Get set for a knockout weekend!
What a weekend with the last-32 of the FA Cup and the beginning of the AFCON knockout stage, plus R200,000-added Soccer 10 pools on Friday and Saturday followed by a guaranteed R8-million Soccer 13 pot on Sunday.
Cup action in England resumes this weekend with fourth-round action in the FA Cup, highlighted by Manchester City's visit to a destination where they have an unusually poor record.
Pep Guardiola's team have failed to score on their last five visits to Tottenham Hotspur's London home and all have ended in defeat. The last away victory for City was in 2018!
The game on Friday comes just over a month since a thrilling 3-3 stalemate between the pair at the Etihad Stadium in early December and is going to be keenly followed. City look to be finding their stride at the right time again and are nine matches unbeaten with Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and John Stones all set to return from injury. Spurs were the early pacesetters in the English Premier League, but now have an air of inconsistency about them.
The last 32 of the cup, has, as usual, a strong EPL contingent, but also contains clubs from lower leagues all looking to inflict shocks. Amateurs Maidstone United play in the sixth tier of English and are the last non-league club in this season's competition. They are now away at Ipswich Town and look to have little chance.
But there could be difficulties for Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers in particular. Bournemouth host Swansea tonight and will have to get over the way they folded late and were handed a 4-0 beating at home against Liverpool.
They should be stronger than their Championship guests, but this looks to be one of those opportunities for the type of upset that makes the FA Cup so special. Sometimes these are achieved by an away draw and then success in the replay.
Forest go away on Friday to Bristol City, who claimed the scalp of West Ham United in the previous round, and on Sunday Wolves have a tough Midlands derby against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns. These are always spicy clashes.
The last cup tie is on Monday and sees Wrexham and their Hollywood owners away at Blackburn Rovers, who are two divisions higher. Blackburn should win, but the stage is set for a fairy-tale result.
NOTE: Details of Sunday's R8million guaranteed Soccer 13 pool were not available at the time of printing. See TABs or www.soccer6.co.za or www.tab4racing.com for details.
HIRED/FIRED: José Mourinho has rejected an offer from Al Shabaab in Saudi Arabia and could rather stay on in Serie A with Napoli. He was sacked last week by AS Roma. There are also whispers of him replacing Eddie Howe at Newcastle.
BACK IN ACTION: Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out in midNovember with back pain and failed to heal with rest. He underwent surgery for the problem just over two months ago and is due back in time for next month's Champions League clash against Napoli.
WHO’S HOT: Emilio Nsue has scored five goals in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast (three against Guinea-Bissau and two against the hosts). Only Laurent Pokou, who got seven for the Ivorians in 1970, has scored more in the group stages in a single tournament than the Equatorial Guinea striker
WHO’S COLD: Crystal Palace have begun drawing up a shortlist of managers to replace Roy Hodgson, whose role as head coach is under scrutiny following their 5-0 demolition by Arsenal.