And finally here’s your report from a lively cup tie at the City Ground, where Nottingham Forest fought back from a concerning 2-0 deficit, though Blackpool will be delighted with a replay.
That’s where I’ll wrap up this clockwatch, as attentions turn to the small matter of Arsenal v Liverpool, which should be a really tasty affair, between two teams who don’t want a replay and are capable of some exhilarating attacking football. It’s been fun.
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From The Hawthorns:
Another report has landed. Nick Ames was at the London Stadium to watch West Ham suffer some worrying injuries, as they failed to ignite against plucky Bristol City.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has been speaking S4C about his side’s 1-0 win today:
I’m very pleased. It’s a tough place to come. We had to dig deep. They pressed us really high in the first half, caught us out a bit but I felt we grew into the game and deserved the victory.
They had a few chances at the end but it’s a big day for us and an important win on this journey. We’ve made another statement. We’ve come to a solid League One club and won.
Here’s your report from the Etihad, as Jamie Jackson watched Phil Foden ooze quality and Kevin de Bruyne remind everyone of his class – and it was all too much for Huddersfield.
Stick with me a little while longer as I bring you some post-match reaction and our reports from around the grounds. Bristol City and Bolton fans will be relishing those replays already, I’m sure …
This moment will not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but you cannot take it away from the near 5,000 travelling Aldershot fans.
A consolation goal to cap off a fantastic #EmiratesFACup run for @OfficialShots 🙌 pic.twitter.com/175J9ukpb9
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
Full time results
Confirmation of all the full-time scores, now they are all in:
Luton 0-0 Bolton
Man City 5-0 Huddersfield
Nottm Forest 2-2 Blackpool
Peterborough 0-3 Leeds
Shrewsbury 0-1 Wrexham
West Brom 4-1 Aldershot
West Ham 1-1 Bristol City
FT: Peterborough 0-3 Leeds. Daniel Farke’s men come through a potential banana skin unscathed and Patrick Bamford’s goal will deservedly dominate the headlines.
GOAL! West Brom 4-1 Aldershot (Bray, 90)
It’s nothing more than a consolation but it’s a nice moment for Aldershot nontheless, as Oliver Bray bundles home.
It won’t change the overall outcome, of course. In fact, the final whistle now goes.
FT: Shrewsbury 0-1 Wrexham. More Hollywood glamour in the fourth round? Wrexham do love a cup run these days. Many will want to avoid them.
Three minutes of added time remain for West Ham to grab something. But it’s Bristol City who have a free-kick on the edge of the Hammers’ box …
FT: Luton 0-0 Bolton. Wanderers will drag the Premier League side back up to the Reebok (or whatever it’s called nowadays) for a well-earned replay. Well done to them.
GOAL! Peterborough 0-3 Leeds (Ampadu, 90)
Game, set and match Leeds United! Dan James’ whipped corner finds Ampadu who heads home for his second of the game.
Leeds are going through as well.
GOAL! West Brom 4-0 Aldershot (Fellows, 88)
A long old wait for a fourth goal, but it finally arrives for West Brom, with academy graduate Tom Fellows scoring his first senior goal to put gloss on the scoreline. The Baggies are in the fourth round hat.
A few games are still on a knife-edge as added time approaches (for some).
West Ham and Forest are the Premier League big boys pushing for late winners.
Nottm Forest 2-2 Blackpool: Unsurprisingly, it’s Forest who are looking the more likely to nick it and have had chances through Yates and half-time sub Tavares. Blackpool would snap your hand off for the final whistle here, and a replay at Bloomfield Road.
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He’s laughably good.
30 - Kevin De Bruyne has the most assists of any player in Europe's big five leagues in all competitions since the start of last season, despite making three appearances this season.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 7, 2024
30 - De Bruyne
24 - Salah
22 - Vini Jr
22 - Saka
21 - Griezmann
King. pic.twitter.com/9ftlicR41z
West Ham 1-1 Bristol City: Tell you what, there’s no way David Moyes will be content with a cup replay. The Hammers have Europa League football to worry about in the coming weeks and months. But they’ve really struggled to put Bristol City to bed.
Heading towards the final 10 minutes.
GOAL! Manchester City 5-0 Huddersfield (Doku, 74)
De Bruyne doesn’t take long to notch an assist, chipping it back into space for fellow substitute Doku to hammer home. Five.
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Luton 0-0 Bolton: How Luton haven’t broken the deadlock is anyone’s guess. It’s wave after wave of attack but somehow Bolton are soaking up the pressure and holding on.
Ajiboye cannot quite steer home for Peterborough as they launch an effort to get back into the game. Leeds still leading 2-0 and look fairly comfortable.
Team news has just dropped at the Emirates before the headline FA Cup third round tie of the weekend. Follow it here with Rob Smyth:
GOAL! Shrewsbury 0-1 Wrexham (O'Connor, 72)
There’s the vital opener! And it’s gone to the Welsh side, a deflected effort that might get credited to Thomas O’Connor or could be put down as an own goal. Whatever, Wrexham won’t care. They have a precious lead.
GOAL! Manchester City 4-0 Huddersfield (Foden, 65)
If you didn’t have a Phil Foden brace on your predictions card today, do you actually know football?
The Stockport Iniesta guides home a lovely goal from the edge of the box after a corner is worked short. Boom, boom.
BANG, right in the stanchion!
Pick that out.
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
Morgan Gibbs-White with a stunner for @NFFC 🤩#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/pC4pESoerz
We’re beyond the hour mark in both Luton v Bolton and Shrewsbury v Wrexham now and with both games goalless, any strike now could prove to be the winner.
Who wants to be an FA Cup hero?
GOAL! West Ham 1-1 Bristol City (Conway, 61)
Tommy Conway equalises for Bristol City and you have to say the Robins have deserved that! Sloppy from West Ham, and this cup tie is well and truly alive now.
Groans go around the London Stadium.
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GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Huddersfield (Bobb, 58)
Quickly Kevin, will City score? Yes, also immediately after De Bruyne’s introduction. It’s a lucky one for Oscar Bobb, mind, deflected up and over the goalkeeper, with De Bruyne lurking.
Smiles all round.
Man City 2-0 Huddersfield: De Bruyne hasn’t played a game of any kind since the opening weekend of the season. Alvarez and Grealish are the men sacrificed as the Belgian gets a huge ovation from the City faithful.
Never mind this game, is KDB’s return a key moment in the league season?
City are going easy on Huddersfield, then …
Doku and De Bruyne coming on
— Simon Bajkowski (@spbajko) January 7, 2024
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 2-2 Blackpool (Gibbs-White, 56)
Morgan Gibbs-White scores a pearler of his own to draw Forest level. Thrashed into the top corner and we are level pegging at the City Ground. Game on!
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Luton 0-0 Bolton: Visiting goalkeeper Nathan Baxter has just twice denied Carlton Morris headers as the Hatters up the ante in the second half at the Kenny. Bolton are holding out, just.
It’s worth another watch, this. And it’s taken the wind from the Peterborough sails somewhat. Leeds should see it out from here.
SIMPLY. BREATHTAKING.
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
PATRICK BAMFORD. OH MY WORD. 🤯🤯🤯@LUFC #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/0xVnnDfXRv
50 mins: Unless Huddersfield can muster something shocking on the counterattack in the next 10 minutes or so, we might as well all pack up and go home at the Etihad. A futile exercise if ever there was one.
Thanks for all your VAR emails … but I can only get to so many. The general consensus seems to be to bin VAR altogether, but I’m afraid I cannot get on board with that. Keep it for offsides and introduce a challenge system – there, I’ve sorted it.
Former Leeds man Paul Robinson on 5Live has just compared Patrick Bamford’s goal to something Tony Yeboah might have scored … what a compliment that is.
It truly was a peach.
Hugh do you think is going to win, Ryan?
Watching @Wrexham_AFC in the @EmiratesFACup with Prisoner 24601. pic.twitter.com/yX4rmBbXfI
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) January 7, 2024
GOAL! Peterborough 0-2 Leeds (Bamford, 47)
Oh that is delightful from Patrick Bamford! A dipping volley with his left foot has put Leeds 2-0 up at London Road … it came out of virtually nothing. Catch this one on a replay when you can. Superb.
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This is a decent suggestion from reader Mark Uribe:
Instead of VAR, I would like to suggest the following:
1. If a player thinks a decision is wrong, they can challenge the decision.
2. The referee then goes to the monitors and reviews the TV coverage.
3. If the referee upholds his original decision, the player who made the challenge against the decision is given an orange card – that is, sent off for 10 – 15 minutes.This would do away with the need for external referees which would make it more accessible to other leagues, make for quicker decisions, and not undermine the authority of the referee so much.
I like it, apart from No 3, which is a little odd. A cricket-style challenge and review system could definitely work.
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Second halves are geting under way in dribs and drabs.
Can Blackpool see out a famous upset at Forest? Can Bolton nick a win or a replay at Luton? How many can Manchester City score? Let’s find out.
An email in response to Colm O’Connor from Alex Sargent:
I am intrigued as to which bit of this training exercise against 11 behind the ball that Colm was expecting would raise the atmosphere.
It’s a fair point.
I’m getting plenty of VAR-related emails after my comment earlier, with the technology finding itself at the centre of attention even when it’s NOT in use:
Adam Timmins says: “The problem with VAR is that it’s failed by it’s own lights - it was supposed to eliminate controversial and/or poor decisions. Having not done this, all it has done is introduce NFL-style delays to the game in return for things like goals being disallowed for offside because the attackers arm was ahead of play. So you can’t really blame fans for wanting a return to Pre-VAR days – particularly as it was the clubs that campaigned for it.”
Jeremy Boyce: “I’m with Ange, play to the whistle, trust the ref. What was it we (especially managers) used to say? Over a season it evens itself out. You win some you lose some. new tech means that nothing evens itself out any more and the ref is even more vilified for getting it wrong sometimes.”
Half time scores
Luton 0-0 Bolton
Man City 2-0 Huddersfield
Nottm Forest 1-2 Blackpool
P’borough 0-1 Leeds
Shrewsbury 0-0 Wrexham
WBA 3-0 Aldershot
West Ham 1-0 Bristol City
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A great moment for Daryl Dike earlier, as the half-time whistle goes at The Hawthorns.
He's back 🫡
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
After 9 months out, @DarylDike turns it in for @WBA... and look what it means 🤍💙#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/2ZiEE21K6g
HT: Peterborough 0-1 Leeds.
Most of the other games are still playing.
Seven minutes of added time at the Etihad, much to the delight of these Huddersfield players I’m sure.
45 mins: We’re heading into added time in most of these games.
Jaidon Anthony has been heavily involved for Leeds today, but they’re finding it difficult to grab a second. Posh are hanging tough.
An email from Colm O’Connor at the Etihad:
The atmosphere here is … well there is none.
42 mins: Willy Gnonto has gone down in the Peterborough box and it looks to be a stonewall penalty. It’s not been given! Was it a dive instead? Gnonto hasn’t been booked if so.
Complaints from the Leeds players, boos from the home fans … but nobody knows for sure. Maybe VAR might be a good idea, everyone? Maybe sometimes?
An FA Cup record, of sorts, for Phil Foden today.
6 - Phil Foden is the only player to score in the FA Cup proper in each of the last six seasons; today's opener was his 70th goal for Manchester City. Fruitful. pic.twitter.com/g2xPOBGp6t
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 7, 2024
GOAL! Nottm Forest 1-2 Blackpool (Dominguez, 39)
Forest hadn’t done very much since going 2-0 down in a matter of minutes against Blackpool. They’ve just seen a free-kick fired way over the bar by Ryan Yates … but now Nicolás Domínguez arrives late in the box to steer home! They’re suddenly back in it, with a goal at an ideal time.
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GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Huddersfield (Alvarez, 37)
Julian Alvarez stretches out a leg and guides home his finish after some more sharp interplay in the box from City, with Rico Lewis heavily involved. That could be that.
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I’m really not sure about this ‘how nice that there’s no VAR’ shtick. But it’s making people happy, so hey ho.
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GOAL! Peterborough 0-1 Leeds (Ampadu, 34)
The Posh are furious with this. They believe there’s been an offside, as Bamford ghosts through and chests down, with Ethan Ampadu finishing it off past the goalkeeper Fynn Talley.
No VAR of course, so the goal stands. It looked tight.
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34 mins: Luton and Bolton are proving to be fairly evenly-matched in their contest at Kenilworth Road. Barkley has had a sight of goal but there’s no way through yet for the Hatters.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Huddersfield (Foden, 32)
And just like that, City turn on the style. Finally they muster some incisive play in the Huddersfield box, as the home side keep it alive on the left with Alvarez popping it back for Foden to arrow home with his left foot.
Gutting for Huddersfield, who have done very little wrong.
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The future is bright, the future is orange.
The Tangerines are running riot 🍊
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
Albie Morgan gives @BlackpoolFC another!#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/JLUtJ6gKRA
30 mins: It’s 80% on the possession stats for City but they’ve done precious little with it in terms of chance creation. Lacking some penetration in the final third thus far.
GOAL! West Brom 3-0 Aldershot (Dike, 27)
West Brom are on easy street now. It’s three, as Daryl Dike marks his return to the starting lineup with a goal. He’s enjoyed that.
Aldershot will not be enjoying themselves so much.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-2 Blackpool (Morgan, 27)
Upset alert x2! Albie Morgan has doubled the lead for Blackpool and Forest are in a spot of bother at the City Ground.
27 mins: Manchester City continue to labour against Huddersfield and reader Chris Taberner emails in. He’s not happy:
Man City’s corners really are poor. Gvardiol is really average and has been all season. Why does Guardiola trust him but not Kalvin?
Kalvin is off elsewhere, I think, Chris.
GOAL! Nottingham Forest 0-1 Blackpool (Lawrence-Gabriel, 25)
Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel nods the Seasiders ahead against a very tepid Nottingham Forest! Upset alert?
24 min: The ding-dong tie of the day (so far) seems to be at London Road, with Peterborough battling Leeds and both teams really seeking to make attacking inroads. Posh have been brave on the ball.
A sizzling FA Cup atmosphere there, as well.
22 mins: Nottingham Forest haven’t offered much impetus in the early stages of their game against Blackpool. They’ve barely had a shot, in fact.
20 mins: If you’d have offered Darren Moore 0-0 at the Etihad after 20 minutes … etc etc.
Huddersfield have done really well so far. No real chances raining down on their goal. So far.
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17 mins: Another injury concern for a Premier League side. Manu Akanji has taken a hefty knock and will not be able to continue. Matheus Nunes is going to replace him, which might mean Rico Lewis shifts to right-back.
GOAL! West Brom 2-0 Aldershot (Malcolm, 17)
Jovan Malcolm has doubled the Baggies lead against the Shots. The Championship side have flexed their muscles early on and this looks to be a long, long way back for poor old Aldershot.
15 mins: Pablo Fornals found himself in an acre of space in the Bristol City box and should really have made it 2-0.
A worry for West Ham arrives in the shape of an injury to Paqueta. He’s been forced off. Oh no.
Here are the early goals for your viewing pleasure. That Chalobah effort is a lovely one, isn’t it?
Who else would it be?@_JarrodBowen makes it look easy for @WestHam 👏#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/IAYKHtmPNH
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
It's a first @WBA goal for Chalobah 🤩
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
What a finish 😮💨#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/eOW0XC3k5P
10 mins: Oh goodness me, Huddersfield striker Sorba Thomas thinks he’s through one-on-one with Stefan Ortega, fluffs his effort but then the flag belatedly goes up. He may secretly be glad.
9 mins: Normal service has been resumed at the Etihad, with Huddersfield’s banks of four/five shuttling from side to side in the hope of keeping out City.
Pep Guardiola looks cold in the hosts’ dugout.
GOAL! West Brom 1-0 Aldershot (Chalobah, 7)
A delicious half-volley from Nathaniel Chalobah puts the Championship outfit in front early on at The Hawthorns. A nightmare for the non-league side.
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6 mins: I’ve always found it a little odd how Leeds fans have never warmed to Patrick Bamford. He’s a class act, not the most clinical striker ever, but a quality operator. His partnership with Joël Piroe is proving productive early on at Peterborough.
GOAL! West Ham 1-0 Bristol City (Bowen, 4)
Jarrod Bowen hasn’t taken long to get going! Lucas Paqueta is the provider and West Ham have the early lead David Moyes will have craved.
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3 mins: There’s not much in the way of strictness when it comes to these games kicking off on time. Some have only just got going, whereas Shrewsbury v Wrexham kicked off at 2pm on the dot.
2 mins: Huddersfield, going with what appears a smart 5-4-1 formation at Manchester City, have made the more purposeful start by far at the Etihad. Some laudable intent early doors, before the inevitable City press kicks in.
KICK OFF
Mercifully, no Etihad live show.
Sweet Caroline got a healthy airing at London Road, though, as Peterborough and Leeds went out for kick-off. The Posh looked to have a whole team of mascots, too. Decent atmosphere there as a Leeds team brimming with bleach-blond haircuts get us going.
We’re pretty much off and running around the country in all these seven third round ties.
Please don’t tell me they’re going to do a light show at the Etihad Stadium today before this game against Huddersfield. I really hope not.
USA international striker Daryl Dike is back in the West Brom starting lineup this afternoon after a long time out with an injured Achilles.
Carlos Corberan is happy to have him back, that’s for sure. “We have all been looking forward to this moment, but Daryl is especially looking to it,” he said.
“He has been managing his injury for a long time and now appears to be the moment where he is ready to return to the competition.”
All eyes on promising teenager Alex Matos for Huddersfield at the Etihad today.
First time seeing @ChelseaFC loanee, Alex Matos in @htafc colours 👀#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/6UlnTqfkAE
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) January 7, 2024
Some transfer news featuring one of the teams in action today:
Not jamming a load of fixtures either side of the FA Cup third round has definitely helped the competition’s cause in terms of strong team selections. We’re actually getting a winter break this season too, after not having one for all sorts of reasons (Covid, the World Cup) in recent years.
The fact Pep Guardiola can name a City side as strong as the one today with Ederson, Kyle Walker, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne on the bench – and Erling Haaland not in the squad at all – is, frankly, ridiculous.
It’s interesting that the only major change Premier League clubs are seemingly willing to make is in goal. Luton, Forest and West Ham have all done it while picking otherwise fairly strong sides. The FA Cup is seemingly a chance for second string shotstoppers but they all want to go through.
My best pick for an upset today? I’m plumping for Kenilworth Road. Bolton will be bang up for it and they might some joy if they can shackle the irresistible Ross Barkley.
Some more team news for you:
Nottingham Forest: Odysseas; Worrall, Murillo, Dominguez; Montiel, Yates, Danilo, Toffolo; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Wood.
Blackpool:
📋 Seasiders name side to face @NFFC
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) January 7, 2024
🍊#UTMP pic.twitter.com/ximuuBQbUA
Luton: Krul; Mengi, Osho, Bell; Chong, Lokonga, Barkley, Doughty; Ogbene, Adebayo, Morris.
Bolton: Baxter; Dacres-Cogley, Forrester, Santos, Toal; Williams, Sheehan, Maghoma, Dempsey; Adeboyejo, Charles.
Team news
West Ham have gone strong v Bristol City: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Fornals, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Bowen.
And here’s how the Robins line up:
How we line up in the #EmiratesFACup! 🏆
— Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) January 7, 2024
COME ON CITY! 💛 pic.twitter.com/RrBGlc3Qls
Patrick Bamford starts for Leeds against Peteborough. Posh versus The Posh.
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI... pic.twitter.com/0IfPN8lhxt
— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 7, 2024
👊 Here is how Posh line-up for today's Emirates FA Cup third round tie.
— Peterborough United (@theposh) January 7, 2024
Team news brought to you by @EtpAutoCare.#PETLEE | #pufc pic.twitter.com/7L3Yu6ZdHb
A few changes for Manchester City at home to Huddersfield – but still a very strong side: Ortega; Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol Gomez; Lewis, Kovacic; Bobb, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez
Here’s the Terriers’ XI:
Here is how your Terriers line-up at the Etihad this afternoon in the @EmiratesFACup ⤵️@SportsBrokerHQ | #htafc pic.twitter.com/nAKSPDUlUJ
— Huddersfield Town (@htafc) January 7, 2024
Preamble
Hello and happy Sunday to you all. It’s another thrilling day in the FA Cup third round… except it hasn’t been full of thrills so far has it really? (Unless you’re a Maidstone United fan, in which case lap it all up and enjoy.) A few too many tight and tepid games between non-plussed Premier League and Championship opponents have dulled the magic of the cup for me, Clive.
Anyhow, today is a new day and there’s a veritable smorgasbord of 2pm kick-offs to keep us sated this afternoon. The chances of a Cupset at Manchester City v Huddersfield may be slim to nothing, but West Ham v Bristol City, Luton v Bolton, Nottingham Forest v Blackpool and Peterborough v Leeds are all pregnant with possibility; while non-league Aldershot go to West Brom looking to join Maidstone and Eastleigh in the hat for the fourth round draw and the Hollywood tie is of course Wrexham at local(ish) rivals(ish) Shrewsbury.
Strap yourselves in. Team news is up next.
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