.  Wolves have struggled for goals in the absence of striker Raul Jimenez but have flashed some interesting young talent throughout the line-up in recent matches.  

Arsenal seeks to make it three wins in a row when it visits West Brom.  The Gunners are looking to build on their two recent victories which put an end to a seven-game winless streak which had included five losses.  

Newcastle were impressive at home in holding Liverpool goalless in their last match.  The Magpies get no chance sit on their laurels as next up is Leicester, a team which has defeated Newcastle in seven of their last nine matches.  

Crystal Place hopes to end a five-game winless streak when it hosts bottom dwelling Sheffield United.  The Palace attack is likely to face a stuck in Blades defense.  Wilfried Zaha has eight goals for the Eagles this season, twice last season’s total.

 

Bottom of the Table

Burnley and Fulham square off in a key relegation battle match.  Burnley are five points clear of Fulham as they seek a fourth win in six matches.  The Cottagers have also shown some improvement in earning a point in each of the last four matches.  

Brighton and Hove Albion will try to steer clear of the relegation zone when it looks for a first win in seven matches against Wolves.  A loss by Brighton combined with a Fulham victory at Burnley would put the Seagulls in the relegation zone.  

West Brom hopes for a first home win under Sam Allardyce when they play host to Arsenal.  The Baggies have lost their first two at home under Allardyce including an embarrassing 5-0 spanking by Leeds last week.  

Sheffield United will again try for their first win of the season when they visit Crystal Palace.