Demba Ba scores twice on his Chelsea debut as the Blues batter Southampton to set up a double Gameweek 22. Joe Cole provides a pair of his assists on his second West Ham debut only for Robin Van Persie to deny the Hammers a win with a last-ditch equaliser. Clint Dempsey bags a brace as Spurs cruise past Coventry. Carlos Tevez is amongst the goals for City, while Robert Snodgrass inspires Norwich to victory at Peterborough. Here’s the notes from Saturday’s FA Cup ties…
Southampton 1 Chelsea 5
The Blues recovered from losing an early goal to hammer their hosts and hand both sides a double Gameweek 22. Juan Mata and Eden Hazard returned to the starting line-up after Rafa Benitez’s disastrous decision to bench both players for the midweek loss to QPR, while Demba Ba made his Blues debut. All three were integral in the rout – Ba hit the ground running with a double, while Mata and Hazard supplied three assists between them. Benitez had this to say on Ba’s impact, post-match…
“It is always important for a striker to score goals but more than just the goals was his contribution for the team…His movement and understanding of things we were wanting to do was really good. He was very clever and he could understand the movement of the players. He did everything well on the pitch…I prefer to have this selection problem now than to have just one striker. It is important to have good players and different options, and Ba and Torres can compete or play together.”
In a game that saw David Luiz start in central midfield once again, Frank Lampard, Branislav Ivanovic and Victor Moses all notched for the visitors, while Jason Puncheon teed up Jay Rodrigues for the Saints’ opener. Chelsea will now travel to Stoke and play host to Southampton in Gameweek 22, while Nigel Adkins’ side pay visit to Villa before their Stamford Bridge trip. The Saints are sweating on the availability of Jose Fonte, though – the defender was stretchered off with a knee problem and will be assessed, according to his manager.
West Ham 2 Man United 2
Joe Cole made an immediate impact upon his return to the Hammers, though the hosts were left deflated after a dramatic late equaliser from Robin Van Persie kept United’s hopes alive. Lining up alongside Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te in the front three, Cole provided the assists for both James Collins’ goals, suggesting his creativity could be key to West Ham’s attacking potential. Sam Allardyce fielded Dan Potts at left-back in light of injuries to George McCartney and Joey O’Brien, while Winston Reid was afforded a bench role, with James Tomkins partnering Collins at the back. For United, Sir Alex Ferguson named Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and Shinji Kagawa in the XI, while Chris Smalling started at right-back, with Rafael beginning the game in midfield before moving into defence late on. Hernandez teed up Tom Cleverley for United’s first before Ryan Giggs long range pass set Van Persie free to fire home and keep United’s name in the hat.
Tottenham 3 Coventry 0
Benoit Assou-Ekotto was named in the starting line-up after a long injury lay-off, while Scott Parker also featured in the first XI but it was Clint Dempsey who hogged the headlines after playing a part in all three of his side’s goals. With Jermain Defoe rested to the bench, the US international tucked in behind Emmanuel Adebayor and grabbed two goals in addition to supplying an assist for Gareth Bale’s strike, as Andre Villas-Boas cruised through at Coventry’s expense. Jan Vertonghen and Aaron Lennon were named on the subs bench but with the home side establishing a three-goal advantage with 37 minutes on the clock, neither were called upon.
Brighton 2 Newcastle 0
Alan Pardew rested the likes of Fabricio Coloccini and Papiss Cisse after both picked up knocks prior to the trip to Brighton. The Magpies boss handed many of his fringe players the chance to impress but the hosts’ 2-0 win continued a dire run of form for the Tyneside team, as they fell to a seventh defeat in their last eight. With Demba Ba completing his move to Chelsea on Friday, Pardew’s options up front were further reduced by Shola Ameobi’s dismissal for two yellow cards – he will now be unavailable for the Gameweek 22 trip to Norwich; James Perch was also forced off at half-time through injury and he could now be a doubt. Papiss Cisse’s form is now vitally important, as Pardew looks to bounce back at Carrow Road.
Aston Villa 2 Ipswich 1
Christian Benteke was given the day off as Darren Bent recovered from a hamstring injury to lead the line. Paul Lambert also welcomed back the likes of Charles N’Zogbia and Gabby Agbonlahor after recent injuries – both provided an assist apiece, with Bent and Andreas Weimann (on for the injured Marc Albrighton) grabbing the goals to seal Villa’s progress.
Bolton 2 Sunderland 2
Martin O’Neill named a strong line-up, making just three changes from the side that were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool in midweek, but watched on as both Danny Rose and Carlos Cuellar were subbed off with potential hamstring injuries as the Black Cats clawed back a two-goal deficit to earn a draw at the Reebok. Craig Gardner and substitute Connor Wickham grabbed the goals, with Jack Colback and Steven Fletcher supplying the assists.
Wigan 1 Bournemouth 1
Roberto Martinez made nine changes from the side that were swept aside by United in midweek – a sign, perhaps, that he would rather concentrate on league matters. The Latics boss handed loan signing Angelo Enriquez his debut as a second-half sub but has Jordi Gomez to thank for saving his side’s blushes – the Spaniard fired home a 70th minute equaliser, following up on his own missed penalty to secure the replay.
Crawley 1 Reading 3
Adam Le Fondre was at the double as the Royals eased into the next round. Nicky Shorey recovered from a recent virus to take his place on the bench but was an unused sub, as Brian McDermott again kept faith with Ian Harte at left-back who skippered the side. The Reading boss made seven changes from the side that lost at Spurs in midweek – Garath McCleary provided a pair of assists, while Noel Hunt supplied a goal and assist as the visitors recovered from going a goal down inside 20 seconds.
Crystal Palace 0 Stoke 0
Tony Pulis named a strong back-four, with Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Geoff Cameron all featuring. Thomas Sorensen was handed a chance between the sticks as the Potters boss maintained his policy of keeping Asmir Begovic for league games, though up front, Stoke rested and rotated, with the likes of Charlie Adam, Peter Crouch and Michael Owen all handed starts, suggesting Kenwyne Jones remains first-choice for league encounters.
Fulham 1 Blackpool 1
Martin Jol handed many of his regulars a chance to impress, with Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz up top for the Cottagers again, though his decision to throw on Hugo Rodallega saw Ruiz move to the right flank and Berbatov drop deeper to accommodate the Colombian. The hosts had to rely on veteran Giorgos Karagounis to earn them a replay, however, after going behind – Jol will be hoping the club’s injury worries can ease a little before their visit to Bloomfield Road.
Man City 3 Watford 0
Joleon Lescott kept his place alongside Vincent Kompany as Roberto Mancini rolled out a strong side, with Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy handed the full-back berths. David Silva played all but two minutes, while Carlos Tevez partnered Edin Dzeko up front, with Mario Balotelli afforded only a brief second-half sub appearance, in spite of Sergio Aguero’s hamstring absence. Tevez, Gareth Barry and teenager Mario Lopes all netted, with Balotelli supplying the assist for the latter’s strike.
Later yesterday evening, Aguero took to twitter to reveal tests have shown he suffered a hamstring tear in the Gameweek 21 win over Stoke…
“The studies confirmed I have a torn muscle. We have to keep on thinking positive and try to recover in the best way possible. For that, I’ve travelled to Italy where a specialist is treating me. I’ll keep you up to date in how the injury evolves.”
The Argentine – who has started 10 of the last 11 league games – was subbed off on 76 minutes against the Potters but doubts now hang heavy over the likelihood of his involvement for next weekend’s trip to Arsenal, suggesting Mancini may have to keep faith in the Dzeko-Tevez partnership unless he decides to utilise Balotelli – bearing in mind the latter has started twice since Gameweek 10, that perhaps seems unlikely. Dzeko’s stock, in particular, could now be set to climb further should Aguero face a prolonged period of absence.
Peterborough 0 Norwich 3
Robert Snodgrass and Elliot Bennett both provided a goal and assist as the Canaries recovered from a festive programme that saw them lose all four league fixtures. Simeon Jackson was handed a chance to impress as the lone forward, with Grant Holt remaining sidelined with a hamstring problem, and the Canadian notched Norwich’s third in a comfortable stroll.
QPR 1 West Brom 1
Steve Clarke’s decision to start with Shane Long alongside Romelu Lukaku paid off as the former fired the visitors ahead but Kieran Dyer scored with virtually the last kick of the game to take the tie to a replay. Harry Redknapp handed new boy Tal Ben Haim an immediate start, while DJ Campbell was tasked with leading the line, having returned from a loan spell with Ipswich. The Baggies injury worries continued, with Zoltan Gera and his replacement Marc Antoine-Fortune both forced off with knocks ahead of next weekend’s trip to Stoke. Post-match, Baggies’ assistant boss Kevin Keen brought us this on Gera’s setback…
“Zolly had a problem with his knee…He’ll have it scanned tomorrow and we’ll go from there. We’ve all got our fingers crossed, knowing Zolly’s history, that it’s not too bad. Hopefully he’ll be back in a West Brom shirt pretty soon. But until we see the scans and see specialists, and things like that, we’ll have to wait and see.”
Harry Redknapp has concerns of a different matter” Post-match, the QPR boss revealed that Ryan Nelsen could be set to depart Loftus Road this month – the defender has been offered a job in the MLS and is mulling over the offer.
