FA Cup

Dele Alli has said Tottenham Hotspur deserve to win a trophy after being one of the best teams in the world over the past few seasons. 

The north London outfit scraped through to the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday by beating Southampton 3-2 in their fourth-round replay.

Goals from Shane Long and Danny Ings had put the visitors ahead deep into the second half at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but late strikes from Lucas Moura and Heung-Min Son put Spurs through to the last 16 to face Norwich City:

That is a fixture they should win, especially at home. Spurs are consequently among the favourites to go all the way this year in the world's oldest football tournament.

Despite the huge improvement Tottenham made under Mauricio Pochettino in recent seasons, they are still without a major trophy since their League Cup win in 2007-08.

Alli told BT Sport after the Saints win that they deserve to break that drought, but he acknowledged there is a lot of work for Spurs still to do:

"It has been a long time coming; we've been so close. We've showed we're one of the best teams, not just in England but in the world, throughout the years we've been together. I think we deserve a trophy, but no one's going to give it to us. We have to fight every day. We have to keep pushing each other, keep improving. Not just for us, but for the fans; we have to win something."

Pochettino took over Spurs in May 2014. In his first season in charge, Spurs finished fifth in the Premier League and reached the final of the League Cup, where they were beaten by Chelsea.

The Argentinian then oversaw four consecutive top-four finishes in the English top flight—more than Spurs had in the previous 28 seasons—and led them to the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.

After a poor start to this campaign, Pochettino was sacked in November and replaced with Jose Mourinho, who has led Spurs back to within touching distance of the top four:

It would be typical of the Portuguese to eclipse Pochettino inside a matter of months by leading Spurs to a first trophy in more than a decade. But they will not have an easy run.

All of the so-called big six remain in the tournament, and Tottenham are unlikely to avoid a meeting with one or two of them if they continue to advance:

Meanwhile, the likes of Leicester City, Sheffield United and Newcastle United could all be dangerous in future rounds.

Derby County manager Phillip Cocu is eagerly anticipating a "beautiful game" when Rams captain Wayne Rooney takes on his former side Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Derby booked their place in the next round with a 4-2 win over Northampton Town on Tuesday, and they'll host United at Pride Park on March 5.

Per Tom Doyle of the Evening Standard, Cocu said of Rooney:

"He's going to face the club where he had a wonderful career so of course it is special. He comes back from the States, joins us and now plays his old club where he had a great career. We have to wait for a month but I'm sure he'll be ready.

"It will be a beautiful game not just for Wayne, but everyone at the club. It's a great game to look forward to and we will also try to win it, against a strong opponent."

Rooney netted a penalty for the Rams in their fourth-round replay with Northampton:

The 34-year-old has now scored in three consecutive games for his new side, whom he joined as a player-coach after leaving D.C. United following two seasons in Major League Soccer.

He also has two assists in his eight appearances for Derby.

Rooney spent the bulk of his career at Old Trafford, where he returned 253 goals and 156 assists in 559 appearances. He is their all-time record goalscorer and sixth in the club's appearance charts.

During his time at the club, he won five Premier League titles and four League Cups, while he also won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and FA Cup once apiece, among other honours.

He hasn't had much success when playing against the Red Devils, though:

Nor have Derby fared too well when playing United. Their meeting in March will be the sixth time since 2009 that they've been drawn against them in domestic cup competition, and the Premier League outfit have come out on top in four of their last five games.

However, the Rams did triumph on penalties in the most recent of those after holding United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup last season.  

Liverpool's youngsters took care of business in the FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday, beating the League One side 1-0 thanks to a bizarre own-goal to book their ticket for the fifth round.

Former Manchester United prospect Ro-Shaun Williams headed the ball into his own net in the second half, giving the Reds a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The hosts didn't create many chances, but they were the better team and deserved the win.

The Reds fielded a team consisting entirely of youngsters and backups, with even manager Jurgen Klopp absent from the bench:

Shrewsbury took initiative early and were happy to push forward in search of goals. It made for an entertaining opening phase with two teams vying for possession, but few chances.

The Reds soon took control of the ball, but their passing game led to very little. Curtis Jones forced a first save from goalkeeper Max O'Leary after 27 minutes, firing the ball right down the middle.

Jones was one of the standouts of the half, and he didn't shy away from some trickery:

Liverpool grew in confidence as the half wore on, leading to plenty of fine play between Jones and Harvey Elliott. The hosts made Shrewsbury look like the League One side they are, but for all of their brilliance on the ball, it led to almost no danger.

A late opening for Callum Lang almost materialised, but Caoimhin Kelleher was aware of the danger and raced off his line in time.

Sports writer Karl Matchett liked what he saw from the Reds youngsters in the first half, despite the lack of chances:

Ki-Jana Hoever nearly gifted the visitors a great chance early in the second half, but the forwards struggled to bring his poor pass under control in time. 

Play opened up more after the break, and O'Leary was forced into action to make a great save after 55 minutes, denying Neco Williams after a good pass from Elliott. 

Shrewsbury made the right changes at half-time and were far more dangerous in the second half. They thought they had opened the scoring when Shaun Whalley struck before the hour mark, but the VAR intervened.

The close call appeared to shake the youngsters, who started to pile up the mistakes:

Subsitute Daniel Udoh narrowly fired wide before Shrewsbury introduced Jason Cummings, who scored twice in the first meeting between the two sides. But before he had any chance of making an impact, Williams put the ball in his own net, handing the hosts a deserved lead.

Per the Athletic's James Pearce, it was a comical effort:

Here's a look at the goal:

Whalley perhaps should have tied things up when a loose ball fell to him in the box, but he lost his nerve and fired over. 

Shrewsbury threw all of their men forward in a desperate attempt to grab an equaliser, but the young Reds showed remarkable maturity in defending their lead. The best late chance fell to Elliott, who almost got on the end of a deep ball to finish off a counter.

What's Next?

Liverpool have a short break before a visit to Norwich on February 15. Shrewsbury host MK Dons on Saturday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he must follow through with plans to field a weakened team in the FA Cup fourth-round replay with Shrewsbury Town, otherwise "nothing will change" in English football.

The Premier League leaders will host the Shrews at Anfield on February 4—which falls during the Premier League's inaugural midseason break—having drawn 2-2 at Montgomery Waters Meadow on Sunday. 

But Klopp defended his decision to send out a second-string side and miss the match himself, per Goal's Ryan Benson:

"People can name me whatever. I'm not too interested in that because the only responsibility I have is for my players, and for all the [Premier League] players as well.

"If we react now in the way we always react, like: 'We have to sort it somehow, we'll be here and find a way to do it,' then nothing will change. I think all people in football agree that something has to change, and people have to speak."

Klopp has been outspoken in his criticism of the congested winter schedule in England, the only one of Europe's five major leagues to not have a recognised break at this time of year.

Liverpool host Southampton on February 1 and weren't initially scheduled to play again until their next Premier League fixture, away to Norwich City on February 15.

Klopp confirmed after Sunday's draw that under-23s coach, Neil Critchley, would be in charge of his second senior game this season.

Critchley was on the touchline for Liverpool's 5-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, when they fielded their youngest-ever team while the first string were at the FIFA Club World Cup in Doha, Qatar.

Klopp added: "I know how it sounds now, and I don't want to be in the middle of all discussions. I'm not a revolution guy or trying to show the whole world how strong I can be or whatever. It's not the reason. If people think that I'm lazy because I'm not here [for the match], I cannot change that."

The former Borussia Dortmund coach—who became accustomed to a winter break lasting around one month in Germany—argued that a midseason break "has to be settled for the next years." 

Recent injuries to England strikers Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) and Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) have highlighted the debate arguing for a winter respite.

Southampton will also feature in an FA Cup fourth-round replay against Tottenham Hotspur on February 5 after they drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Saints defender Jack Stephens said it "seems a little bit daft" to schedule FA Cup replays during a time when the Premier League was supposed to have its first winter intermission, per the Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson.

Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand told BT Sport he felt "the manager should be in the dugout every game," criticising Klopp for his decision to miss the replay.

Jason Cummings, who came off the bench to score a brace on Sunday and force the replay, told BBC Sport he would "prefer to play against the big players" when he travels to Anfield, via Match of the Day.

Liverpool can boost their Premier League lead to 19 points if they win away at West Ham United on Wednesday, with two more fixtures (Southampton and Shrewsbury) scheduled over the following six days.

Jurgen Klopp has defended his decision to completely rest his Liverpool first-team squad against Shrewsbury Town during their forthcoming FA Cup replay.

The German had announced both he and his usual starters will not be present at Anfield for the fourth-round replay on February 4, as the tie falls during a pre-arranged Premier League winter break.

According to BBC Sport, Klopp reaffirmed his decision on Tuesday and said Neil Critchley's under-23 side will represent the club instead. The manager stated it is important he sticks to his plans.

"If we react how we always react and find a way to do it, then nothing will change.

"I decided three weeks ago we would have a mid-season break based on a letter [from the Premier League] we got in April 2019. [...]

"I don't want to be in the middle of all these discussions. I'm not a revolution guy who want to show the whole world how strong I can be. It's absolutely not the reason.

"The only responsibility I feel is for my players and, to be 100% honest, for all the players as well."

Klopp had initially spoken about his choice after the Reds were held to a surprise 2-2 draw with the Shrews on Sunday at Montgomery Waters Meadow:

Per BBC Sport, the Football Association confirmed clubs knew FA Cup replays could affect the planned winter break, and all teams agreed to the schedule. However, Klopp has countered by stating "no sports-responsible people" were involved in the original decision, and "managers and sporting directors" were not consulted by the FA.

Klopp added he could coach the under-23 side for the match, but said it was only right that Critchley led the side he runs.

Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Newcastle United are also involved in replays, compromising their plans for a winter break.

The Magpies travel to Oxford United on Feb. 4, and Spurs host the Saints on the following day.

Arsenal will play Portsmouth in the fifth round of the 2020 FA Cup after producing a fine 2-1 win over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Monday night.

The Gunners went through on the heels of the draw for the next round being made. Other notable ties include Championship side Sheffield Wednesday hosting holders Manchester City, while Chelsea will meet the winners of Liverpool's replay against Shrewsbury Town.

A replay is needed, and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has already made it clear neither he nor his senior stars will be involved so they can enjoy the Premier League-mandated winter break, per BBC Sport.

Another replay will see Northampton Town face Derby County. If the Rams win then Wayne Rooney could face former club Manchester United in the next round.

4th-Round Scores

• Northampton Town 0-0 Derby County
• Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday
• Brentford 0-1 Leicester City
• Burnley 1-2 Norwich City
• Coventry City 0-0 Birmingham City
• Millwall 0-2 Sheffield United
• Portsmouth 4-2 Barnsley
• Reading 1-1 Cardiff City
• Southampton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
• West Ham United 0-1 West Bromwich Albion
• Hull City 1-2 Chelsea
• Manchester City 4-0 Fulham
• Tranmere Rovers 0-6 Manchester United
• Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Liverpool
• Bournemouth 1-2 Arsenal

Replays will take place on Tuesday, February 4, except Tottenham's game at home to Southampton which will be played on Wednesday, February 5, according to the competition's official website.

The same source lists the fifth round as starting on Thursday, March 5, but notes "fixture dates and times may change, subject to TV selections and replays."

Arsenal chief Mikel Arteta opted to put his faith in youth for cup duty. He consigned Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Lucas Torreira to the bench, bringing in 20-year-olds Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock, along with Matteo Guendouzi.

Willock was at the heart of things for the Gunners' opener. His deft turn accelerated a slick move that ended when 18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli played in Bukayo Saka.

Willock's fellow academy graduate smashed the ball in for 1-0:

The neat and intricate move from back to front was reminiscent of the possession-based football Arteta played under former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger:

Arsenal kept the pressure on, executing an intense press and shifting the ball intelligently and at pace. It was 2-0 after 26 minutes when another well-worked passage of play ended with Saka teeing up Nketiah:

The close-range finish vindicated Arteta's gamble to rest Lacazette, as well as the decision to recall Nkeitah from his loan spell with Leeds United:

A 94th-minute goal from Sam Surridge made things tense for Arsenal, but overall Arteta's players had delivered a professional performance on their travels.

Pompey will present a different challenge, despite being eighth in League One. Kenny Jackett's team isn't afraid to go long and play the kind of direct game likely to unsettle the Gunners' defence.

The question for Liverpool is whether Klopp would even want another cup tie after declaring the club's academy and reserve players will feature against Shrewsbury.

Liverpool took the same controversial approach for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa back in December. It backfired when Villa won 5-0, and Shrewsbury will be confident about getting past a reserve lineup after Jason Cummings' brace erased a 2-0 deficit against a more experienced side at Montgomery Waters Meadow on Sunday.

Chelsea will hope for a Shrewsbury win, confident about beating lower-league opposition to reach the last eight. The Blues have a rich pedigree in this competition, lifting the trophy in 2018, one year after losing the final to Arsenal.

United were Chelsea's victims in 2018, but the Red Devils served notice about their intent this season with a ruthless display against Tranmere:

The chance to see club-record goalscorer Rooney again may provide United with extra motivation.

Derby need to beat Northampton first, something Phillip Cocu's team has the quality to do. Tom Lawrence, Martyn Waghorn and Tom Huddlestone should see the Rams through and set up one of the more intriguing ties of the round at Pride Park Stadium.

Arsenal advanced out of the FA Cup fourth round on Monday after a 2-1 victory against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

The Gunners led after just five minutes when Bukayo Saka smashed his shot into the top corner past Mark Travers.

Eddie Nketiah made it 2-0 after 26 minutes, with the 20-year-old putting in a good finish against a poor Cherries defence.

Sam Surridge scored a 93rd-minute consolation for Bournemouth late in the game.

It was yet another underwhelming display from Eddie Howe's men as they slid out of the cup with little resistance.

In contrast, the Gunners appeared motivated and technically prepared for the challenge from the opening minutes, and the visitors quickly took the lead.

The opener was a classic Arsenal move. Joe Willock linked up with Gabriel Martinelli, and the burgeoning Brazilian starlet fed Saka with a deft pass. The left-back finished with an explosive shot from inside the box, providing Arsenal with the perfect start.

OptaJoe highlighted the exceptional buildup play:

It was soon 2-0 after another Arsenal move bamboozled the hosts. The 18-year-old Saka was once again involved, turning provider with a cross for Nketiah to finish in style.

The 20-year-old was recently recalled by Mikel Arteta from a promising loan spell at Leeds United, and he took his opportunity to impress the manager.

The home team increased the tempo at the start of the second half, but they lacked the quality and ideas to worry the Gunners.

Howe's side appear a shadow of their former self, and the Cherries are currently short of strength and endeavour. They are currently 18th in the Premier League and in the drop zone.

Arsenal's control in midfield will have delighted Arteta, and there were flashes of the vintage style fans expect from the north London giants.

Dan Gosling's long-range shot dipped over the bar after a deflection as the Cherries attempted to rally in the last 10 minutes.

The away side took their foot off the gas in the closing moments, but they had done enough to confirm a fifth-round trip to Portsmouth after a comfortable night on the south coast.

A late blast of urgency saw Surridge find the back of the net. However, it was too late to cause Arsenal excessive worries, despite considerable stoppage time at the conclusion.

What's Next

Both sides feature in Premier League action next, with Bournemouth hosting Aston Villa on Saturday and Arsenal travelling to Burnley on Sunday.

Manchester City will travel to Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round as they continue the defence of the FA Cup.    

Northampton Town or Derby County will host Manchester United, while Liverpool will travel to Chelsea if they defeat Shrewsbury Town in their fourth-round replay.

Arsenal will be back on the south coast to play Portsmouth after beating Bournemouth 2-1 on Monday.

The matches will be played from March 2, with full dates to be confirmed.

5th-Round Draw

Wayne Rooney could be set to face his former side after Derby were drawn against Manchester United.

The Rams will host Northampton in a fourth-round replay on February 4, and if they are successful, Rooney could feature against the Red Devils.

The fourth round failed to produce winners from six ties, setting up multiple replays. However, Tuesday's draw brought together interesting pairings for the next phase.

Liverpool will expect to beat Shrewsbury at Anfield in their replay, even with a youthful side, and the Premier League's runaway leaders should be ready for a mouthwatering clash at Chelsea if they send out their first-choice side.

A guaranteed all-Premier League tie was pulled out of the bag, pitting Tottenham Hotspur or Southampton at home to Norwich City. Jose Mourinho's side watched the Saints grab an 87th-minute equaliser through Sofiane Boufal.

Manchester City will feel comfortable with their draw sending them to Championship club Sheffield Wednesday.

The holders made short work of Fulham, who sit seven places above the Owls in the second tier, winning 4-0 in the fourth round at the Etihad.

Arsenal produced a comprehensive display against the Cherries, and Mikel Arteta will be pleased with what he's seeing from his youngsters.

Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah made it 2-0 within 26 minutes, and Eddie Howe's side could only find a late consolation through Sam Surridge. The Gunners now play Pompey at Fratton Park.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said neither he nor his first-team squad will take part in the team's FA Cup replay with Shrewsbury Town.

The Reds were held to a 2-2 draw by the League One side on Sunday in a thrilling fourth-round tie, setting up a replay at Anfield.

However, when speaking to the press after the match, the Liverpool boss said the replay will fall at a time the senior players are scheduled for a winter break, and as a result, it will be a young Reds side running out at Anfield:

"We got a letter in April from the Premier League that we should respect the winter break for the players. It's not allowed to organise international friendlies or competitive games. And we respect that.

"I told the boys weeks ago they will have a winter break. You cannot promise everybody time off and then at the end take that away, I cannot work like this. So that is our solution. We will not be there, it will be the kids that play that game. I know that's not very popular but that's the way I see it."

Here is more of what the Liverpool manager had to say:

Per the Daily Mail's Kishan Vaghela, it means the team's under-23s manager Neil Critchley will take charge of the match against Shrewsbury, which is scheduled to take place on either February 5 or 6.

Klopp will be frustrated that his team require a replay anyway, as they were in a position of comfort in Sunday's game at Montgomery Waters Meadow. 

A Curtis Jones strike and an own goal from Donald Love put the Reds two goals up before Jason Cummings came off the bench to trigger a Shrewsbury comeback:

The match will not be the first one this season in which Liverpool have fielded a youthful side, with the team's involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup in December causing fixture congestion.

It meant Critchley took charge of a young XI in the League Cup quarter-final with Aston Villa, which the Reds lost 5-0. However, given the extra prestige of the FA Cup, Klopp's recent decision is likely to trigger a stronger reaction.

Leanne Prescott believes that a draw on Sunday was the worst-case scenario for Liverpool with that in mind:

Football writer Simon Evans believes the call is indicative of the difficult position the FA Cup is in:

FA Cup in full crisis. Make no mistake - managers who field weakened teams in the Cup (its no longer just PL teams doing so) are showing they don't really care about winning it. Klopp not even bothering to sit on the bench a new low - however much he is right about congestion.

— Simon Evans (@sgevans) January 27, 2020

There's no doubt the competition isn't Liverpool's priority at the moment, as they are on course for Premier League glory and in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

The staggered winter break has been introduced for Premier League teams for the first time this season, and it's clear there are some issues with the scheduling. However, football purists will be concerned about what kind of precedent Klopp's decision will set in a competition that has so much rich history.  

Liverpool lost a two-goal lead and drew 2-2 at Shrewsbury Town on Sunday when Jason Cummings came off the bench to bag a brace and earn the League One outfit an FA Cup fourth-round replay.

Curtis Jones scored the 1-0 winner against derby foes Everton in the third round, and he broke the deadlock at Montgomery Waters Meadow. Donald Love's own goal early in the second half doubled the deficit before substitute Cummings converted twice in 10 minutes to equalise.

Defending champions Manchester City mauled Fulham 4-0 in Sunday's early kick-off, with the Championship guests playing 84 minutes with 10 men after Tim Ream was sent off early on.

Gabriel Jesus scored twice in the second period to build on first-half strikes from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan (a penalty), with City advancing to the fifth round for a fifth consecutive campaign.

Manchester United also won big and put six past League One Tranmere Rovers to progress. New captain Harry Maguire broke the deadlock with his first goal for the club before Diogo Dalot got his maiden goal this season, while Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood joined the scoring.

The draw for the fifth round will take place Monday, with fixtures scheduled to take place in the week beginning March 2.

Sunday's Results

Manchester City 4-0 Fulham

Tranmere Rovers 0-6 Manchester United

Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Liverpool

Second-String Liverpool Labour Against Shrews

Jurgen Klopp saw a largely second-string Liverpool team fail to answer his call as the Reds came unstuck in Shropshire, a game his side were perhaps lucky not to lose after a one-sided first half.

Jones was the star against the Toffees thanks to his dramatic decider, but Sunday's opening score was sweet in its own way following a terrific through pass from Pedro Chirivella:

Donald Love passed Neco Williams' cross into his own net before even 30 seconds of the second period had passed, a tragedy for the Manchester United academy graduate:

But the Shrews rarely looked like burying their heads in the sand despite the setback and arguably played better football after falling behind, with the midfield battle looking particularly close.

Josh Laurent won Shrewsbury a penalty when Yasser Larouci—making his full senior Liverpool debut—impeded the player on the edge of his own area, and substitute Cummings made no mistake from the spot.

He saved his best moment for the 75th minute, however, when Cummings got on the end of Shaun Whalley's flick-on to race clear and pull Sam Ricketts' side level:

The Shrewsbury striker is regarded as something of a divisive personality, but he clinched rare status following his FA Cup brace:

Klopp will have learnt some unwanted lessons after seeing his men waste a two-goal lead, with Liverpool adding an unwanted replay fixture to their February schedule.

Manchester Monoliths Mosey into Fifth Round

Fulham's trip to an only half-full Etihad Stadium might have ended differently were it not for the sixth-minute dismissal of Ream, who was sent off after clawing Jesus down one-on-one with his goalkeeper.

Gundogan's conversion didn't quite open the floodgates as such, and even after conceding thanks to Silva's ferocious left foot, Fulham looked capable of clinging on:

Phil Foden showed some impressive touches in his ninth start of the season, assisting Silva's strike before his parried shot was turned in for Jesus' second of the afternoon.

Brazil star Jesus has enjoyed a prolific record since December and continues to showcase his value as the would-be heir to team-mate Sergio Aguero, per Sky Sports Statto:

United also lifted their spirits with a gargantuan win over Tranmere, who were back in FA Cup action three days after they beat Watford 2-1 in extra time in their fourth-round replay.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will welcome a host of positives—including Maguire's first United strike and Greenwood's 10th goal of the season—not to mention the result came after back-to-back league losses.

Tranmere are currently 21st in England's third tier—60 places below the Red Devils—but that didn't prevent Match of the Day's Gary Lineker from praising the return to scoring form:

United can almost guarantee a more difficult test in the next stage, with fourth-tier Northampton Town being the only side left in the competition positioned lower than Tranmere in the Football League.