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Football Extras: Arsenal to face United in FA Cup fourth round

Last updated on: January 08, 2019 14:33 IST

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Joe Willock celebrates after scoring against Blackpool in their FA Cup match on Saturday

IMAGE: Joe Willock celebrates after scoring against Blackpool in their FA Cup match on Saturday. Photograph: Arsenal FC/Twitter

Manchester United will visit Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup at The Emirates Stadium after Monday's draw pitted the two Premier League giants together.

Arsenal with 13 FA Cup wins and United with 12 are the most successful clubs in the world's oldest knockout competition.

Premier League champions ManchesterCity are at home to top-flight strugglers Burnley, while holders Chelsea will take on Sheffield Wednesday or LutonTown at Stamford Bridge.

 

Giant killers Newport County of League Two (fourth tier), who beat Leicester City in the third round, face a trip to second-tier Middlesbrough, managed by Newport-born Tony Pulis.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, who knocked out Premier League leaders Liverpool on Monday, will be away to the winners of the replay between ShrewsburyTown and StokeCity.

Everton face a tricky test at Championship (second tier) side Millwall, while CrystalPalace will host Tottenham Hotspur in an all-London tie.

Non-league Barnet -- the lowest-ranked club left in the competition -- welcome Championship side Brentford.

Fourth round draw

Swansea City v Gillingham

AFC Wimbledon v West Ham United

ShrewsburyTown or StokeCity v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Millwall v Everton

Brighton & Hove Albion v West Bromwich Albion

Bristol City v Bolton Wanderers

Accrington Stanley v DerbyCounty or Southampton

Doncaster Rovers v Oldham Athletic

Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday or Luton Town

Newcastle United or Blackburn Rovers v Watford

Middlesbrough v Newport County

Manchester City v Burnley

Barnet v Brentford

Portsmouth v Queens Park Rangers

Arsenal v Manchester United

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur

Portuguese defender Pepe returns to Porto

Veteran Portugal defender Pepe has returned to Porto after signing a two-and-a-half year deal, the Portuguese champions said on Tuesday.

Pepe, 35, spent three seasons at Porto from 2004-07, winning two league titles before a 30 million-euros ($34.3 million) move to Real Madrid, where he spent the next decade, winning three La Liga crowns and lifting the Champions League trophy three times.

The rugged defender, who will be reunited at Porto with former Real Madrid team mate Iker Casillas, joined Besiktas in 2017 but rescinded his contract with the Turkish club last month.

Porto are six points clear at the top of the Portuguese top flight.

FA opens investigation into Hennessey's alleged Nazi salute

The English Football Association (FA) is looking into an alleged Nazi salute made by Crystal Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey in a group photo with team mates.

Wales international Hennessey was pictured with his right arm in the air in a photo posted on Instagram by Palace's German midfielder Max Meyer.

The 31-year-old has denied making such a salute, claiming on Twitter that he was calling out the person taking the photograph.

"It's been brought to my attention that frozen in a moment by the camera this looks like I am making a completely inappropriate type of salute," Hennessey said.

"I can assure everyone I would never ever do that and any resemblance to that kind of gesture is absolutely coincidental. Love and peace Wayne."

The FA said it is aware of the incident and is now making enquiries.

Meyer had posted the picture following Palace's 1-0 win over League Two side Grimsby Town in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Hennessey, who was recalled to the Palace starting lineup, has won 81 caps for Wales and helped his country to the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

Ribery's profanity-laced social media post prompts outrage

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has been fined by his club for an expletive-laced social media outburst over the weekend as outrage over his comments continued to grow on Monday.

Politicians in Germany waded into the controversy surrounding the 35-year-old French footballer after he launched a profanity-laden attack following a trip to a Dubai restaurant.

Ribery posted a video of himself preparing to eat a large steak covered in gold flakes, but there were many comments critical of his choice, especially from Bayern fans who have to dig deep into their pockets to buy match tickets.

The former France international, who has been involved in several serious off-pitch incidents during his career, responded with a fierce verbal attack on his critics, rarely seen by professional athletes.

"What Ribery eats is his decision but what is not acceptable is his choice of words," Bayern state's interior minister Joachim Herrmann told Bild newspaper on Monday. "As a celebrity you are a role model in some ways."

Other politicians, including members of parliament, have demanded a tougher stance from the club.

Ribery was fined an undisclosed amount on Sunday by Bayern Munich, who said he had not paid for the steak but had been asked to participate in an advertising campaign for the restaurant owned by celebrity chef Salt Bae, during his holiday in Dubai.

"Franck used words which we as FC Bayern Munich cannot accept and which Franck as a role model, as a player of FC Bayern, must never use," Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said.

"I spoke to Franck for a long time yesterday and told him he would receive a hefty fine. He has accepted this punishment."

Villarreal sign Leicester's Iborra to boost survival hopes

Villarreal signed Spanish midfielder Vicente Iborra from LeicesterCity for an undisclosed fee on Monday as they bid to avoid relegation from La Liga.

Iborra joined the Premier League side from Sevilla in 2017, scoring four goals in 37 appearances, and has signed a contract with Villarreal until June 2023.

"At 30-years-old, Iborra is an experienced midfielder who is dominant in the air," Villarreal said in a statement.

"He has quality in front of goal, timing his runs from deep to perfection. He is a prestigious signing for the Yellow Submarine."

Iborra, born near to his new club, in Valencia, joins with Villarreal 17th in the top flight, one point above the drop zone.

Sarri hopes Hudson-Odoi stays at Chelsea

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has urged Callum Hudson-Odoi to rebuff Bayern Munich's advances and stay in England, saying the teenage forward has a "great future" in the Premier League.

The 18-year-old has made one substitute's appearance in the top flight this season among seven outings in all competitions, with those displays and performances for England youth teams attracting the interest of the German champions.

Hudson-Odoi created both goals in Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup third round win over Nottingham Forest with British media reporting that Chelsea have rejected two bids from Bayern for the academy product.

"I don't think (he should move to Bayern) because he's an English player," Sarri told reporters on Monday. "He is very young... and I think he has a very great future here in England with the national team and with Chelsea.

"He is ready (but) I can play with only two wingers. Of course sometimes he will be on the bench, but the same as Willian and Pedro... I can start to consider him on the same level."

Source: REUTERS
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