A VERY happening weekend for fans of English football as a combo of FA Cup ties were played alongside a handful of Premiership games.
The world’s oldest knockout competition reached the quarter-final stage when Coventry City, winners of the competition in 1986, pulled off a stunning upset at the Molineux defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers.
League action saw Fulham severely dent Tottenham Hotspurs’ ambitions of a top four finish. FocusM takes a look at the talking points from the games played thus far.
FA Cup
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 v Coventry City 3
It was the visiting side that looked like the team from the higher division as Coventry carved out numerous chances. It looked like Coventry were going to rue those missed chances when the home side rallied late to take an undeserved 2-1 lead. Goals from Rayan Ait nouri and Hugo Bueono in the 83rd and 88th minutes respectively looked to have sealed it for the Wolves.
But in a turn of events that perfectly encapsulates the “magic of the FA Cup”, Coventry struck twice deep into injury time for a famous win. Coventry fans will be reminiscing about the 1986/87 season, the last time they won it by beating Spurs 3-2 in a thrilling finale.
Manchester City 2 v Newcastle United 0
Manchester City are attempting to create history by doing back-to-back trebles. Judging from the performance, it would be a very foolish punter to bet against them. Pep Guardiola fielded a strong side featuring Eerling Haaland and Phil Foden but not Kevin De Bruyne.
The assembled City cast proved too strong for a Newcastle side languishing in midtable, with questions again being raised about Eddie Howe’s suitability as manager of this ambitious Newcastle project. Two deflected Bernado Silva goals were enough for City to comfortably edge past the Magpies who must now focus their energy on securing a European berth.
Premiership
Luton Town 1 v Nottingham Forest 1
This was a meeting between 17th and 18th in the table and the stakes were high, with survival possibly hingeging on the outcome of this relegation six pointer. Suffice to say, the spectacle was high on endeavour but somewhat lacking in quality as both sides went hell bent for leather to claim maximum points.
The home side did all the early running, but it was Forest who broke the deadlock against the run of play with a first-half strike from striker Chris Wood. Luton rallied and were rewarded for their incessant pressure with an 89th-minute equaliser from Luke Berry.
Fulham 3 v Tottenham Hotspurs 0
Spurs were buoyed in their pursuit of Champions League football next season with a thumping win away to Villa last weekend, narrowing the gap between fourth and fifth to just two points. But that effort looks to have been in vain, as Spurs somehow contrived to put in a lame performance in this London derby.
Two goals from Rodrigo Muniz helped the Cottagers bury a lacklustre Spurs side who had no European distractions in midweek. This takes the former Flamengo striker’s tally to seven goals in the last seven games. Fulham’s other goal was scored by Sasa Lukic in the 49th minute.
Burnley 2 v Brentford 1
Just when Burnley looked down and out in the relegation scrap, they pulled off a vital win that gave them hope. Their points tally still looks dire, as Burnley are still a massive eight points adrift of safety with just nine games remaining. However, both Forest and Everton are facing potential point deductions for off-field misdemeanours, which could be the ultimate decider on which teams go down.
An early penalty dispatched by Jacob Bruun Larsen helped calm home nerves before David Fofana added a second goal in the 62nd minute. Kristoffer Ajer’s late goal gave Brentford a lifeline, but it was a little too late for Thomas Frank’s side. – March 17, 2024
All photos credited to The Guardian
