Toffees add some Turkish firepower
Struggling Everton visits Merseyside rival Liverpool as third round of competition gets underway
The FA Cup is in full swing this weekend as the third round kicks off on Friday. Starting things off is a Merseyside derby that sees Liverpool hosting Everton. The struggling Toffees have just announced the signing of Turkish striker Cenk Tosun and are hoping the Besiktas’ top scorer will be available on Friday.
Unfortunately, not a single nonleague side has made it to the third round. It’s the first time that’s happened in 67 years.
There are three clashes between League Two and Premier League sides, all happening on Saturday. In all three cases, it’s a struggling team from the top flight facing a successful lower league club, so we could witness an upset or two.
First off, we have Exeter City, seventh in League Two, hosting West Bromwich Albion, a team stuck at the foot of the table, level on points with Swansea. Albion hasn’t won a game in eight tries since Alan Pardew took over in November. The opposing manager, Paul Tisdale, has been in charge at Exeter since 2006. Only Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger has held his job longer.
Also on Saturday is Coventry City hosting Stoke, where manager Mark Hughes faces daily questions as to how long he’ll remain in charge. Coventry is third in League Two with a stingy defence, so this is a tricky game for Stoke.
Finally we have Newcastle United hosting League Two leaders Luton Town. Newcastle’s inconsistent form could leave the team vulnerable against a Luton side that scores goals in bunches.
Cup runs
The first leg of the League Cup semifinals unfold next week, starting on Tuesday as giants Manchester City host giant killers Bristol City.
Bristol has knocked off four Premier League sides, including Manchester United. However, the Championship contenders have gone a bit off the boil, losing 5-0 to Aston Villa on New Year’s Day.
On Wednesday, meanwhile, is the big London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal. This is a rematch of this week’s entertaining Premier League clash between the two, which ended 2-2 thanks to a dramatic injury-time equalizer from young Arsenal fullback Hector Bellerin.
With all the fixtures we’ve had over the holidays, expect both sides to field a number of second-stringers.
Derby day
The Spanish league resumes Saturday, starting with Atletico hosting Getafe in a Madrid derby. Atletico is in second place and is welcoming back striker Diego Costa. He transferred back to his old club from Chelsea last year, but couldn’t be registered to play until now.
Costa saw action on Wednesday, subbing on during Atletico’s 4-0 Spanish Cup win over Lleida Esportiu.
Costa did exactly what you might expect, scoring with his first touch minutes after entering the game, and injuring himself in the process. He’s nursing a knock on the knee, but could be available for Saturday.
Atletico is in second place, nine points behind Barcelona.
Meanwhile, eighth place Getafe is having a respectable season. There’s nothing respectable, though, about the club’s record in this derby. Since Diego Simeone took over at Atletico in 2011, Getafe hasn’t scored a single goal against the team in 11 tries, being outscored 23-0 in the process.
Weah’s way
The final days of 2017 saw history made in the African nation of Liberia, where former national team star George Weah was elected the country’s president.
Weah was one of the greatest players ever to come out of Africa, rising from the slums of Monrovia to enjoy great success in Europe, particularly with AC Milan.
A couple of years after he retired, Weah jumped into politics, running unsuccessfully for Liberia’s president in 2005.
He was criticized for a lack of experience and education, but he kept at it, and was finally elected to the senate in 2014. His grassroots popularity led to his big election win just after Christmas, winning over 60 per cent of the vote. He takes office Jan. 16.
Weah isn’t the first soccer player to get into politics. For example, former Barcelona star Romario is a senator in his native Brazil.
Bob Lenarduzzi is president of Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For tickets visit: whitecapsfc.com/tickets