Man Utd v Arsenal 02/16/2008

Manchester United 4-0 Arsenal

Wayne Rooney delivered a virtuoso solo display as Manchester United outclassed Arsenal in the FA Cup fifth round.

First Half Highlights




Rooney headed United in front from close range after 16 minutes and Darren Fletcher provided another headed finish from Nani's cross four minutes later.

Second half highlights




Michael Carrick set up Nani for a third as United turned on the style.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue was sent off after 48 minutes for a foul on Patrice Evra before Nani was the creator again as Fletcher headed United's fourth.

Saturday's Other Matches Highlights




England coach Fabio Capello was in attendance at Old Trafford and showed his appreciation for Rooney's brilliance by applauding his England striker when he was substituted with 20 minutes left.

United left Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs out of their line-up, while Arsenal kept Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini on the bench - and the Gunners suffered most from the changes.

Rooney returned from suspension after missing the defeat to Manchester City - and made up for lost time by destroying Arsenal with a blistering first-half display.

He was on the mark after 16 minutes when a Nani corner was only half-cleared, and when Anderson headed the ball back into the danger area Rooney was perfectly placed to divert a close-range finish past Jens Lehmann.

Fletcher deservedly doubled the lead four minutes later when Nani opened up Arsenal on the left flank and crossed for the Scot to head in at the near post.

Rooney continued to terrorise the Arsenal defence and could have added to his goals tally before United made it three seven minutes before the interval.

Carrick split the Arsenal defence wide open, leaving Nani to control and calmly shoot past Lehmann.

Rooney had already tested Lehmann again before Arsenal's misery increased after 48 minutes when Eboue was rightly sent off for a raised boot in a tackle on Evra.

The Arsenal defender seemed reluctant to leave the pitch after referee Alan Wiley brandished the read card, but he had no excuses because it was an horrendous challenge.

Rooney was in almost unstoppable form, tearing the Arsenal defence apart almost at will, shooting wide after beating Kolo Toure and then bringing a fine save from Lehmann - all in the space of seconds.

And with 16 minutes left, United got the fourth goal their dazzling football deserved when Nani floated up a perfect far post cross for Fletcher to head in at the far post.

Arsenal, who have enjoyed taunting outclassed teams in the past, were not enjoying getting a taste of their own medicine and William Gallas was lucky to escape punishment for an ill-disciplined kick at Nani.

Substitute Louis Saha almost added a fifth with two minutes left but keeper Lehmann - who had been blameless in the defeat - saved well again.
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Team News

Manchester United have Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra back after suspension.

Striker Louis Saha is available after a knee injury after but right-back Gary Neville and left-back Mikael Silvestre remain sidelined.

Arsenal defenders Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue are available after their Africa Cup of Nations stint.

But Theo Walcott (thigh), Gael Clichy (hamstring) and Bacary Sagna (personal reasons) are set to miss out, while Philippe Senderos (knee) is a doubt.

Team From

Man Utd

Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Brown, O'Shea, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Nani, Park, Scholes, Ronaldo, Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves, Giggs, Tevez, Rooney, Saha, Welbeck.

Arsenal

Lehmann, Fabianski, Senderos, Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Adebayor, Eduardo, Bendtner, Traore, Song, J Hoyte, Gilberto, Gilbert, Randall, G Hoyte, Lansbury.


About the Match

The outstanding tie of the fifth round is Sir Alex Ferguson's 100th as manager of Manchester United.

The top two in the Premier League are also the most successful clubs in FA Cup history; United and Arsenal have won the world's oldest football knockout competition 21 times between them and have appeared in a combined 35 finals.

This is the 35th time Ferguson will have come up against his opposite number Arsene Wenger. Of the 34 previous encounters United have won 11, Arsenal 13. Eight of the 10 other games finished level and two were decided on penalty shoot-outs; United won the 2003 Community Shield, and Arsenal the 2005 FA Cup final.

Head to Head Details

All competitions

Arsenal are unbeaten in three matches against United (won two and drawn one in the Premier League) and have not lost to the Red Devils since a 2-0 league reverse at Old Trafford on 9 April 2006.

This season's one Premier League meeting at the Emirates Stadium resulted in a 2-2 draw on 3 November 2007. William Gallas put through his own goal to give United the lead, Fabregas equalised soon after half-time, Ronaldo put United back in front with eight minutes remaining and Gallas atoned for his earlier error by securing a point in stoppage time.

FA Cup

These clubs have been paired with one another 11 times and met on 12 occasions (one replay). They fought out a goalless draw after extra time in the most recent, the 2005 final at the Millennium Stadium. The Gunners won 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, to tip the balance in their favour in the FA Cup head to head count.

But the most memorable clash between the pair in recent years was the 1999 semi-final, which United won 2-1 in a replay at Villa Park, courtesy of Ryan Giggs' spectacular solo 109th minute goal, and his subsequent shirt-swinging celebration.

Chelsea Vs Huddersfield 02/16/2008

Chelsea 3-1 Huddersfield

Frank Lampard scored twice and set up a goal for Salomon Kalou as Chelsea eased into the FA Cup quarter-finals.

First half Highlights




Scott Sinclair had a shot cleared off the line before Lampard's low drive put Chelsea ahead on 18 minutes.

Second half Highlights




Huddersfield hit back and Nathan Clarke had a header cleared off the line, before Michael Collins stroked home from 12 yards to equalise.

Saturday's Highlights





But after the break Lampard tucked in a rebound from his own shot and Kalou slipped in a low effort to make it 3-1.

Chelsea had made wholesale changes, with only Lampard remaining from the team that played Liverpool last time out.

It could have made the home side a bit disjointed, but their task of finding some rhythm was helped by Huddersfield's inability to settle early on.

The League One side were understandably hesitant in the early stages, as a physically imposing Chelsea side - which included fit-again captain John Terry for the first time since 16 December - began to dictate the play.

Chelsea turned up the pressure and Sinclair had an effort cleared off the line by Robbie Williams.

And then Sinclair played a pass inside for Lampard to stroke home a precise low shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box for his 100th Chelsea goal.

A predictable pattern ensued as Huddersfield struggled to resist Chelsea's attacks.

But then, as if they sensed they really had nothing to lose, Huddersfield began to come out of their shell.

And it took Terry to prevent an equaliser when he hacked Clarke's header off the line.

However, there was nothing Chelsea could do to prevent the equaliser on 45 minutes when Collins superbly brought down James Berrett's pass and slipped a low shot beyond Carlo Cudicini.

After the break, Chelsea quickly raised the tempo but Huddersfield kept their shape and discipline and were able to hold their own for a while.

But eventually Chelsea's power told as Matthew Glennon failed to hold Lampard's shot and the midfielder reacted fastest to tap in the rebound.

It seemed to knock the stuffing out of Huddersfield, and the offside flag prevented them conceding more goals as two Chelsea efforts were ruled out.

Inevitably, Chelsea did score again and it was a fine Lampard pass that created the opportunity and a smart touch and confident finish from Kalou that rounded off the move.
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Team News

Chelsea captain and centre-back John Terry is back from the foot injury he suffered in the Premier League defeat to Arsenal on 16 December.

Striker Andriy Shevchenko (back) is a doubt and Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are back for Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Huddersfield captain Jon Worthington (hamstring) is rated 50/50 to play and will have a late fitness test.

Striker Luke Beckett (back) is also a doubt and Andy Booth may replace him.

Team From

Chelsea

Cudicini, Cech, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Terry, Carvalho, Ben-Haim, Alex, A Cole, Bridge, Essien, Lampard, Sidwell, Mikel, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Pizarro, Anelka, Drogba, Kalou, J Cole, Sinclair.

About the Match

Chelsea against Huddersfield is one of two "Big Four" against lower division ties in the fifth round.

The holders are still fighting for honours on all four fronts, while the Yorkshire League One club are looking to claim a second Premier League scalp in this current cup run.

Huddersfield are the lowest ranked club remaining in this season's FA Cup.

The League ladder

Chelsea are 56 places higher than Huddersfield in the league standings.

Head to Head Details

All competitions

Huddersfield have won only one of their last 12 league and cup matches against Chelsea; a Kenny Irons goal settled the third round Worthington Cup tie at Stamford Bridge on 13 October 1999.

FA Cup

This is the second time in three seasons the pair have been drawn together. Chelsea needed a late goal by Eidur Gudjohnsen on 7 January 2006 to secure a 2-1 home win to knock out the Terriers for the third time in a third round tie since 1967.

Liverpool v Barnsley 02/16/2008

Liverpool 1-2 Barnsley

Barnsley sent Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup thanks to Brian Howard's dramatic injury-time winner at Anfield.



Ryan Babel set up Dirk Kuyt to put the Reds ahead and only some super saves by Luke Steele kept Barnsley in the game.

Saturday's Highlights




The Tykes levelled when Stephen Foster headed home Martin Devaney's cross and although Liverpool poured forward they could not find a way past Steele.

Harry Kewell hit the bar for the home side before Howard's low shot into the bottom corner won it for Barnsley.

Liverpool had already been held by Luton Town of League One in the Cup this season and also had to come from behind twice against non-league Havant & Waterlooville in the previous round

But the way Rafa Benitez's men started this game did not suggest they would suffer any sort of shock result against Simon Davey's side, who are in the bottom half of the Championship.

The home side had all the early possession and Peter Crouch forced an early save out of Steele after Yossi Benayoun had teed him up in the area.

Steele, only signed on an emergency loan from West Brom on Valentine's Day because Barnsley's other keepers were injured or ineligible, was fast becoming a thorn in Liverpool's side on his debut.

He made two more stops in quick succession, saving acrobatically from Xabi Alonso and collecting Babel's low shot.

The former Manchester United goalkeeper was finally beaten on 32 minutes when Babel pulled the ball back for Kuyt, who took a touch before burying his shot into the back of the net.

Steele also did brilliantly to keep out a Crouch header on the stroke of half-time and Barnsley capitalised when they equalised out of nowhere after the interval.

Devaney produced the cross of his life from out wide on the right and Foster rose highest to nod the ball past the flailing figure of Charles Itandje, who could only help it into the net.

The Barnsley defence was soon back under pressure with Bobby Hassell and Foster clearing a Benayoun shot off the line before Howard's block kept out Crouch's follow-up.

And Liverpool threw everything at the visitors, forcing Steele into another stop from Benayoun before he tipped a Lucas header on to the bar.

There was drama at the other end too when Itandje somehow escaped without penalty after colliding with Kayode Odejayi as he chased down a long ball on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.

But Liverpool were still looking like the only winners and the visitors were defending desperately when Kewell saw his rasping shot come back off the bar late on.

There was still time for one last Barnsley attack, however, and Howard made it count as he collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired into the bottom corner to clinch a famous victory.
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Team News

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel (calf) is out and Sami Hyypia may play, while Fabio Aurelio and Alvaro Arbeloa are available after injury.

Fernando Torres (hamstring) is fit but is set to be rested ahead of the Champions League tie at Inter Milan.

Barnsley's emergency goalkeeper signing Luke Steele will go straight into the side to replace the injured Heinz Muller and ineligible Tony Warner.

Lewin Nyatanga and Jon Macken are both out as they are cup-tied.

Team From

Liverpool

Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Pennant, Mascherano, Gerrard, Babel, Benayoun, Kewell, Lucas, Torres, Crouch, Kuyt, San Jose, Itandje.

About the Match

The FA Cup provides Liverpool with their only realistic chance of a domestic honour this season.

Barnsley are aiming to pull off their biggest shock in the FA Cup since dismissing Manchester United at this fifth round stage in 1998, but the Tykes were a Premier League outfit at the time.

Liverpool are one of a mere six surviving Premier League clubs in the last 16, and could be one of four to fall to lower ranked opposition at this stage.

The League ladder

Liverpool are 29 places higher than Barnsley in the league standings.

Head to Head Details

All competitions

Not met since both were Premier League clubs in 1997-98. There was a share of the spoils with both league fixtures being won by the club playing away from home.

FA Cup

Liverpool have won all four previous ties against the south Yorkshire club, the most recent being 0-4 away in the quarter-finals in 1985.