Back in the days of the feared Atlanta United attacking partnership between Josef Martínez and Miguel Almirón, the Venezuelan and Paraguayan used to celebrate goals with a Dragon Ball Z-inspired “fusion” pose. It happened often as the duo combined for 71 goals over the course of two seasons.
For a club that’s won the FA Cup six times and made it to the final on 13 occasions (only Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have more final appearances), Newcastle’s abysmal recent record in the competition is astounding.
Heading into Tuesday’s Fourth Round replay with third-tier Oxford United, Newcastle hadn’t advanced to the Fifth Round (the Round of 16) in 14 years — that’s despite the club being a Premier League side in each corresponding year apart from two.
Aston Villa defeated Leicester City 2-1 on Tuesday to advance to the final of the English Football League competition in hopes of lifting the Carabao Cup. The competition has seen many different sponsorships come and go as Carabao, a Thai energy drink, hasn’t always sponsored the competition. There once was a time teams raised the EFL Milk Cup.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane and review some of the fun EFL Cup names.
Shrewsbury Town has created one of the biggest talking points in Liverpool’s seemingly golden season. The Reds were handed a surprise 2-2 draw in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Now they will have to partake in a replay, but it seems Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp isn’t too interested in the FA Cup.
An FA Cup Third Round Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton was decided by a wonder goal from 18-year-old Reds midfielder Curtis Jones on Sunday. Although Liverpool had the support of Anfield behind them, Jürgen Klopp fielded a much younger and less experienced side than his counterpart Carlo Ancelotti.
Back in June after he had just watched England lose 3-1 to the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League semifinals, little-known striker Tom Pope talked shit about defender John Stones’ performance for the Three Lions, calling him weak as piss.
Seven months later, Pope backed up those words.
Pope, a 34-year-old forward who plays for Port Vale in League Two, scored in his first opportunity to go up against John Stones in an FA Cup third-round match with Manchester City.
It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 12 years since Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy went at an overzealous reporter by yelling: “I’m a man; I’m 40!” Back in 2007, Aaron Wilbraham was a spry young man in his 20s.
On Saturday, Wilbraham became a man.
At the youthful age of 40, Rochdale’s Aaron Wilbraham netted a late equalizer to record a surprising 1-1 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday at Crown Oil Arena. The League One side earned a replay at St. James’ Park in the third round of the FA Cup.
Remember the year 1970? That was a fun time right? Nixon ordered the invasion of Cambodia, Apollo 13 safely returned after the oxygen tank leaked, the Beatles broke up... OK, maybe it wasn't that great, but who the hell knows, I wasn't even born yet.
Manchester City demolished Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final on Saturday at Wembley. It was an expected result and the Hornets were never really in it, even if it was just a two-goal game at halftime.
The win wrapped up a domestic treble (quadruple if you count the mostly meaningless Community Shield), the first ever in England.
So dominant were the Citizens that their coach, Pep Guardiola, was made extremely uncomfortable by the final score. After Raheem Sterling completed his hat trick to make it 6-0, Guardiola’s reaction said a lot.