FA Cup: Liv v ManUtd & Newcastle v S'hampton

[ataullah]

0-0 so far and a spicy start. Neville getting booed as expected. Should be a great tie

[Oxy]

1 -0 Liverpool.

Great header from....Peter Crouch.

[ataullah]

1-0 liverpool crouch. Utd got a problem with setpieces.

[Oxy]

Gary Neville missing his younger sister - who will protect her from the Anfield mob?

[Oxy]

Steve Finnan misses an empty goal. That will haunt us at the end no doubt.

Liverpool are proving that without Gerrad they are nothing...

[Oxy]

Rooney ugly, but a GREAT player. He will weave some magic today.

[Rob H]

Van Der Sar making some saves big Nev would be proud of Oxy.

[ataullah]

liverpool's game this. I'll be suprised if they concede from here. Utd will need something special
to unlock liverpool's defence

[Oxy]

Kewell could/should have buried the winning goal there.

[adi 101]

Alan smith gone off with a career threatning chalenge i reck. I think he might have broken his leg their everybody looked real worried. 4 minutes left till we are knoked out and to be honest liverpool deserved it today they have been the better team, looks like we will have to settle with the carling cup this season!

[adi 101]

Thats it! Liverpool knok out man utd in the f.a cup, uniteds only hope is the carling cup final to win any silver ware this season!

[Rob H]

:))) Manu out of Championship, FA cup and Champions League. I hope Wigan can put the iceing on the cake for them.

[HAFRIDI]

sum1 threw a burger at neville if i saw correctly lol

[adi 101]

I guess the home advantage was the difference at the end of the day.................

[z10]

ahahahhahahha

:94:

[iqbalharoon213]

liverpool were class . total domination!

[Uzi]

sum1 threw a burger at neville if i saw correctly lol

Yeah they threw a burger and coins as well I think.

[Bitman]

Liverpool controlled the game very well and outclassed United in every department. :16:

[z10]

waisay that is the end of Man Utd's season

[Uzi]

Did they say that it was the first time that Liverpool beat Manu in FA cup since 1921 or sumthin?

[Oxy]

Good win for Liverpool-dominated in all parts of the pitch.

I would still swap this for a win over them in the league 2 weeks back - just makes our season more congested.

Fergie has just said that Smith has broken his leg, and his ankle - and is one of the worst injuries he has ever seen. I dont like the guy, but no one deserves that on the pitch.

[Bitman]

Did they say that it was the first time that Liverpool beat Manu in FA cup since 1921 or sumthin?

Yeah, thats right. The two have played 7 times in that period.

[Rob H]

sum1 threw a burger at neville if i saw correctly lol
it was a pie

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good win for Liverpool-dominated in all parts of the pitch.

I would still swap this for a win over them in the league 2 weeks back - just makes our season more congested.

Fergie has just said that Smith has broken his leg, and his ankle - and is one of the worst injuries he has ever seen. I dont like the guy, but no one deserves that on the pitch.

same here - i havnt seen it yet BUT just reading about it made me feel :31: :(

[HAFRIDI]

ouch feel sorry for smith:(

[Abdul Qadir 236]

Awful injury for Smith - sad way to end his career at OT in all probability.

The analysis for this game is simple:

Midfield of Utd

1) dont give adequate protection to defence

2) more blood from a stone than chances created for Ruud and Rooney.

[Bitman]

it was a pie

Nope. It was a half-eaten burger!

[Rob H]

stupid neville. I would've chucked it back.

[adi 101]

I doubt smiths future is over at ot, the guy has great passion and i think he will succeed! I guess that means smith is out of the world cup then! And for united it looks like fletcher will continue in midfield :(

[Rob H]

Fletcher looks like Bambi when he plays.

[HAFRIDI]

whats OT?

[Uzi]

whats OT?

Old Trafford

[Oxy]

I guess the home advantage was the difference at the end of the day.................

Not at all...ManUre were well and truly gubbed today.

[Uzi]

Not at all...ManUre were well and truly gubbed today.

They certainly were.

Simple fact is that Liverpool wanted it more.

They outplayed United in every department.

[Oxy]

Moving onto the Geordies.....

Saints had 2 gilt-edge opportunities...missed them both.

Dyer has been fantastic - and Given is an awesome keeper (wasted in GeordieLand)

Defence is awful though-Boumsong....did he realyy cost about £10 mill?

[Rob H]

Dyer comes off and Bowyer comes on. Doubt they'll ever be on the pitch together again after that fight :)))

[Oxy]

RH- i just nipped into th kitchen - came back and someone was being stretchered off-what happened?

[Rob H]

2 in 5 minutes. One player stepped on the ball and injured his ankle, the other (the goalie) did something to his knee when he hit the ground trying to grab the ball. Southampton had already used their 3 subs and so Dexter Blackstock is in goal for them.

[Rob H]

this is comedy football now. Blackstock is playing like Barthez

[Oxy]

Thanks Motty...

[Rob H]

all over. Geordies in the Quarter finals. Decent game. Soton had some good move but couldnt finish them off. Newcastle were solid. Dyer was great on his return.

[Bitman]

this is comedy football now. Blackstock is playing like Barthez

:)))

[adi 101]

Smith Suffers Horrific Break

Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Alan Smith suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle in the defeat against Liverpool.

The combative Yorkshireman landed awkwardly after sliding to block a John Arne Riise shot late in Saturday's tie, and has subsequently gone to hospital.

"It's a bad one alright," Sir Alex told MUTV. "It's a break in the leg and the ligaments have gone obviously and the ankle joint has come right out. He's gone to hospital. It's one of the worst I've seen.

"It's a real bad one and we're all thinking of Alan at this moment in time."

Ferguson was quick to hail the 24-year-old's incredible courage despite the severity of the injury.

"Alan showed the courage he has with the way he accepted it and just put his hand up and waved for the physio right away. He has unbelievable courage," added Sir Alex.

"It's a really bad one and it's going to be a long term injury. But he knows we're completely in support of him.

"The best we can make of the situation is to try and win the Carling Cup for him next week."

[HAFRIDI]

dyer was brill! im a big fan of him! good to see him back

[madaboutlfc]

Steve Finnan misses an empty goal. That will haunt us at the end no doubt.

Liverpool are proving that without Gerrad they are nothing...
how much of Liverpool have you really watched.. Liverpool are a one man tea, and that is Rafa

[Bitman]

Felt sorry for Smith. Probably the worst injury I've ever seen to a footballer!

[Oxy]

how much of Liverpool have you really watched.. Liverpool are a one man tea, and that is Rafa

Stop getting all 'attacking' at the merest hint of any LFC comment that you dont agree with....

[madaboutlfc]

Stop getting all 'attacking' at the merest hint of any LFC comment that you dont agree with....
im not attacking anyone ;-) just facts mate.

[Rob H]

Felt sorry for Smith. Probably the worst injury I've ever seen to a footballer!
watching Cisse's broken leg at Blackburn was worse for me. You could see his leg bend and break in slo-motion. Looked absolutely horrible.

[HAFRIDI]

watching Cisse's broken leg at Blackburn was worse for me. You could see his leg bend and break in slo-motion. Looked absolutely horrible.

ouch thats just made me cringe reading that, u shuda put up a warning :31: :31:

[Oxy]

Worst injury I saw was a Coventry player - at Old TRafford (name escapes me) in mid-90s.. His shin bone tore threw his leg-sickening. Blood everywhere; Schmichael was physically sick...they had to cover the field with sawdust.

I dont like watching these leg injuries-too many replays

[z10]

oh cmon...you are the future doctors of this country...and you got sick over that ? :|

[Oxy]

I'm no future/past/present Dr...I'm a classified squeamish wimp!

[Geordie Ahmed]

Worst injury I saw was a Coventry player - at Old TRafford (name escapes me) in mid-90s.. His shin bone tore threw his leg-sickening. Blood everywhere; Schmichael was physically sick...they had to cover the field with sawdust.

I dont like watching these leg injuries-too many replays

The guy was aptly named David Bust (or was it Buust)

Yeah that was a sickeing injury - i think it was Schmeichel who said he could see the inside of the guys leg :31: :31:

Larsson had a really bad one for Celtic - kinda like Cisse's

[Geordie Ahmed]

dyer was brill! im a big fan of him! good to see him back

Dyer was class today, good to see he was back - too many injury problems

Also N'Zgobia played well again - the guy is quality :19:

[HAFRIDI]

i hope dyer gets selected for the world cup, u think he can/will?

[Oxy]

Dyer-now that he has seemingly shaken off his 'spolit brat' image is a class act.

I would take him to Germany. Individual brilliance is what you need at big tournaments.

[z10]

perhaps not oxy mian

greece had none

[Geordie Ahmed]

i hope dyer gets selected for the world cup, u think he can/will?

If he can prove his fitness then he is a MUST

His injury problems are probably the best thing that happened for him, 12 months ago the fans hated him BUT now he is liked, felt sorry for him after all the injuries, hopefully they are past him and now he can play more regularly

[Oxy]

perhaps not oxy mian

greece had none

I thought Papapoopadoopadopolis was massive!

[Rob H]

I thought Papapoopadoopadopolis was massive!
:))) :))) try and read that one

[z10]

I thought Papapoopadoopadopolis was massive!

:)))

[adi 101]

Alan Smith's agent Alex Black has played down suggestions the Manchester United midfielder's career is under threat.

The 25-year-old suffered a horrific injury after coming on as a substitute during United's FA Cup fifth round exit at Liverpool on Saturday.

After blocking a John Arne Riise free kick, Smith landed awkwardly and dislocated his ankle, which in turn caused his leg to break.

He faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, while Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson commented the injury was 'one of the worst I've ever seen'.

But Smith's representative Black is confident that the former Leeds United ace will play again, although he is unsure when the England international will return.

"Certainly, from speaking to Alan, that's not been indicated to him at all (the injury being career threatening)," Black told Sky Sports News.

"He is a pretty tough character and is already talking about it. It is frustrating, but he will try and get back to fitness as soon as he can."

Smith has already had his ankle pushed back into place, while he is undergoing an operation on his broken leg on Sunday morning.

Black expanded on the injury situation and also conceded it will be around two months before the player can seriously commence his rehabilitation.

He added: "The latest situation is that everything went fairly well last night and they were able to put the ankle back in.

"They had the chance to X-ray and have a look at the break on the leg, which is being operated on this morning.

"It's hard to tell exactly how bad the damage will be to the ligaments on the ankle until it has all calmed down.

"The two injuries in themselves certainly aren't career threatening, but a combination of the two is a problem for the rehabilitation.

"He will be in a pot for six-to-eight weeks and won't be able to do a lot on rehab until after that when he will be starting on the road to recovery, hopefully.

"It looks like when he was landing, and put all the weight on his ankle, that's when the dislocation happened, and the force of that broke his leg. That's what I think happened."

Black revealed that Smith also wanted to pay tribute to the assistance he received from Liverpool and United staff, in addition to both clubs' fans.

He continued: "Even though he was a little bit delirious as he was coming off, he was able to recognise that not just Man United fans, but a lot of Liverpool fans, were giving him a round of applause.

"All the staff and various doctors have been fantastic and he wanted to say thank you to all those people."

[Bitman]

watching Cisse's broken leg at Blackburn was worse for me. You could see his leg bend and break in slo-motion. Looked absolutely horrible.

Seen that. This injury is worse I reckon.

[Bitman]

I thought Papapoopadoopadopolis was massive!

:)))

[Has]

Good old Crouchy! Man Utd need to sort out that central midfield or there gonna keep getting trampled over.

Newcastle, is that 3 clean sheet and 3 wins since souness left?lol

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good old Crouchy! Man Utd need to sort out that central midfield or there gonna keep getting trampled over.

Newcastle, is that 3 clean sheet and 3 wins since souness left?lol

We conceded one to Villa BUT Moore was in a bit of form so that was understandable :D

[adi 101]

Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse has given Alan Smith words of encouragement following the Manchester United player's leg break on Saturday.

Smith was ruled out for the rest of the season and England's World Cup campaign after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle while trying to block John Arne Riise's free kick during United's 1-0 FA Cup defeat at Anfield.

The former Leeds United striker had a successful operation to repair the damage on Sunday, but he still faces a recovery period of up to a year.

The former Auxerre hit-man knows all too well what Smith is going through after recovering from an equally nasty leg break last season and the French star offered his support to the Yorkshireman.

"I wanted to say to him I know how he is feeling, and that everything will be okay for him, like it has been for me," Cisse said.

"I just told him to be strong. It is hard, so hard for him at the moment, I have been through exactly this and it is difficult to cope with what is going through your head.

"I saw the break and it looked bad, but I am proof that he can recover well and get even stronger afterwards.

"When I saw him lying there on the pitch in agony, it brought back to me what happened. A year ago, I was recovering from a terrible break, and now I am playing again.

"I am sure Alan will do the same. The hardest part is when your team-mates are going out on the pitch, and you know that you cannot.

"That is so difficult, and it is when you have to be strong in your head.

"But Alan strikes me as that kind of person, someone who is tough and can deal with this. I told him that he will get through it."

[adi 101]

Manchester United star Alan Smith says he is starting on the road back to recovery after undergoing an operation on his horrific injury.

The former Leeds United man broke his left leg and dislocated his ankle after falling awkwardly when blocking a John Arne Riise free kick during United's 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson described the injury as one of the worst he had ever seen and there were initial fears for Smith's long-term future in the game.

However, the tenacious Yorkshireman is determined to battle back and wear the red shirt again.

"I felt my leg go from under me, as I went to block a free kick," Smith told The Sun.

"When I looked down, the leg was lying one way and my ankle was pointing towards Hong Kong.

"So I knew I was in serious trouble.

"But the doctors are being very positive.

"I've had the operation and now it's a question of starting on the road back."

Doctors said Smith's operation was a success and, although he is obviously out for the rest of the season and definitely misses the World Cup finals, Ferguson will hope to be able to call upon the striker-cum-midfielder at some stage of the 2006/2007 campaign.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Manchester United and Liverpool have issued a joint statement condemning an attack on the ambulance that transported Alan Smith to hospital.

The England international suffered a badly broken leg and dislocated ankle during United's weekend FA Cup defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

He was immediately rushed to hospital, but some Liverpool fans attacked the ambulance during its journey away from the ground.

"These people aren't real fans of football," United and Liverpool said in the statement.

"Both clubs feel the mindless actions of a few idiots should not overshadow the efforts of all involved to make sure Alan received the best possible treatment as soon as possible.

"Manchester United would also like to point out they are very grateful for the speedy and efficient help of all Liverpool staff."

A spokesman for the Merseyside ambulance trust confirmed the attack, saying: "It did not result in any delay in transferring the player to hospital but the trust cannot condone this type of behaviour while administering emergency treatment."
================================================== ==

Pathetic behaviour by the scousers :9:

[Oxy]

Pathetic behaviour. Real fans were the fans that applauded Smith off despite the bad blood created by Miss Neville.

[Bitman]

A small majority of fans give Scousers a bad name. Shameful!

[adi 101]

Disapointing to see, although i was pleased with the support shown by the scousers when smith was being strechered off.

[adi 101]

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United will do well to lift a trophy this season due to the increased competition for the top prizes.

The Red Devils boss refused to accept that the Carling Cup is a lesser prize after the club crashed out of the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup prematurely, and are well adrift of champions Chelsea in the race for the Premiership title.

With Wigan Athletic providing the opposition at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1, the United manager wants his side to take the opportunity to win the competition for only the second time in their illustrious history.

"There are only four trophies available every year," he reasoned. "And, with the competition now generated in the Premier League and the money thrown at it, not just by Manchester United and Chelsea but by all clubs, there is a tremendous demand and pressure on all these clubs with great histories to deliver and win a trophy.

"With that kind of competition we face nowadays, winning one trophy is good, I'm telling you.

"No matter what it is, you have to take that as a successful season because there are teams who are not going to win a trophy this year - big clubs, maybe not as world-renowned as Manchester United, but certainly big, big clubs with great histories."

Although some pundits and supporters will question whether 2005/2006 will go down as a successful season for United, even with victory this weekend, defeat would be a massive blow for the Old Trafford outfit.

Ferguson accepts that the glory days will be difficult to recapture but paid tribute to Wigan ahead of the big game.

"We had a great spell in the 1990s, a phenomenal spell," he stated. "But from that moment on of winning the European Cup, there was a catch-up by all clubs, realising that a British team could win the European Cup.

"It was great for British football because of that, but it also created a far bigger demand from other clubs to do the same and we are facing stiffer opposition now.

"It's quite right that Wigan are bringing a bit of romance to it with what they have achieved over the years and where they started from, coming into the League in 1977.

"The drive of Dave Whelan and the management of Paul Jewell have made them an outstanding team this year.

"Quite rightly the whole country will be behind them, and I think that's good."