A Premiership club away - we are more than happy
A Premiership club away - we are more than happy."The third-round draw could see six non-League clubs - all from the Conference - meet League opposition if Northwich Victoria beat Leyton Orient in their second round replay. The winner will play Tottenham, while another David-versus-Goliath confrontation in the best traditions of the tournament will see Morecambe take on Ipswich.Giant-killing dreams apart, the tie of the round will see Fulham put their Premiership credentials to the test when Manchester United make their return to the competition on the weekend of 6 and 7 January. United travel to Craven Cottage to take on the First Division leaders. Peterborough or Oldham will take on Chelsea, who are 11-2 third favourites for the Cup, at Stamford Bridge.Second Division high-fliers Rotherham will travel to Liverpool and Carlisle can take a break from their worries at the bottom of the Third Division when they face Arsenal, who are joint favourites for the Cup with Manchester United at 4-1.Premiership strugglers Bradford and Middlesbrough clash at Valley Parade, and Newcastle take on Aston Villa in the other top-flight encounter.. Peter Taylor has turned to Italy - and the England coach-in-waiting, Sven Goran Eriksson - in an attempt to strengthen his Leicester City squad following the departure of Neil Lennon to Celtic. Peter Taylor has turned to Italy - and the England coach-in-waiting, Sven Goran Eriksson - in an attempt to strengthen his Leicester City squad following the departure of Neil Lennon to Celtic. Taylor is looking at the possibility of taking the striker Roberto Mancini and the midfielder Roberto Baronio on loan from Eriksson's Lazio.
Mancini may only be a short-term option as the former Italian international is now 36, but the 22-year-old Baronio could be a possible successor to Lennon.The England caretaker coach has been in regular contact with Eriksson because of their forthcoming working relationship and it was during talks that the loan deals were suggested."Sven was interested in our success at Leicester and mentioned two players I might be interested in," Taylor said.However, Taylor, who has all the money from Lennon's £5.7m move to spend on new players, is also weighing up the possibility of trawling the lower divisions.Lennon says he is still angry with the former England captain Alan Shearer for a kick in the head two seasons ago. The incident went unpunished on the pitch, but was captured perfectly by television cameras."I will never forget what he did to me. It was certainly the worst challenge I have ever had made on me by a fellow professional footballer," Lennon said."What really rankled with me then, and still does, is the fact that not once did he contact me privately to say sorry."The Liverpool manager, Gérard Houllier, has hinted for the first time that he may be willing to sell his injury-plagued striker Robbie Fowler."All players have their price. Robbie is not on the transfer list, but we look at all our players and assess things when it suits us," Houllier said. "That time may be at the end of the season, or during the season."Houllier last week admitted that he has had to fend off several clubs looking to buy Fowler. "Chelsea have already revealed their interest and we have had enquiries from two or three clubs recently," he said..
At this rate the Ipswich fans' "One-nil to the Tractor Boys" could replace Highbury's "Boring, boring Arsenal" as the Premiership's best self-mocking chant. Marcus Stewart's 10th goal of the season swept George Burley's side back into third place yesterday and condemned Liverpool to their first home defeat since May. At this rate the Ipswich fans' "One-nil to the Tractor Boys" could replace Highbury's "Boring, boring Arsenal" as the Premiership's best self-mocking chant. Marcus Stewart's 10th goal of the season swept George Burley's side back into third place yesterday and condemned Liverpool to their first home defeat since May. Ipswich have now won six away matches - a total that even Manchester United cannot match - and there was nothing agricultural about Stewart's finishing or his team's tactics. Coaxed from midfield by Jim Magilton, who was rejected by Liverpool having failed to make it beyond the bench, they probed neatly before scoring and defended valiantly afterwards.The goal arrived in first-half stoppage time. Stewart, released into the inside-left channel by Jamie Clapham, left Stéphane Henchoz on his backside as he cut across the penalty area in order to put the ball on his favoured, right foot. Having done so, he rounded Sander Westerveld before calmly slotting home from 10 yards.Ipswich were undoubtedly helped by Gérard Houllier's reluctance to use Emile Heskey, who has been terrorising defences at home and abroad, until the final 29 minutes.