FA Cup: Arsenal Advance To The Next Round

Arsenal booked their passage to the quarter finals of the English FA Cup after a subdued win over non-league side Sutton. Goals from Lucas Perez and Theo Walcott gave Arsenal a 2-0 win. They will now play another non-league side Lincoln City at the Emirates next month.

The tone for this fifth round tie was set against the backdrop of a chastising 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the champions league last week. A team that was still reeling from that defeat found it difficult to find any rhythm on a plastic pitch. Arsene Wenger made several changes to the line up. Rob Holding came in alongside Mustafi in central defence. Lucas Perez, Theo Walcott and Alexis Iwobi made up the front three. While Jeff, Mo Elneny and Granit Xhaka were in midfield with Gabriel and Monreal filling the full back positions.

Lucas Perez scored his seventh goal for Arsenal when he cut in from the right and placed a cross that was intended for Walcott, which ended up in the back of the net for the opening goal. They huffed and puffed  for the reminder of the first half. But Elneny suffered a knock, which caused him to be substituted at half time.with Oxlade Chamberlain his replacement. There was an iffy moment from David Ospina after he passed the ball straight to a Sutton player, but he failed to take advantage to level the scores before the break.Theo Walcott got his 100th goal for Arsenal when he applied the finishing touch to a cross from Monreal after patient build up through the middle.

Alex Iwobi and Oxlade Chamberlain spurned good chances to put more gloss on the scoreline, Deacon hit the bar after his shot rebounded off the post.

In the end, Arsene Wenger's side did just enough to advance to the next round. They now have a twelve day rest before a pivotal match against Liverpool at Anfield in two weeks.

CAF Champions League: Tough Draws For Nigerian Clubs

Nigeria's two representatives in this year's Champions League have been drawn against tough North African opposition in the next round. League Champions, Enugu Rangers have a date with Egyptian side Zamalek in March. The Egyptian giant were in the same group with Enyimba last season when they won both ties. But Rangers would be facing them in the preliminary stages before the group stage proper. To get to this round,
Rangers overcame Algerian side JS Saoura on away goals, after a goalless draw in the second leg in Enugu on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Rivers United will play Sudanese side Al Merrikh. The Ombudman side are perennial campaigners in CAF club competitions. They will provide a stern test for the Port Harcourt side. Stanley Eguma's team had a smooth passage after beating AS Bamako 4-0 on aggregate. That was the scores in Port Harcourt after both side failed to score in the first leg in Bamako.

Nigerian clubs have had a disappointing campaign in the CAF champions league in recent years. Enyimba, the only Nigerian club to have won the trophy, had a forgettable campaign in 2016. With difficult opponents awaiting Rangers and Rivers United in the next round, it remains to be seen whether they can advance in the competition.

FA Cup Sixth Round Draw: Chelsea To Face Jose Mourinho's Man United

The quarter final draws for the English FA Cup has pitted Premier League leaders Chelsea against Manchester United. The tie would be played at Stamford Bridge in March. There is an added spice to it because of Jose Mourinho. He is regarded as Chelsea's most successful manager. After winning three league titles, three league cups and two FA cup in two spells as manager of the West London side.

Chelsea have been very formidable this season as they lead the league with eight points from second place Manchester City. They defeated Wolves to get to the quarter finals, while Manchester United needed a goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to book their passage to the quarter finals against Championship side Blackburn. It was the Swede's 24th goal of his maiden season in English football.

In other ties, non league giant killers Lincoln City will play Arsenal or Sutton away from home. The gunners will play Sutton on Monday night in the last fifth round tie. There will be a London derby between Tottenham and Milwall. The East London side eliminated league champions and strugglers Leicester City.While Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough will host either Manchester City or Huddersfield Town.

Full Quarter Final Draw

Chelsea v. Manchester United

Tottenham v Milwall

Sutton/Arsenal v Lincoln

Middlesbrough v Manchester City/Huddersfield

Antonio Conte In Usage Of Reverse Psychology

in what could best be described as reverse psychology, Chelsea Manager, Antonio Conte still believes the chasing pack can still win the Premier League. His side are currently nine points ahead of second place Tottenham Hotspur. But that has not stopped the Italian from asserting that any of the top six can still win the league. Chelsea have just two teams in the top six to play this season having played Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham home and away. As a result they have just the Manchester clubs to play amongst the top teams.

"I think there are six teams who are very strong and can fight to win the title," he said
Third-placed Manchester City, Arsenal, in fourth, and fifth-placed Liverpool make up the top six.
"Manchester United? Yes. They have a great squad," he added.
"There are 14 games to play and five teams as well as us who can fight to win it. It's important we don't make mistakes in the race."
"If you want to win [the title] you must have concentration and focus and know that in every game you can lose points."

Chelsea face Burnley on Sunday, a side that boast a better home record than both Manchester clubs. The Lancashire side have taken just one point all season from their travels which came at Old Trafford. While the other 28 points have come from home matches. Though they are a difficult team to play at Turf Moor, it a match that the league leaders should win.

With the teams Chelsea still have to play, it is safe to say that the league is theirs to lose. And with players who are experience in the kind of position they found themselves, it difficult to see them throw away the title now irrespective of Conte's musings in his Friday's press conference. 

Arsene Wenger: Title Race Still On

Arsene Wenger says Arsenal are still in the title race. In what could best be described as more hope than reality. The Frenchman ever an optimist who seems to be leaning towards a top four finish than any realistic chance of overturning a twelve points deficits over Chelsea with fourteen games left of the season.
Addressing the assembled media during his weekly press conference, he replied thus: when asked whether the title race was over for Arsenal.

"It is never over; we are not to behave like that. Even if you [reporters] think like that, I don't,"

 "We look at the teams who surround us, we are all in a pack that is very tight and the fight for every position is massive as it has always been in the Premier League - maybe even more so this season."

The second part of his response is particularly apt with just six points separating Tottenham Hotspur who are second and Manchester United that are sixth. As it stands, one of the top clubs could miss out on the Champions League next season. Arsenal have qualified for the champions league in all of Wenger's season with the club. However, with five clubs separated with just six points, and the club just two points away from dropping to sixth, the consecutive loss to Watford and Chelsea could be terminal  in the long run especially with visits to White Hart Lane and Anfield still to come this season.
He went further to emphasise why Arsenal are still in the title race and Chelsea's advantage over other clubs.

 "If it is over [title race] for us, then it is over for everyone else because we are in a pack there.
"They [Chelsea] have an advantage - they don't play in Europe, they play for nothing and have no midweek games."

No manager would tell the media that a job has been lost. Doing that would send a wrong message to the players. But in reality, he knows the title race is over. The loss to Watford at the Emirates was the nail on the coffin, the defeat to Chelsea was just to reaffirm the funeral rites of a title race that death already.

Team	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Chelsea	24	19	2	3	51	17	34	59
2	Tottenham	24	14	8	2	46	16	30	50
3	Man. City	24	15	4	5	49	29	20	49
4	Arsenal	24	14	5	5	52	28	24	47
5	Liverpool	24	13	7	4	52	30	22	46
6	Man United	24	12	9	3	36	21	15	45