Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

Thomas Ince set to hold talks with Swansea City over loan move
Monaco cope without Falcao as victory over Marseille closes gap on PSG
Barcelona 3-0 Málaga
Rooney given special access to Man Utd's transfer secrets
Rayo Vallecano 2-4 Atlético Madrid | La Liga match report
Manchester United turn down Paris Saint-Germain bid for Adnan Januzaj
How Manchester Utd signed Juan Mata
Roberto Martínez emphasises Everton's strength in depth for Liverpool
Liverpool sink Bournemouth as Victor Moses ends personal goal drought
Manchester City survive Watford scare after Pellegrini bares his teeth
Cardiff's FA Cup win over Bolton is timely boost for Old Trafford visit
Southampton's Gallagher shows Osvaldo error of ways against Yeovil
Sunderland hit bore nerve with Gus Poyet as Kidderminster expose flaws
Stuart Gray faces new Sheffield Wednesday role after win at Rochdale
James McClean breaks Wigan duck in fine display against Crystal Palace
Barcelona v Málaga – as it happened | Ian Mccourt
Chelsea fans forget trauma of losing Juan Mata and back José Mourinho | David Hytner
Wayne Rooney kept in loop by David Moyes as Juan Mata deal progressed
Manchester United consider bid for Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye
Internazionale 0-0 Catania
Barclays to review Premier League sponsorship deal
Swansea's Michael Laudrup lauds FA Cup's value after win at Birmingham
Verona 1-3 Roma
Big guns set for Cup showdown
Di Canio criticises 'two-faced' O'Shea

Thomas Ince set to hold talks with Swansea City over loan move

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

• Player given the go-ahead to join a Premier League club
• Blackpool support midfielder's dream to play in top flight

Swansea City are expected to hold talks with Thomas Ince over a loan move after Blackpool announced the attacking midfielder had been granted the go-ahead to join a Premier League club.

Ince, who turns 22 on Thursday, is the son of former England midfielder Paul Ince who was recently sacked as Blackpool's manager. He has been linked with a host of clubs, including Swansea and Monaco, and was left out of Saturday's match against Doncaster Rovers.

Blackpool said in a statement on their website: "Blackpool Football Club can confirm that, following discussions with Thomas Ince and his representative, permission has been given for Thomas to discuss a loan move to a Premier League club.

"Thomas has expressed his ambition to play in the Premier League for the remainder of the season, a decision that the club fully understands and supports."

Ince has made 12 appearances for the England Under-21 side, and is Blackpool's leading scorer with seven goals in the Sky Bet Championship this season.

Monaco cope without Falcao as victory over Marseille closes gap on PSG

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:53 PM PST

• Monaco secure Ligue 1 win despite loss of striker
• Now only three points behind Paris Saint-Germain

Monaco put the disappointment of losing Radamel Falcao behind them as they cut Paris St-Germain's Ligue 1 lead to three points with a 2-0 home win over Marseille.

Valère Germain and Emmanuel Rivière scored each side of the interval to put the team from the principality on 48 points from 22 games.

Paris St-Germain, who will travel to Monaco's Louis II in two weeks' time, have 51 points after conceding a 1-1 draw at En Avant Guingamp on Saturday.

While Falcao's season could well be over after surgery on damaged left knee ligaments, his team-mates put in a solid performance without him against Marseille, who slipped down to ninth on 32 points.

Germain put the hosts ahead four minutes before the break, outpacing Souleymane Diawara before beating Steve Mandanda with a low, diagonal shot.

In the 57th minute Rivière found the back of the net, after collecting Geoffrey Kondogbia's defence-splitting pass, to double the tally.

Barcelona 3-0 Málaga

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:43 PM PST

Barcelona and Atlético Madrid climbed back to the top of La Liga as Barça coasted to a 3-0 victory at home to Málaga and Atlético won 4-2 at Rayo Vallecano.

Real Madrid had claimed the overnight lead through Saturday's 2-0 home win against Granada before Barcelona and Atlético restored their one-point advantage with comfortable wins against outclassed opponents.

The joint leaders have 54 points from 21 matches, with Barça ahead on goal difference. Real are on 53 and Athletic Bilbao trail in fourth on 42 after they thrashed Osasuna 5-1 on Sunday.

The Barcelona fans paid tribute to the veteran midfielder Xavi before kick-off at the Camp Nou after he reached the milestone of 700 games for the Spanish champions this month.

The Spain playmaker turned in a typically impeccable performance, controlling play in the centre, and Málaga were forced to rely on the counter-attack to have any hope of troubling the hosts.

Barcelona's Chile forward Alexis Sánchez clipped the post in the fifth minute and Lionel Messi sent a dinked effort narrowly wide in the 22nd before Gerard Piqué fired in the opener five minutes before half-time.

The Spain centre-back, who scored the equaliser in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Levante, controlled the ball in the area from a Xavi corner and drilled it past the Málaga goalkeeper, Willy Caballero.

Piqué headed against a post from another corner in the 54th minute and moments later Messi freed Pedro on the left of the area and he curled a shot into the corner.

Pedro turned provider just after the hour when he picked up another Messi pass and sent a low centre to the far post where Alexis tapped home.

An easy win was just the tonic Barça needed after a difficult week during which their president, Sandro Rosell, stepped down amid a probe into alleged irregularities in the signing of the Brazil forward Neymar last year.

Rooney given special access to Man Utd's transfer secrets

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:36 PM PST

• Rooney now in contract talks with Manchester United
• David Moyes' approach in sharp contrast to Sir Alex Ferguson's

Wayne Rooney was persuaded to change his mind about leaving Manchester United after being given the kind of privileged access to the club's spending plans that Sir Alex Ferguson had previously denied him, the Guardian can reveal.

Rooney was given advance notice about the £37.1m deal to sign Juan Mata and has also spoken at length to the manager, David Moyes, and the chief executive, Ed Woodward, about their vision of the club under the Glazer family's ownership, in complete contrast to what happened when Ferguson was in charge.

The England striker has been trusted with transfer-market information and kept in the loop about possible signings in a move that acknowledges his importance to the club and a recognition, at the highest level within Old Trafford, that a player of Rooney's stature deserves to know whether a team who have been struggling all season have the financial muscle and ambition to put it right.

The change in tack has had immediate success after Rooney let United know he is open to the idea of extending his contract, which runs out at the end of next season, rather than persisting with his attempts to force a move to Chelsea. Talks are to be held in the next week and the initial noises have been so positive United are quietly optimistic it will end in the player signing a long-term deal that will give him the chance to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's record scorer, with 249 goals.

Rooney, currently on 208, had previously indicated he was concerned about the club's ambitions when he put in a transfer request in October 2010, prompting Ferguson to make it very clear that the player had no right expecting to be involved at that level.

"I told him that to say we weren't ambitious was nonsense," Ferguson says in his latest autobiography. "Wayne said that we should have pursued Mesut Özil. My reply was that it was none of his business who we should have gone for. I told him it was his job to play and perform." David Gill, Woodward's predecessor, left the same message with Rooney and the striker's adviser, Paul Stretford.

The new regime has taken a softer approach and has been happy to speak to Rooney about player acquisitions, not least to allay his obvious concerns at a time when United are seventh in the Premier League and clearly in need of a makeover.

While United would not ordinarily discuss transfers with players, the discussions show an understanding on their part that it would be self-defeating to keep him out of it. Rooney is understood to have appreciated the VIP treatment, without pushing the boundaries too far. He is aware that United will refuse point-blank to do business with Chelsea and, despite José Mourinho's recent comments about him probably being sold abroad, the player has no great desire to move countries.

His relationship with Ferguson had disintegrated during their final season together but that issue is no longer relevant and, importantly, Rooney has expressed his satisfaction about the working conditions Moyes and his coaching staff have put in place. United have also shown a willingness to reward him financially, with reports of the deal being worth £300,000 a week. It may actually be below that figure but Rooney will have a testimonial as part of the agreement and the figures are still significant for a player who will turn 30 next year. Rooney can also expect to be made captain at some point in the next few years.

Mata, in line to make his debut against Cardiff City on Tuesday, is expected to be the only major arrival at Old Trafford in the January window despite their extensive search for new players. United's information is that Luke Shaw, the Southampton left-back, would prefer a move to Chelsea and the club's scouting of Internazionale's Fredy Guarín has left them unsure about exactly how good the midfielder is.

In the meantime Wilfried Zaha's wretched first six months at Old Trafford, not starting a single Premier League match since his £10m move from Crystal Palace, will see him leave the club on loan in the next few days. Cardiff City have beaten off competition from a long list of clubs, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's links with Old Trafford have also helped the Welsh club negotiate a transfer for Fábio da Silva.

Daniel Taylor

Rayo Vallecano 2-4 Atlético Madrid | La Liga match report

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:32 PM PST

Rayo Vallecano 2-4 Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid climbed back above their city rivals Real to the top of La Liga when the Turkey playmaker Arda Turan struck twice in a 4-2 victory at Rayo Vallecano.

Real claimed the overnight lead after Saturday's 2-0 home win over Granada before Atlético restored their one-point advantage with a typically efficient victory in the Madrid suburbs.

The champions, Barcelona, later joined them on 54 points from 21 matches by beating Málaga 3-0 at home in the late kick-off.

Spain's record scorer, David Villa, set Atlético on their way in the eighth minute when he struck a first-time shot high into the net from Diego Costa's neat lay-off.

The Atlético goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved a 12th-minute Jonathan Viera penalty before Arda made it 2-0 on the half-hour after more good work from Costa.

The Brazil-born forward fed José Sosa and, despite having a clear shooting opportunity, he unselfishly squared for Arda to finish into an unguarded net.

Second-to-bottom Rayo, who play attractive football but have a disastrously leaky defence, pulled a goal back in the 40th minute when Viera finished off a sweeping move and Arda scored his second moments before the break.

The stocky midfielder nipped in at the back post and volleyed a deflected Gabi free-kick in from a tight angle.

Costa, the second-highest scorer in La Liga this season behind Cristiano Ronaldo, appeared to have netted his 20th of the campaign in the 75th minute but it was ruled an own-goal, attributed to the Rayo midfielder Saúl Níguez.

Joaquín Larrivey nodded a second for Rayo a minute later and Atlético had to withstand late pressure, forcing Courtois to cap another fine performance with a couple of impressive saves.

Manchester United turn down Paris Saint-Germain bid for Adnan Januzaj

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• United say they will not negotiate over teenage winger
• PSG have £14m offer for Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye rejected

Manchester United have turned down a significant offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Adnan Januzaj in the current transfer window.

The French champions have refused to drop their interest in the 18-year‑old despite him signing his first major contract at Old Trafford in October.

United rejected the offer and have made it clear they do not want to negotiate about a player David Moyes has said is talented enough tobecome one of the great modern-day players.

PSG, who have also had a £14m bid for Newcastle United's Yohan Cabaye rejected, were at the head of an extensive list of major European clubs trying to lure Januzaj away from Old Trafford earlier in the season and had been hoping to capitalise on United's difficult first season under Moyes. They are seventh in the Premier League and out of the FA Cup and Capital One Cup.

United subsequently tied down Januzaj to a contract that recognises the extraordinary potential he has shown in his breakthrough season. The teenager could have earned more at PSG but opted to stay in Manchester, as well as turning down offers from Spain and Italy.

However, PSG have retained their interest at a time when United are not guaranteed the top-four finish that would ensure qualification for next season's Champions League.

How Manchester Utd signed Juan Mata

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

Blues fail to engage United in direct negotiation over Spaniard due to Old Trafford fears about Wayne Rooney's future

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the long, complex process that finally led to a helicopter carrying Juan Mata arriving at Manchester United's training ground on Saturday is that a £37.1m deal can be arranged without as much as a telephone call between the clubs. Several months of positioning, mutual suspicion and political bargaining, and everything was done without a single word being exchanged in person.

Chelsea certainly tried. On more than one occasion, a message reached Ed Woodward, United's chief executive, that the relevant people at Stamford Bridge were open to sitting at the other side of the negotiating table. Each time, he politely declined. Everybody in football knows Chelsea want to sign Wayne Rooney and Woodward reasoned that it would be virtually impossible to keep them sweet on Mata while also informing them they could forget about anything happening the other way.

Instead, the background to the Mata deal is a case study about how complicated and sensitive these big-money arrangements can be, and an insight into the high influence of agents in the modern business. Without them, both clubs recognise the chances of the deal going through were nonexistent. Seven different agents approached United since August to say they could make it happen. As it turned out, they used Mata's father, Juan senior, and Colin Pomford, a Madrid-based agent who specialises in Spanish business going back to Steve McManaman's time at Liverpool and, later, the Rafael Benítez era.

What has never come out before is that United first heard Mata was open to leaving Chelsea, and keen on moving to Manchester, late in the August transfer window, after he had picked up strong vibes from José Mourinho that he would be used only sparingly. Woodward never actively followed it up because of the Rooney situation. He did, however, establish that David Moyes liked the player.

Their next information – after the window closed – was that Mata was so unhappy he had been to see the top people at Chelsea, among them Roman Abramovich, and been given a verbal agreement that if he carried on being left out of the team, and maintained his professionalism, he would be allowed to leave in January. Chelsea would later harden that into a written agreement that included a €45m buyout and – possibly still thinking about the Rooney issue – one proviso: that the figure could not be activated by United.

That could easily have been the end of the deal. Except Mata and his father went back to Stamford Bridge, once it became clear there was interest from Old Trafford, and asked for the condition to be removed. One of the people involved in the negotiations has told this newspaper that Mata and Abramovich are "almost like friends". Mata had kept to his side, bar one fit of pique after being substituted, and Abramovich respected that.

Chelsea gave him a verbal promise, but nothing in writing, and then sent a message, via Pomford, that maybe it was time the two clubs met face to face. Woodward said no. He simply did not want to risk changing the temperature by getting involved in any talks about Rooney and, with nothing in writing, he was not willing to take any chances about the price suddenly going up.

A separate message came back to United that Chelsea would welcome an official bid on a specific day. Woodward declined again. Instead, his lawyers faxed through a "transfer agreement" informing Chelsea that United had met the buy-out clause and would pay the money, as stipulated, in three parts.

But the game of cat and mouse continued. Chelsea indicated again they wanted to talk and would even let Mata travel to Manchester to take his medical. Except Woodward knew, again, that Rooney would crop up and potentially kibosh the whole deal. "He couldn't risk it," according to one source. So he sat tight, while Mata and the relevant agents went to work behind the scenes. Then Mourinho went public that Mata could leave and that was always going to speed up the process. Finally, the deal was closed on Saturday.

For Woodward, it is the biggest coup of his time in charge at Old Trafford. United have been accused of panic-buying and maybe, in light of the new detail, that is an unfair slant to put on it. The club had, however, advised journalists to "ignore" any speculation about Mata earlier in January, and sources say they still felt as recently as Tuesday that it was far more likely to happen, if at all, in the summer.

If Mata still feels like a strange buy, it is largely because Moyes has insisted for several months that all he wants is a central midfielder and a left-back. Questions about Mata were knocked back on the basis United already had Wayne Rooney and Shinji Kagawa for the No10 position, in line with the club's explanation for not challenging Arsenal for the signature of Mesut Özil.

So why Mata and not Özil? Timing, basically. Özil was offered to United in the first week of the summer transfer window, but Moyes had barely seen Kagawa at that point and wanted to learn more about a player about whom Sir Alex Ferguson had left glowing reports. As it has turned out, Kagawa has been disappointing. United, however, would prefer to keep him for now, not least because Mata is ineligible in the Champions League.

Daniel Taylor

Roberto Martínez emphasises Everton's strength in depth for Liverpool

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Everton manager plays down long list of injured players
• Martínez puts his faith in the fringe players

Momentum, rather than points, will be the most significant reward for the winners of Tuesday night's Merseyside derby, according to Roberto Martínez.

"Being able to play in the manner that we can do away from home in one of the hardest grounds from our point of view would be a massive achievement," said the Everton manager, after watching his much-altered side recover from seeing their team-mate Bryan Oviedo suffer a double fracture of his left leg early in the game to dismantle their League One opposition.

Almost as impressive in what he had to say afterwards as his team had been on a soft but not unplayable pitch, Martínez played down an injury list that is requiring him to demonstrate the depth of his squad to its fullest.

Oviedo joins Seamus Coleman, Antolín Alcaraz, Ross Barkley, Steven Pienaar, Gerard Deulofeu, Darron Gibson and Arouna Koné among those currently unavailable but, unlike Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers at Bournemouth earlier on Saturday, Martínez was still prepared to rest key players, such as Romelu Lukaku. While the bloodied and momentarily dazed Liverpool central defender Martin Skrtel was stapled together and sent back out to complete the game at the Goldsands Stadium, Martínez felt able to substitute Phil Jagielka at half-time as a precaution.

Different opposition of course, and asked whether the fact Rodgers had played what amounted to a full strength lineup, with Daniel Sturridge, Luis Suárez and Steven Gerrard all completing 90 minutes, meant the Blues might have an advantage at Anfield, Martínez shook his head.

"No. I think top players have the mentality to play three games a week. If anything there is a risk of injury, that's what you pick up at the end of the month, but it's not going to have an effect on the game at all."

To those looking in from the outside, however, Martínez appears to have more belief in his fringe players than his opposite number. Sylvain Distin, still recovering from a hamstring injury, is considered touch and go for Tuesday, and John Heitinga, who came on for Jagielka, is expected to be sold beforehand, but Martínez said the 19-year-old John Stones would cope with the occasion.

"When John came to the club [from Barnsley this time last year] he was more a right-back, but I always see him more as a centre-half and he's ready now, I think his performances against Southampton and Stoke and Norwich made it clear he is ready and I wouldn't have a problem with him playing at all."

Lacina Traoré, the tall Ivorian striker whose signing on loan from Monaco until the end of the season was completed on Friday, will not figure.

"We'll assess him, but I'm not too worried about him making Tuesday or not, more about being able to have him fully fit for the remainder of the season," Martínez said. "Especially probably the last nine games, that's where I really see him being important, because Romelu Lukaku, obviously he cannot play against Chelsea, so it's important [Traoré] is fully fit for that period."

Steven Naismith, who scored Everton's first two goals, was another to demonstrate his worth and the quick feet of former Celtic and Spartak Moscow winger Aiden McGeady, making his first start for the club, had the Everton fans in raptures.

While he is unlikely to get as much room in the Premier League as he did to run at the Stevenage defence, the manner in which he repeatedly left the unfortunate full-back Peter Hartley floundering suggests the Republic of Ireland international will add another dimension to the Everton attack.

The prospect of Martínez becoming the first manager to retain the FA Cup while managing a different club is now a very real one, with a home draw against Swansea City in the fifth round to come. "What's important is the group has a real competitive edge and the squad is big enough to face the competition," the former Wigan Athletic manager said.

"From now until the end of the season, would being involved in every round of the FA Cup stop us from being successful in the league? The answer is no. We need to go as far as possible in the FA Cup to fulfil our potential in the league, that's how strongly I feel that could help us."

Man of the match Aiden McGeady (Everton)

Richard Rae

Liverpool sink Bournemouth as Victor Moses ends personal goal drought

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Selfless Luis Suárez assists both Liverpool goals
• Brendan Rodgers is keen to strengthen 'thin squad'

While Victor Moses is too young to be drinking in the last chance saloon quite yet, the next few months are likely to have a significant impact on his career. If Moses manages a consistent run of form between now and the end of the season, he may be given the chance to keep supping the high life at Liverpool. But if he continues flattering to deceive, he may have to settle for a pint and a packet of crisps down the local. Closing time is approaching and it remains to be seen where he will end up.

The 23-year-old winger has struggled to settle since joining Liverpool on a season-long loan from Chelsea and he has not started a league game since the 3-1 defeat at Hull City on 1 December. An apparently shrewd signing by Brendan Rodgers, Moses' form has tailed off so drastically that his days at Anfield looked numbered at the start of January after he was substituted at half-time in the 2-0 win over Oldham Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup.

Yet Rodgers believes in a player whose potential at Wigan Athletic persuaded Chelsea to buy him two summers ago and his faith was rewarded by Moses' improved performance in Liverpool's awkward 2-0 victory at Bournemouth in the fourth round. This has to be the start. The top clubs settle for nothing but the best every week and Rodgers' praise for Moses was laced with a warning about the consequences of failing to knuckle down.

"For Victor it is very simple," the Liverpool manager said. "He wants to remain in a position that he will remain at a big club, whether it is Chelsea or Liverpool. There is no bigger motivation than that. In order to do that he needs to be performing day in day out in training.

"If he does really well for us there is a possibility we will want to have him permanently but ultimately it is Chelsea's decision because he is their player. And if he has done really well, then they will want to keep him. When you sample the life of the big institutions like Liverpool, then there's not many that want to leave.

"I have seen improvements in his training. If the top players are training nine or 10 out of 10 every day and you have players who are five or maybe six out of 10 every day, then they are not ready to train with them, never mind play games with them. So you have to get them up to the level."

Moses's goal in the 26th minute, his first since his debut last September, came at an important time for Liverpool, alleviating concerns about the way they were being outplayed by Eddie Howe's vibrant Bournemouth. Set up by Luis Suárez, Moses cut inside from the left and drilled a low shot past Lee Camp from the edge of the area to offer a reminder of his talent. Daniel Sturridge later killed off the Championship side's hopes of an upset after another assist from Suárez.

Perhaps Moses is at the right club because Liverpool are maturing collectively. Last season they were knocked out in the fourth round by Oldham and they had to be resilient to withstand a first-half barrage from Bournemouth. Jordan Henderson feels that will help in their quest to finish in the top four. "I think our mentality is changing all the time," the midfielder said. "The winning mentality is coming. We are not easy to play against and we hate losing. So we just have to keep that going."

That may be easier said than done. Although Liverpool are fourth in the Premier League, their squad has been stretched to the limit by injuries and they go into Tuesday's derby against Everton potentially missing seven senior players. Joe Allen was absent with a knock at the weekend and Rodgers admitted that it may be a risk to involve the midfielder against Roberto Martínez's side, who are a point behind Liverpool.

With that in mind, it is easy to understand Rodgers' frustration about being gazumped by Chelsea for the Basel winger Mohamed Salah whose move to Stamford Bridge was completed on Sunday. Yet Rodgers will not be forced into panic buying this month.

"We'd always want to strengthen," he said. "But if I don't, it won't be because the club hasn't tried. It's getting the right types of players. I think our squad has been thin most of the season. We've just been unfortunate we've had a number of injuries. If I have to work with what I've got, then we will do what I have done all season, maximise what we can get out of them. We know the other squads are massive." In that context Moses will get a chance to prove himself. The rest is up to him.

Man of the match Luis Suárez (Liverpool)

Jacob Steinberg

Manchester City survive Watford scare after Pellegrini bares his teeth

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Manager was irate after his side trailed 2-0 at half-time
• Sergio Agüero's hat-trick pulls team back from brink

After a first half that represented a return to the flat Manchester City of last season the usually relaxed Manuel Pellegrini was irate. In the dressing room at the interval the Chilean let his players know that to trail 2-0 to a 16th-placed Championship club was just not on.

"I was very angry because I know what happens in these kind of games if you play the way we did," the manager said. "I didn't lose my temper – it's important to think of the best way to react for the team. [This] was another way because I felt the team needed something else."

Pellegrini said it had been his side's poorest half of the season. "We didn't create any chances to score, they scored two goals and had at least two more chances. We were always very open to the counter-attack and we didn't have a lot of movement to create space," he said.

After Fernando Forestieri and Troy Deeney had both taken full advantage of poor defending from Martín Demichelis, City were staring at the end of their quadruple dream. Yet Pellegrini drew the response he required by introducing Vincent Kompany for Jack Rodwell – pushing Demichelis into the latter's midfield berth – and Pablo Zabaleta for Micah Richards.

It pleased him. "Yes, of course. I changed just two [players] but we changed absolutely the character of the team and that was also important," Pellegrini said. "I think maybe in the first half we didn't give 100% and that's impossible in football today. But in the second half when we wanted it we could, and that's very important."

City's comeback was an illustration of how Pellegrini has mentally reinvigorated players who last season might have folded. "That's why it's a touch of attention [warning] for the team, a lesson for the whole squad," he said. "But it also demonstrates that this team has enough trust to believe what they can do if they play in the way they must. This experience will happen every year in cup games because normally the players don't believe it will be so difficult. But the most important thing is the way they react and that gives me another way that this team can win."

It helps, of course, to have a player of Sergio Agüero's calibre. After a month out with a calf injury, the Argentinian striker resumed the flying form of beforehand and his second-half hat-trick made it five goals in three appearances since returning. He has now scored 25 goals in 24 matches and Pellegrini believes he could soon join Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as one of the world's very best.

Pellegrini added: "It's what we are trying to do. It wasn't easy for Sergio to come back from his injury. That's why I said it was not the idea to give him 90 minutes but we needed him the whole match and he played without a problem. He makes the difference. In two or three matches he will continue improving because it's always difficult to come back from a calf injury. He's a very young player who has a lot of things to improve. He has the quality to be among the best players but that depends on what he wants to reach in his career."

Agüero's first two efforts drew City level before Aleksandar Kolarov's 25-yard pot-shot squirmed through the hands of the Watford goalkeeper, Jonathan Bond. It was then left to Agüero to complete the victory with a far-post header.

Steven Jovetic came on for Marcos Lopes in the 57th minute to continue his comeback from the injury nightmare that has blighted the start of his City career. "It's been so difficult. I got one injury, then another," he said. "The problem was I came to Hong Kong [for a pre-season tournament], whereas in South Africa the players had been working three times a day. I didn't start at the beginning of the pre-season, so when I played games I was always a bit behind everyone else.

All this time I've been working hard, in the gym, outside. But now finally I feel good and ready to help."We'll need all the players fit. In this team all the players are important. There's a lot of ga I've wanted to score but I also need to say thank you to the guys. They've done so well in the Premier League – and we are playing Barcelona in the Champions League.

mes - so hopefully we'll win a lot of trophies."

Man of the match Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)

Jamie Jackson

Cardiff's FA Cup win over Bolton is timely boost for Old Trafford visit

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Andy Lonergan's fumble led to only goal
• Solskjaer keen to change mindset for Tuesday

Old Trafford has never wavered in its affection for the man who delivered the European Cup in 1999. "When we've watched United games over the years back in Norway I've nudged the kids to say: 'They are still singing about your dad,'" Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says. Nor, the Cardiff City manager adds, has the arena's capacity to intimidate diminished. "I don't agree it has lost its aura."

Manchester United away was the first fixture that Solskjaer looked for when he replaced Malky Mackay as Cardiff manager and the reunion comes in the Premier League on Tuesday. Success so far has come exclusively in the FA Cup, with Saturday's slender victory at Bolton Wanderers the Norwegian's second win at the helm of the league's bottom club.

Cardiff were indebted to a goalkeeping error from Bolton's Andy Lonergan for their place in round five, the substitute Fraizer Campbell converting after the ball was dropped at his feet early in the second half. The win sparked jubilant scenes from Solskjaer and the noisy hordes from south Wales but, while the manager proclaimed this a jolt of much needed confidence, there was more encouragement in the visitors' laboured display for the watching David Moyes.

Solskjaer will ring the changes at Old Trafford, having rested Steven Caulker and Gary Medel throughout the fourth round tie and reacted to a poor first half display by introducing Campbell and Craig Noone at the interval. Solskjaer's former club may be fragile and scarred by four league defeats and two demoralising cup exits on home soil this season but Sir Alex Ferguson's "baby-faced assassin" does not share the view of an empire crumbling.

"It was always going to be tough [after Ferguson's retirement]," he said. "Because when you come in and have new ideas, or make even subtle changes, it will take time. Manchester United is a club which will give David Moyes time."

Solskjaer added: "To go to Old Trafford is a dream for many footballers and sometimes that can be daunting for teams and players. It's my job to make sure that it isn't daunting for my players. We went to Manchester City last week and did well for long periods but we started off badly. That mind-set we hope to change. It's a great chance to do it against Manchester United."

Cardiff's manager has used his Old Trafford connections to agree loan deals for Wilfried Zaha and Fábio da Silva, while Kenwyne Jones is arriving from Stoke City in an exchange for Peter Odemwingie. Attacking quality was in painfully short supply at The Reebok, much to Dougie Freedman's frustration with Bolton unable to capitalise on several half chances to amend for last weekend's 7-1 mauling at Reading.

Man of the match David Marshall (Cardiff City)

Andy Hunter

Southampton's Gallagher shows Osvaldo error of ways against Yeovil

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Teenager and Do Prado impress with goals and attitude
• Club record buyout following latest clash with team-mate

Mauricio Pochettino must decide whether the right thing to do is accept that he was wrong. Southampton's manager thought he could help change Dani Osvaldo. He staked part of his reputation on his ability to do so when the club paid a record £15m to sign the striker from Roma last summer despite knowing Osvaldo's turbulent past, which included twice being punished for fighting with team-mates.

The manager's confidence was understandable – after all, he had worked successfully with the striker for a season at Espanyol in 2010-11 – but his judgment looks dubious in the wake of Osvaldo's latest ban, which was imposed by Southampton after a training ground clash between the striker and José Fonte last week.

When Fonte, sporting a black eye, left the dugout to warm up during this victory against Yeovil Town, the home supporters cheered, showing whose side they are on. Most of Southampton's players also support the Portuguese defender.

Pochettino must now determine whether persisting with Osvaldo could prove damaging to his team's camaraderie and his standing as manager. The wisest thing to do could be to sell or loan out the striker before the transfer window closes. Osvaldo may never play again for Southampton.

Pochettino has got enough right during his year at St Mary's to be able to survive the loss of face involved in discarding Osvaldo so soon after the player's arrival. It helps, in one way, that Southampton have shown they can do without the player on the pitch. Osvaldo may come good but he has made little impact on the Premier League so far, his three goals a paltry return on the club's extravagant investment.

He was intended as a long-term replacement for Rickie Lambert but the 31-year-old remains a far more reliable threat to opponents. Meanwhile, Jay Rodriguez has blossomed this season to become the team's top scorer. Osvaldo has become a back-up player and as such cannot afford to make himself too burdensome.

Guly do Prado and Sam Gallagher gave a demonstration against Yeovil of what is expected from back-up players. Do Prado has endured a harrowing two years with injury and loss of form but his attitude has always remained positive and his popularity within the squad was apparent when his team-mates insisted that he take the penalty awarded to Southampton in the 23rd minute for a handball by Jamie McAllister. He scored.

The Brazilian was later replaced by Gallagher and the 18-year-old produced a smart finish to claim his first senior goal and secure Southampton's win. The last time Yeovil lost here was in 2011, when the last goal in a 3-0 win was scored by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Gallagher's goal and all-round performance showed that the Saints' nursery is not drying up.

"Sam has been training with Rickie and Jay Rodriguez and the other first-team strikers so he is improving," said the assistant manager, Jesús Pérez. "He's still young so he needs to develop his body and abilities but obviously he is a great talent. He has a good future."

Man of match Sam Gallagher (Southampton)

Paul Doyle

Sunderland hit bore nerve with Gus Poyet as Kidderminster expose flaws

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Premier League side begin vital run in sloppy fashion
• Non-league opponents disappointed not to earn replay

Gus Poyet is the sort of manager who spends countless hours scrutinising DVDs of his team's matches but there are exceptions to every rule. "I won't be watching this game again," said Sunderland's manager. "The game was boring, very boring and it was difficult to watch. I don't want to analyse it."

Charis Mavrias's shot into the bottom corner had given his side a fourth-minute lead after a rare error from the otherwise outstanding Josh Gowling. Thereafter an impressive Kidderminster defended brilliantly and very nearly equalised through the substitute Frederick Ladapo but his late shot swerved fractionally the wrong side of the far post.

Sluggish, slapdash and alarmingly low tempo, Sunderland had plenty of possession but used the ball very badly where it mattered. "We couldn't cross properly and we couldn't have a shot on target," conceded Poyet, who looked mightily relieved to avoid a replay and see his side safely through to the fifth round. "That is nothing to do with positions, that is all to do with you, the ball and quality."

The Uruguayan has been criticised for configuring the Capital One Cup finalists in assorted variations of the lone-striker system, some pundits feeling Sunderland's key striker, Steven Fletcher, would be better suited to a 4-4-2 formation.

Here Fletcher was one of 10 players rested after Wednesday's League Cup semi-final triumph at Manchester United but, in his place, Jozy Altidore laboured horribly as an attacking spearhead.

When Altidore won a late header cheers erupted. They came heavily laden with sarcasm, a damning indictment of the £6.5m Sunderland's former director of football Roberto De Fanti invested in the United States striker.

In all, seven of the 14 players signed by the recently sacked De Fanti for a collective £30m last summer started against Andy Thorn's non-leaguers on Saturday. The young Greece winger Mavrias apart, none really impressed, with Altidore and the £8m Italy international Emanuele Giaccherini particular disappointments.

By contrast Kidderminster's principal striker Michael Gash – who forced Sunderland's debutant Argentinian goalkeeper Oscar Ustari into an important first-half save after a bad mistake by Giaccherini – their immensely influential midfielder Kyle Storer and the solidly imposing central defenders, Mickey Demetriou and Gowling, were four of the best players on view.

Storer and friends produced a performance for the near 5,000 strong contingent of away fans to treasure and which Kidderminster's manager hopes can provide a springboard for a spring-time return to the Football League via the play-offs.

Thorn, an FA Cup winner with Wimbledon in 1988, summed it up well. "We're a Conference team at a Premier League team and I'm bitterly disappointed we're not taking Sunderland back to our place."

The concern for Poyet is that although his best XI – a side built around a nucleus of players signed by Steve Bruce and Martin O'Neill who, in several cases, were found wanting in the past and have variously been described as "rotten" and "cowards" by Paolo Di Canio, Poyet's predecessor – is improving, it remains deeply inconsistent.

With the understudies hardly putting together a coherent case for promotion, Poyet must trust the sort of performances his team gave in beating Manchester United over two legs in the League Cup can be replicated during a tricky set of Premier League fixtures.

Before their Wembley date with Manchester City on 2 March, Sunderland face Stoke City at home, Newcastle United away, Hull City at home and then City and Arsenal away. With a fifth-round FA Cup tie also to be played, this will be a pivotal, season-defining four weeks which may determine whether Sunderland run out at the national stadium having a decent chance of avoiding relegation or as a side all but condemned to Championship football next season.

Man of the match Kyle Storer (Kidderminster Harriers)

Louise Taylor

Stuart Gray faces new Sheffield Wednesday role after win at Rochdale

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• Stuart Gray's managerial post will be under director of football
• Sheffield Wednesday's fine run continues in win at Rochdale

It seems typical of Stuart Gray's peculiar path through football management that even before Milan Mandaric had finally confirmed his permanent appointment as Dave Jones's successor at Sheffield Wednesday – in the distinctly unswanky surroundings of the away dressing room at Spotland on Saturday teatime – the Owls owner had given an interview to the club's YouTube channel confirming his desire to make Gray answerable to a new director of football.

Gray has been in and out of the caretaker's office on a regular basis since he first worked under Jones at Southampton more than a decade ago, succeeding Glenn Hoddle at both St Mary's and Wolverhampton Wanderers in addition to spells in charge of Aston Villa, Burnley and Portsmouth. So he knew the drill when Jones was sacked by Mandaric in early December with Wednesday six points adrift at the bottom of the Championship table, got his head down and set about making his point.

He could not have started better, with a home win against Leicester City, and after Wednesday came through a second potentially tricky away tie to reach the last 16 of the Cup for the second time this century – this time not even requiring a replay, as they had to dispose of non-league Macclesfield Town – his record now stands at six wins and four draws from 12 matches.

"I am extremely happy that things have turned out exactly the way I wanted from day one," said Mandaric. "Of course results are the most important to get us out of a horrible situation, but also the way they have played shows Stuart is the right man.".

However, the contract Gray signed at Spotland, which runs until the summer of 2016, is as head coach, not manager. "We are looking at a modern type of management and structure … to allow the room for bringing in a director of football," Mandaric explained.

"It's a big club and it needs to go places. This modern structure, Premiership clubs have gone in that direction, and I don't think we should be different. It's not focusing on that now, but I'm looking at what could happen in the future."

Wednesday's Championship position is still precarious, only two points clear of the relegation zone with games against two of the teams in it, Millwall and Barnsley, this week. Dale have also enjoyed the Cup but play the first of "19 cup finals", according to their pleasingly unorthodox manager, Keith Hill, in a bid to secure promotion from League Two at Northampton Town, the only club where Gray has been appointed manager without a caretaker stint, on Tuesday night.

Man of the match: Oguchi Onyewu (Sheffield Wednesday)

Andy Wilson

James McClean breaks Wigan duck in fine display against Crystal Palace

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST

• McClean stars as Wigan rise to FA Cup challenge again
• Limp Crystal Palace sent packing at DW Stadium

The FA Cup still seems to bring the best out of Wigan Athletic, the holders who made somewhat awkward underdogs in reaching the fifth round at the expense of Premier League Crystal Palace.

Several of the heroes from Wembley last May caught the eye: Ben Watson scored the opening goal and Callum McManaman and Roger Espinoza made significant contributions, but it was a player still on Sunderland's books at the end of last season who made the difference.

James McClean has officially never scored for Wigan before – he thought he had opened his account at Sheffield Wednesday last month only to see the game abandoned due to heavy rain – but could have had a hat-trick against Palace.

He had already seen a shot go close before his accurate cross led to Watson opening the scoring, he cut in from the left to provide the goal that settled the contest after Aaron Wilbraham had levelled the scores, and right at the end he broke away with Nick Powell unmarked in support and rather selfishly wasted the clearest opportunity of the game by shooting far too close to Julián Speroni. McClean has always been unpredictable, that was one of the reasons his career on Wearside did not work out, but his pace and stamina can cause problems for most defences.

The Irishman ought to score more goals, and a player who had gone a year without finding the net could probably be forgiven for going all out for a second in stoppage time, though a simple pass to Powell would have led to the scoreline Uwe Rösler insisted his players deserved.

"We should have put the game to bed before we did," the Wigan manager said. "We created enough chances."

Tony Pulis said his players gave it a go, in which case you really would not wish to see a Palace performance when they were unconcerned about the result. The only Londoners who appeared to be up for the Cup were the thousand or so making a constant din in the North Stand. On the pitch Palacestruggled to bring any Premier League quality to bear, and what little appetite for a contest they demonstrated was further diminished by a nasty injury to Jonathan Parr just before the interval. The Norwegian full-back collided with McManaman in mid-air, fell awkwardly and ended up in hospital after seven minutes of treatment on the pitch.

The Palace manager was on stronger ground when he said neither side wanted a replay. Proof of that was seen in the second half when both managers made double attacking substitutions. Wilbraham and Dwight Gayle earned Palace an equaliser within four minutes, obliging Rösler to send on Powell and Marc-Antoine Fortuné in search of a winner. While the Palace fans were up in arms over a supposed penalty appeal near the end, when Emmerson Boyce got away with a slight tug on Gayle, Pulis reacted with a broad smile.

"Some of the decisions didn't go our way," he said. "We are disappointed, but that can happen in a cup tie."

Man of the match James McClean (Wigan Athletic)

Paul Wilson

Barcelona v Málaga – as it happened | Ian Mccourt

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 01:52 PM PST

Minute-by-minute report: Barcelona cruised to a win over Malaga in the Camp Nou thanks to goals from Pedro, Piqué and Alexis

Ian McCourt

Chelsea fans forget trauma of losing Juan Mata and back José Mourinho | David Hytner

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 01:08 PM PST

The Spanish playmaker's £37.1m sale to Manchester United failed to raise voices of dissent against Stoke at Stamford Bridge

If, at any point over the past two seasons, Juan Mata had been sold to Manchester United, it is safe to say there would have been uproar among Chelsea supporters. Imagine if Rafael Benítez, the former stop-gap manager, had presided over the deal. Mutiny would not have covered it.

And yet, as Chelsea entered the post-Mata era, following Friday's confirmation of his £37.1m move to Old Trafford, with the most comprehensive of 1-0 FA Cup victories over Stoke City at Stamford Bridge, there was barely a flicker.

There was one message of thanks to Mata scrawled on a small white sign held aloft by a supporter and that, in terms of acknowledgment of the sale, was that. There was no dissent, no protest and, if that reflected in part how Mata's fortunes have plummeted this season, it also reinforced where the fans' faith has come to lie.

José Mourinho said afterwards that it was not him but the club who sanctioned the deal and, moreover, he intimated that they were powerless to resist once the scale of the United offer was clear and Mata had made plain his desire to move. Mourinho was kidding nobody. If he did not want to lose the Spanish No10, he would not have lost him.

Mata, the player of the year in his two full Chelsea seasons and the one-time king of Stamford Bridge, is gone but the king endures. There has been a trend to laud particular players with song in the minute of the match that corresponds to their shirt number but, in minute 10 here, there was only a chant from the Matthew Harding Stand for Mourinho. The timing was entirely coincidental but it seemed telling.

Mourinho is reshaping this squad in his image, with Mata and Kevin De Bruyne out – the latter to Wolfsburg – and Michael Essien going to Milan, and Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah arriving from Benfica and Basel respectively. Mata and De Bruyne fetched good money but they were dispensable and Essien is at the end of the line. Matic offers greater balance in midfield while Mourinho sees the possibility to mould Salah into an incisive but disciplined attacking midfielder.

The Matic transfer stands as the perfect illustration of Mourinho's control. It is difficult to imagine too many clubs being happy to take a player for £20.75m that they shipped out three years previously in a part-exchange, when he was valued at £3m. That is some mark-up and it has to raise questions about Chelsea's long-term planning.

How did the executives justify the change in thinking on the imposing midfielder to the owner, Roman Abramovich? Were there red faces? It did not matter. Mourinho wanted him and other concerns were overridden. Mourinho, of course, was not the manager who sold Matic to Benfica, as part of the David Luiz transfer. So he will not hear accusations about any perceived lack of joined-up thinking.

Matic was very good here, on his full Chelsea debut. In his first spell at the club he had made appearances off the bench in 4-0, 5-0 and 8-0 wins and he came on the previous Sunday in the 3-1 victory over Manchester United.

Starting alongside Frank Lampard in front of the back four, Matic caught the eye at the outset although, given his size, it was difficult to miss him. He won the ball and he moved it sharply, looking to drive his team forward rather than take the safe, square option. His confidence was striking; his touch sometimes silky but always assured.

Matic was once the bait for David Luiz; now he is the big fish. Although both players started here – David Luiz alongside Gary Cahill at centre-half – Matic could replace the Brazilian in Mourinho's strongest team. The manager seems to prefer John Terry with Cahill in central defence. Terry has played every minute in the Premier League this season.

The Chelsea crowd enjoyed themselves, largely because they got to watch Eden Hazard. The Belgian winger was electric and it was no exaggeration to say he sparked danger every time he received the ball. With Oscar and André Schürrle also to the fore, all power and quick breaks, there was ample evidence as to why Mata is now a former Chelsea attacking-midfielder.

Mourinho tried to tug on the heart-strings when he articulated his sadness at the inability to make Mata happy. "I gave him nothing and I'm sorry for that," Mourinho said. "But I went in one direction."

Mata is the collateral damage. It is the sign of a strong club that the manager can take difficult decisions and hardly anyone complains.

David Hytner

Wayne Rooney kept in loop by David Moyes as Juan Mata deal progressed

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 12:48 PM PST

• Rooney now in contract talks with Manchester United
• Moyes' approach in sharp contrast to Ferguson's

Daniel Taylor

Manchester United consider bid for Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 12:40 PM PST

• Frenchman valued at £25m by north-east club
• PSG have £14m offer for midfielder rejected

Manchester United are considering a bid for Yohan Cabaye, who is valued at £25m by Newcastle United, in the last days of the transfer window, though the champions face competition from Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. The French club have had a £14m offer for Cabaye rejected.

David Moyes' priority is to strengthen his midfield and, though Cabaye is not considered by the United manager to be in the highest bracket of player, the 28-year-old is proven in the Premier League and a France international who, it is felt inside Old Trafford, would help United's push for a Champions League place.

While United would price Cabaye at less than £25m, the club's hierachy recognise that a premium will have to be paid to attract players, as was shown by their willingness to spend £37.1m on Juan Mata.

PSG currently value Cabaye at far less than the asking price, while Arsenal had what Alan Pardew, the Newcastle manager, described as a "derisory" £10.2m offer rejected for the Frenchman last summer. Arsène Wenger, though, remains interested in taking him to the club.

Moyes also retains an interest in the Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos and attended the German champions' game against Borussia Monchengladbach, where he was spotted speaking with Kroos's agent Sascha Breese, over the weekend.

Kroos's contract expires at the end of next season and it is thought he would cost around £20m-£25m. Mario Mandzukic, the Bayern striker, is also being monitored by Moyes.

Jamie Jackson

Internazionale 0-0 Catania

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST

Serie A: Internazionale 0-0 Catania

Inter became the first team this season to drop points at home to bottom club Catania, as they were held to a dismal goalless draw after a week in which fans publicly protested against the club's new Indonesian leadership. The result leaves Inter fifth, eleven points behind Napoli in the third Champions League spot.

Much of the match was played in an eerily quiet stadium with the Curva Nord barely raising a murmur, and coach Walter Mazzarri was quick to comment on the subdued atmosphere after the match.

"There are lots of factors that come into play when you evaluate a performance," Mazzarri told reporters. "The lads we have here aren't used to playing with this sort of pressure. They need support at home and at times it was like we were playing behind closed doors."

"If you've played the game you know the sort of situation I'm talking about. When we put Catania under the cosh, the crowd came alive: that's what we need all the time."

"The players are under a lot of pressure," said Mazzarri. "It's not about their age - I'm talking about players who are at a club where results are expected."

Inter pulled out of a deal to swap midfielder Fredy Guarin for Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic following protests by fans outside the club's offices. The Colombian was not included in the squad for Sunday's match and his Inter future is uncertain.

The fan group Curva Nord also issued a statement criticising new club president Erick Thohir, saying they wanted to hear less business talk and telling him to get more involved in the running of the club. Thohir, who made a rare San Siro appearance on Sunday, has watched most games on television from Indonesia since taking over from Massimo Moratti in November.

Mazzarri added: "The club knows what I asked for in the transfer window. I hope they can do those things, but if they don't then we'll continue working with this group."

"This is said to be a transition year, so I ask the Curva and our fans again to give us a hand because we need them."

There was better news for Inter's city rivals, as Milan came from a goal down at Cagliari to win 2-1, courtesy of two dramatic late goals. Mario Balotelli's free kick levelled the scores after 87 minutes, before Giampaolo Pazzini headed the winning goal two minutes later.

Barclays to review Premier League sponsorship deal

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST

Bank fears rapid inflation in sports sponsorship costs will mean a much higher amount will be demanded in the future

The future of Barclays' sponsorship of English football's Premier League has been cast into doubt by reports it will review its £40m-a-year deal.

The bank's current contract is in the first year of a three year tie-up that runs until the end of the 2015-16 football season.

Members of Barclays' management are concerned that rapid inflation in sports sponsorship costs will mean a much higher amount will be demanded next time, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Barclays has been the sponsor of the Premier League since 2004 – and its credit card division, Barclaycard, had previously sponsored the competition from 2001. The bank paid £120m in 2012 for the present rights, 50% more than for the previous deal, which cost £82m.

In December, Barclays said it was pulling out of sponsoring Boris Johnson's bicycle hire scheme in central London as part of a wider review.

Simon Goodley

Swansea's Michael Laudrup lauds FA Cup's value after win at Birmingham

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 11:15 AM PST

• FA Cup progress will breed confidence, says Michael Laudrup
• Rejigged Hull line-up overcomes Southend hurdle

Michael Laudrup dismissed the idea that the FA Cup would act as a distraction from Swansea City's Premier League survival hopes after his side came from behind to win 2-1 at Birmingham City.

Swansea recovered from a dismal first half in Saturday's fourth-round tie to secure a spot in the fifth round, where they visit Everton. Lee Novak gave the Championship side a deserved lead, but the substitute Wilfried Bony's two quick goals turned the game around to give the visitors victory.

Laudrup, the Swansea manager, acknowledged that some will view his team's FA Cup and Europa League commitments as a distraction, but he is happy for his squad to challenge on as many fronts as possible.

"This result gives us confidence, even if this is another competition, which might be seen as a downside by some," he said. "In our case we are still in three competitions; is that good or bad? I think it is a good thing as it gives your players games and experience.

"I'm very happy. It would have been very bad in our situation to have had to face a replay.

"That would have meant five consecutive midweek games for us with Premier League games and our Europa League games against Napoli coming up. But we recovered well to get the win."

The win came at the end of a week when Swansea's unity has been questioned following a training ground row between Chico Flores and Garry Monk. Laudrup does not doubt his squad's togetherness, but has identified leadership as a key element during the final months of the season. "It is about leadership, you always need that in a team in every moment, you need it most when you are behind or not doing well," he said

The Birmingham manager Lee Clark was disappointed to see his side miss out on claiming Swansea's scalp for the second time this season, having knocked them out of the Capital One Cup. But he was delighted by the performances of youngsters Reece Brown, fresh from signing his first professional contract, and Albert Rusnak, making his debut after joining on loan from Manchester City.

He said: "Reece is an outstanding young player and we are delighted to have signed him. He is the best footballer at the club technically. Rusnak is in on loan, he is very talented and he is right alongside Reece, they are on the same wavelength in terms of passing and movement."

The Hull City manager, Steve Bruce, sees no reason why an FA Cup run should not "galvanise" his squad's attempt to stay in the Premier League. Hull came through 2-0 in a tricky tie at League Two Southend United with two second-half goals from Matty Fryatt, one of nine changes to the starting line-up.

"There is no harm in a cup run because sometimes it can galvanise you and I am delighted we have got through," said Bruce.

On another afternoon, Southend – who are chasing promotion to League One – could have caused a shock, as a fierce header from Barry Corr was saved at point-blank range and Michael Timlin struck the crossbar with a 30-yard shot.

Eventually, though, Hull's superiority came through as just after the hour Fryatt struck a low effort into the bottom right corner, adding a second on the break in stoppage time.

Former Hull manager Phil Brown is determined to keep Southend focused for their League Two campaign. "You could not write the script for me when the draw was made, and I did enjoy the encounter," said Brown, who left Hull in 2010. "Good luck to Hull City in the next round and in their Premier League campaign, but I have got my own challenges ahead."

Part of those include the club's plans to move to a new stadium at Fossetts Farm.

Brown is relishing a return to grassroots. "It is not a different skills set, it is very similar," said Brown, appointed at Roots Hall in March 2013 following a year at Preston, who were relegated to League One.

Brighton & Hove Albion's assistant manager, Nathan Jones, praised his side's attitude after they came through a challenging tie at Port Vale.

Their manager, Oscar García, was another who made team changes – seven in all – but his players responded impressively to win 3-1 in the Vale Park mud.

Vale reacted positively to Rohan Ince's 27th-minute opener when the defender Chris Robertson headed a 36th-minute equaliser. But Solomon March put Brighton back in front just before the interval and the gulf in class between the respective League One and Championship promotion challengers was more apparent in the second period.

The away side went close on several occasions before Jon Obika, on loan from Tottenham, added a decisive third goal 12 minutes from time.

Jones said: "We are very pleased with what the players have given us. The attitude of all of them was spot-on in difficult conditions.

"I don't really want to single out anyone, but Matt Upson was magnificent and led by example. He's 34, he's played for England, but his hunger and desire are still there for all to see. I thought Jon Obika should have scored before he finally did. He's usually a clinical finisher but he failed with one chance before putting that one away in style.

Vale manager Micky Adams, who has had two spells in charge of Brighton, had the unusual compliment of both sets of fans chanting his name in admiration.

He said: "That was nice, but I'm disappointed because we've lost and are out of the competition.

"I'm particularly proud of my players because they gave everything they had didn't give up at any stage."

The Huddersfield Town manager, Mark Robins, felt Charlton Athletic's Dale Stephens should have been sent off for a high tackle that put Adam Hammill out of their tie at the John Smith's Stadium, which Charlton won with Simon Church's second-half goal.

Stephens was only booked after the 28th-minute challenge which sparked an angry response from players on both sides. Robins said: "I think it was a red card but the referee has a decision to make. I have seen the photograph and both his feet were off the ground and it doesn't make good watching.

"At the end of the day we are out of the Cup and you can't control what the referee does."

Robins said there were some other "tough challenges" in the game and added: "I could moan all day long but it sounds like sour grapes so I will desist."

Tom Davies

Verona 1-3 Roma

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 10:46 AM PST

Serie A: Verona 1-3 Roma

Gervinho produced another inspirational performance for Roma on Sunday, setting up one goal and scoring with a stylish effort of his own in a 3-1 win over Hellas Verona.

Adem Ljajic and Francesco Totti were also on target as second-placed Roma cut the gap between themselves and leaders Juventus to six points, after the leaders drew 1-1 against Lazio on Saturday evening.

Gervinho has been a different player following his close season move from English Premier League Arsenal, where his sometimes comical finishing and bizarre performances made him the object of criticism and sometimes derision.

The Ivorian, who scored the only goal in Wednesday's Coppa Italia win over Juventus, created Roma's first chance with a typical surging run down the left only to see his effort wasted by Mattia Destro who prodded the ball over from six metres.

Undeterred, Gervinho produced a similar run in first-half stoppage time and pulled the ball back for Ljajic, who had no trouble in tapping the ball in from close range. Verona quickly got back into the game after the break when Roma lost possession and Emil Hallfredsson fired the equaliser.

Gervinho put Roma back in front on the hour when he collected the ball in the penalty area with his back to goal, skipped past two defenders and scored with a low shot through a crowd of players, his sixth goal of the season in all competitions.

The visitors wrapped up the three points with a controversial penalty after Alejandro Gonzalez was judged to have fouled Vasileios Torosidis, although the Uruguayan appeared to play the ball.

Stalwart Totti, who came on as a second-half substitute after being rested at the start, ignored the angry Verona protests as he converted his fifth league goal of the season from the spot.

Big guns set for Cup showdown

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 10:12 AM PST

• Four all-Premier League clashes include Everton v Swansea
• Ties to be played over the weekend of 15/16 February

José Mourinho says Chelsea have nothing to lose in their FA Cup fifth-round tie at Manchester City and that all of the pressure will be on Manuel Pellegrini's team, given the scale of their outlay in the transfer market.

If Chelsea's visit to the Etihad Stadium is the outstanding tie of the round, the draw threw up a second mouthwatering contest, with Arsenal welcoming Liverpool.

Mourinho watched his Chelsea team beat Stoke City 1-0 at home but then get arguably the worst possible draw – a visit to a stadium where City have been scoring at eye-watering rates this season. Chelsea visit City in the Premier League on 3 February and the cup tie is expected to take place on 15 February.

Mourinho remembered the pressure that was on his Chelsea team during his first spell at the club, when the owner, Roman Abramovich, lavished huge sums on players to fire a push for trophies and he is now pinning that on City. The Chelsea manager has repeatedly suggested that City should already be well clear in the title race, such is the quality in their squad. As it is, they are one point behind Arsenal in second, a point and a place ahead of Chelsea.

"We are ready to go there [to City in the FA Cup] and enjoy," Mourinho said. "We are going to go there with a good attitude, and nothing to lose. They have everything to lose. They are the team that was made to win. They have to feel now the same thing I was feeling here in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007. 'We are the best team by far. We have to win. If we don't, it's because we did something wrong.' They must feel the same.

"We have nothing to lose. Nice, nice, nice would be that we win against West Ham [at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday], which is difficult ... Big Sam [Allardyce] drew here with Bolton in my first time, so difficult. But if we win against West Ham, it's very enjoyable to go there [in the league] with one point difference. If you win, you're in front. Good for us."

Mourinho could enjoy his 51st birthday after Oscar 's stunning free-kick was the difference against Stoke but it was put to him that the result had lost some of its shine in light of the fifth round draw. He disagreed.

"It's good," he said. "Our priority for the season is to improve. The best way to improve is with difficult things. Play against the best teams, twice in 15 days, in their stadium, the stadium where they win every game and smash every team, score four or five goals every game even against the big teams like Arsenal and Tottenham and United … it's a good thing for us.

"We are playing very well in my opinion. We played a very good game against Stoke. The 1-0 does not reflect the quality and dominance of our game. So it's good for us. If we lose, we lose against the best. If we don't lose, it's fantastic. It's good. It's a good draw."

FA Cup fifth-round draw in full. Ties to be played over weekend of 15/16 February.

Manchester City v Chelsea

Sheffield United or Fulham v Nottingham Forest or Preston North End

Arsenal v Liverpool

Brighton & Hove Albion v Hull City

Cardiff City v Wigan Athletic

Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic

Sunderland v Southampton

Everton v Swansea City

David Hytner

Di Canio criticises 'two-faced' O'Shea

Posted: 26 Jan 2014 09:50 AM PST

• Former manager said O'Shea should apologise to team-mates
• Di Canio calls Lee Cattermole and Phil Bardsley 'rotten'

Not content with dubbing some of his former Sunderland players "cowards", Paolo Di Canio has singled out Lee Cattermole, Phil Bardsley, John O'Shea and Steven Fletcher for further criticism.

Cattermole's return to the first team fold coincided with the players' revolt that unseated Di Canio from the manager's chair at the Stadium of Light in September, while Bardsley crossed him on a couple of well documented occasions.

Both players have been rehabilitated under Gus Poyet – with Bardsley's place at right-back seeming slightly more secure than Cattermole's midfield berth – and both have played key parts in helping Sunderland reach the League Cup final.

Di Canio, though, clearly felt they were beyond redemption. "Those two players [Cattermole and Bardsley] were rotten," he said. "The most unprofessional players I ever worked with. What Bardsley has done in the last year speaks volumes. Photos of him lying on the floor in a casino covered by £50 notes and laughing at the team losing on the opening day, that's public. It's no surprise these players were kicked out of my plans. The reason Sunderland stayed up at the end of last season was because Cattermole was injured and Bardsley played very little."

Di Canio believes Sunderland are deeply embroiled in another relegation battle partly because of their "weak" mentality and he used the term two-faced to describe his former captain, O'Shea.

"I don't like people who, when they speak to you, don't look into your eyes," said the 45-year-old Italian who now believes it is his "destiny" to manage West Ham. "He [O'Shea] should say sorry to some of his team-mates for the many times he came into my office to say something unfavourable about them. This is the same person that also came to me when I first took over and said things about [Martin] O'Neill."

Di Canio is still angry with Fletcher after the Scotland striker claimed he did not allow him to laugh or smile in training. "I don't like people fooling around when we're having a serious discussion about strategy," said Poyet's predecessor. "I don't like people who laugh when they keep missing the goal in training or miss a tackle that leads to conceding a goal."

The former Swindon manager insisted he commanded the support of the bulk of Sunderland's squad. "On my phone, I have 14 text messages from players at the club supporting me," said Di Canio.

Louise Taylor

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Monday, 27 January 2014

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

07:16

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

FA Cup fifth-round draw in full. Ties to be played over weekend of 15/16 February.

Written by TBMU Admin

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Monday, 27 January 2014

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

07:16

Football news, match reports and fixtures | theguardian.com

FA Cup fifth-round draw in full. Ties to be played over weekend of 15/16 February.

Written by TBMU Admin

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