FA Cup
Klopp salutes Liverpool as ‘best ever’ display seals FA Cup final place
Jurgen Klopp hailed one of Liverpool’s “best ever” performances as the quadruple chasers reached the FA Cup final with a “special” 3-2 win against Manchester City on Saturday (April 16).
Klopp’s side kept alive their bid to win all four major trophies in a single seasons thanks to Ibrahima Konate’s opener and Sadio Mane’s double at Wembley.
Liverpool were three goals up by half-time as they tore City apart with a scintillating display that Klopp rated among the very finest of his reign.
City hit back with second half goals from Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Reds reaching their first FA Cup final since 2012.
“Absolutely proud, incredible. The first half was one of the best we ever played. We did all the right stuff, we scored in the right moments. We were outstanding. I loved each second of it,” Klopp said.
“The second half started with the goal for Man City and then it opens up. The quality of City is insane.
“We respect City so much and it’s so difficult to win against them. But because we have these boys in our dressing room we have a chance.”
Liverpool are embroiled in a fierce title fight with City, who are one point clear of Klopp’s men at the top of the Premier League with seven games left.
They shared a pulsating 2-2 draw in Manchester in the league last weekend, and could still meet in the Champions League final.
Asked if their FA Cup semi-final success could be the springboard to pip City in both the Premier League and Champions League, Klopp said: “It’s not a statement, we are just in the final.
“I think City knew beforehand that it could be difficult against us, that’s how it has been between us most of the time.”
While Liverpool are a step closer to football immortality, Klopp insists the fixture congestion caused by their progress to another final will make the quadruple harder to achieve.
‘Special moment’
“The quadruple talk I can’t believe it. Qualifying for this final makes the quadruple even more difficult,” he said.
“I don’t think we have a full free week before the last matchday. But we beat the strongest team in the world and that’s a pretty special moment.”
There is no rest for Liverpool in their trophy chase as they host Manchester United on Tuesday.
“In three days, we play against United, who are fighting for a Champions League place. Historically, it is not a friendly game,” he said.
“Then we play Everton, with the situation they are in it will not be a friendly game. It (the quadruple) is just incredibly unlikely but let’s go for it.”
Pep Guardiola’s decision to field a weakened team will be second-guessed, but City’s manager is adamant he was right to leave Kevin De Bruyne on the bench after the Belgian needed stitches in a foot injury.
With City’s treble bid over, Guardiola has to revive his fatigued players quickly if they are to hold off Liverpool in the Premier League and beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals.
“I have a lot of confidence in my players and the selection. We had a terrible time in terms of fixtures and travel. That’s why we need the fresh legs,” he said.
“The first half we were so passive. We were scared to support our team-mates. In the second half we showed incredible pride when you talk about being tired. We had chances for extra-time.
“We tried to put energy in the players, but sometimes it happens. It is Liverpool.”
Guardiola refused to blame Zack Steffen for City’s defeat as the American keeper’s mistake led to Mane scoring Liverpool’s second goal.
“It was an accident. Ederson was close (to doing it) in the other game. The way we use our keepers, the way we move them around, I would say the averages, it can happen,” he said.
“We have four days until the next game (against Brighton). We have to recover well for the two competitions we are in.”
-AFP
Arsenal survived a genuine scare in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday as they edged past spirited third-tier Mansfield Town 2-1, with Eberechi Eze’s thunderbolt sending the Premier League leaders into the quarter-finals.
Noni Madueke gave Arsenal the lead going into halftime at Field Mill, but Will Evans equalised for Nigel Clough’s Mansfield before Eze scored in the 66th minute to ensure the top-flight side progressed to the last eight.
“Happy to score. I had the space and the opportunity to shoot. So I took it,” Eze told TNT Sports.
“It was a difficult environment to play in. But we did what we had to do and we are through to the next round, which is the important thing.”
Mikel Arteta named a much-changed side, starting teenagers Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, as Arsenal became the first Premier League side to start a competitive game with two players aged 16 or under in any competition.
However, Arteta’s changes nearly backfired as the hosts, feeding off a raucous home crowd, gave Arsenal a genuine fright with aggressive pressing and infectious energy that clearly unsettled the visitors.
“Before the game, the gaffer said, ‘Have a go. We were not expected to win the game, so have a go and enjoy it,” Mansfield forward Rhys Oates said.
“We created more chances than we thought we could, and we have given them a game.”
Dowman, Arsenal’s youngest-ever FA Cup player at 16, emerged as a lively attacking threat as the top-flight side gradually found their rhythm before Madueke broke the deadlock in the 41st minute.
Madueke, who had an initial shot saved, curled a powerful finish into the far corner to give Arsenal their 100th goal of the season in all competitions.
Clough brought on Evans for the second half, and the Welsh striker made an immediate impact, netting five minutes after coming on.
The 28-year-old wrong-footed a second-guessing Cristhian Mosquera before finishing past Kepa Arrizabalaga in Arsenal’s goal.
“It’s typical, isn’t it? For me to have a league goal drought and then come on for a half against Arsenal and have a goal against them,” Evans said.
Arsenal were rattled but recovered and found the winner when substitute Eze made space for himself and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box to silence the crowd at Field Mill and keep Arsenal’s quadruple bid on track.
-Reuters
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Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro struck in extra time to secure a nervy 4–2 win over second‑tier Wrexham and reach the FA Cup quarter‑finals on Saturday as the Premier League giants escaped from the Racecourse Ground after a tough battle.
Garnacho volleyed home from close range in the 97th minute with such force that the ball ricocheted off the back stanchion to give Chelsea the lead for the first time on the night.
Wrexham — who lost George Dobson to a 93rd-minute red card — thought they had equalised deep into added time in the extra period when Lewis Brunt headed home, but he was offside. Pedro then sealed Chelsea’s win with a fine goal in the 125th minute.
Sam Smith had put the Championship side ahead in the 18th when he sprinted onto Callum Doyle’s long pass, took a touch and fired past Robert Sanchez. Chelsea equalised with a huge slice of luck when George Thomason’s attempt to clear Garnacho’s shot struck goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and rolled in.
Wrexham went back in front after 78 minutes when Doyle diverted the ball past Sanchez after Ryan Longman fired it back into the area from a corner. But Josh Acheampong equalised soon after with a blistering shot into the roof of the net after Dobson slipped to send the game into extra time.
-Reuters
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Arsenal will visit League One Mansfield Town, while Manchester City travel to Newcastle United in a mouth-watering all-Premier League tie following the FA Cup fifth round draw on Monday.
Third-tier Mansfield stunned top-flight strugglers Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor on Saturday and have been rewarded with a clash against 14-time winners and Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s City face Newcastle in a repeat of one of this season’s League Cup semi-finals, while Premier League bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers host Liverpool.
Brentford head to West Ham United after an own goal away to sixth-tier Macclesfield, who stunned holders Crystal Palace in the last round, giving them a 1-0 win on Monday.
Championship side Wrexham welcome eight-time winners Chelsea, while Fulham entertain Southampton and Leeds United host another second-tier side in Norwich City.
Sunderland face a second successive away trip after being drawn against Port Vale or Bristol City, whose fourth-round tie has been postponed until March 3 due to a waterlogged pitch.
FA Cup fifth round draw
- Fulham v Southampton
- Port Vale or Bristol City v Sunderland
- Newcastle United v Manchester City
- Leeds United v Norwich City
- Mansfield Town v Arsenal
- Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool
- Wrexham v Chelsea
- West Ham United v Brentford
Matches to be played over the weekend of March 7–8
-Reuters
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