It worked out pretty well for Havant and Waterlooville last year…
Histon, who overcame Leeds 1-0 earlier today, were left disappointed after being paired with Swansea in an underwhelming FA Cup third round draw. However, last year it was Havant and Waterlooville who drew the Welsh side at this stage and after getting through that tie they were rewarded with a trip to Anfield.
Barrow got the best draw of the non-league clubs and will make the trip to Middlesbrough while Forest Green face Derby and Eastwood travel away to Notts County or Crawley. Holders Portsmouth face Bristol City while runners-up Cardiff face Reading. Chelsea and Arsenal were drawn at home to Southend and Plymouth respectively while Liverpool and Manchester United are away to Preston and Southampton.
The other interesting ties see Sheffield United drawn in East London against Leyton Orient on the same day that their ”Tevezgate” enemies West Ham face Barnsley, who are considering legal action against the Blades after Chris Morgan’s horror elbow on Iain Hume: don’t be surprised to see one of those games moved to the Sunday! Check out the full draw after the jump:
Manchester City/ FC twente, 7.45pm, ITV4, Free £10 bet
While billionaires Manchester City are struggling to have any real impact in the Premier League, everyone’s favourite laughing stock Schteve McClaren is two points off the top of the Eredivisie with his new club FC Twente.
The former England boss squandered his chance to show what he’s capable of against Arsenal in August, but should take advantage of tonight’s opportunity by returning to Holland with a point or three. Here are ChickenDinner’s statistical thoughts on the matter:
1. Steve McClaren faced Manchester City eight times while manager of Middlesbrough and was never beaten, winning on five occasions.
2. During the period that City couldn’t beat McClaren, they managed three victories over Manchester United as well as wins over Chelsea and Liverpool. Significantly, the Citizens won their first three matches against post-McClaren Middlesbrough.
3. FC Twente have won their last two away games and had won four consecutive games without conceding before losing to Ajax last weekend.
In the French version of this week’s Sport magazine (the freebie that is thrust in your face whenever disembarking from public transport on a Friday morning), former Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Liverpool star Boudewijn Zenden has proudly shown off his rock-hard abs, boyband wardrobe and model wife Clio Pajczer. Why? Because he can, that’s why.
In the interview, 32-year-old Zenden, now playing with Marseille, boasts of the ‘insane love’ he shares with his partner, and how they are the couple bringing the glamour to Ligue 1.
Unbeaten table-toppers win again ahead of next week’s collision
Chelsea and Liverpool remain the top two teams in the country after the Blues thumped Middlesbrough 5-0 while the Reds again came from behind to beat Wigan 3-2. So ahead of their clash at Stamford Bridge next Sunday, The Spoiler wants to know which one has impressed you the most?
In the blue corner, Luiz Felipe Scolari has instantly got his team playing exciting, attacking football and has accompanied that with results. They’ve won all four of their away games this season, comfortably have the league’s best goal difference (+16) and have conceded just three goals. Despite numerous injuries, they have continued to shine.
In the red corner, Liverpool haven’t dominated games like Chelsea and have only won by more than one goal once. However, they have already faced three of last season’s top six and whereas Chelsea were expected to start strongly, Liverpool’s form has been more of a surprise. With Fernando Torres out injured today, Dirk Kuyt stepped in with two goals and the Dutchman has already equalled his league total from last season.
Five of Liverpool’s six league wins have come courtesy of goals scored in the final fifteen minutes: does this show a never-say-die spirit that can take them all the way to the title or are they just getting lucky at the moment? Equally, five of Chelsea’s six have been by a margin of two goals or more: is this a worrying sign of things to come or is there a danger of them running out of steam like Arsenal last season?
With all that in mind, let us know which side’s start has impressed you the most with a vote and a comment below.
With the help of our well-informed chums at chickendinner, The Spoiler has compiled a list of our top tips for this weekend’s sports action. Accompanying each bet are some eye-catching odds, a link to a free bet with that bookmaker and a reason why you it’s a good bet:
1) Chelsea to fail to win at Middlesbrough - 1317/1000 with Ladbrokes
Over the last three seasons Boro have lost just two of their twelve home league games against the Big Four. Click here for more information.
2) Manchester United to beat West Brom by a one-goal margin - 3/1 with Paddy Power
Five of the Red Devils’ last six home league victories against the reigning Championship champions have been by a one-goal margin. Click here for more information.
3) Daniel Evans to be eliminated from the X Factor - 4.1 on Betfair
He’s too old to win and the judges don’t like him. Click here for more information.
4) Lewis Hamilton to win the Chinese Grand Prix - 1.84 on Betfair
Hamilton had a nightmare in Shanghai last year but so far this year he has improved drastically at every race he finished off the podium in last season. Click here for more information, including why Robert Kubica might be a good bet for a podium finish.
5) Stoke to beat Spurs - 11/5 on Paddy Power
Tottenham have a terrible record over the last four years away to newly-promoted club and considering they’ve yet to win this season, that record could get worse. Click here for more information.
In the biblical tale of the Prodigal Son, a young man ventures to the big city to fill up on wine and hookers before going home to lead a normal domestic life as an accountant, or something. In some ways, it’s exactly the same tale as that of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Manchester City, only without the fatted calf, the hookers, the wine… the bible. But no matter.
This, along with Heskey’s suspected return to Liverpool, got The Spoiler to thinking, and by the time we’d polished off our lunchtime amuse bouche followed by soup, we’d pretty much compiled a team made up of returning players. All with varying degrees of success.
In goal, we went for everyone’s favourite drug-eating maniac, Mark Bosnich.
Boro/ Chelsea, Saturday, 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1, free £10 bet
It’s easy to see why Chelsea travel to the North East as favourites: they are top of the league, have yet to taste defeat and have won all four of their domestic away games. However, despite the drab location and low attendances, there is something about the Riverside that makes the Big Four freeze. Chelsea managed to escape with three points last year, but the folks at chickendinner think they might not be so lucky this time…
» Since Gareth Southgate became Middlesbrough manager, they have lost just two of their eight league home games (25 per cent) against the Big Four.
» Middlesbrough have won two of their last three home games against Chelsea.
» And though they lost at home to Chelsea last year, not since April 2005 have Middlesbrough lost consecutive home league games to a Big Four club.
» Since 1932, Chelsea have only won on five of their 37 away games against
Beware metaphorical turds in the street, Dr Ferguson…
Well, it’s that time again, when all the big clubs wheel out their school kids, intent on humiliating grown up footballers, like stray dog dirts on stateside streets awaiting Puff Daddy’s sneaker (pictured). Our pals at Chickendinner think it might be a bad night for a certain Baron Alex Ferguson and his people.
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
This is where the shock of the round could take place. United have been knocked out by Southend and Coventry in the early rounds of the last two Carling Cups while Boro won this tournament five seasons back. Just four of the last 13 encounters between these two sides have been won by the hosts.
