‘Crackers’ ready to be big cheese
Fan’s jibe hurts caring Pardew Barnes sacking haunts Lambert Mounie feeling a cereal scorer
MICHAEL Jacobs is nicknamed ‘Crackers’, for obvious reasons – but he certainly doesn’t crumble when the pressure is on.
The Wigan winger scored twice in front of the Kop – one of them in a penalty shoot-out – as a 17-year-old in only his 13th senior game for Northampton.
He has since won two League One title medals with Wolves and Wigan, played his part in the Latics’ remarkable FA Cup run this season, including the stunning fifth-round win over all-conquering Manchester City, and hit the added-time winner at Bradford in midweek to lift Paul Cook’s side back into the automatic promotion places in the third tier.
Considering Wigan have already beaten three Premier League clubs higher in the table than struggling Southampton, tomorrow’s quarter-final should not hold any fears for them.
But Jacobs, 26, is concerned the sacking of Mauricio Pellegrino and the appointment of Mark Hughes is likely to give the Saints fresh impetus when they pitch up at the DW Stadium.
“A change of manager can work either way,” he said. “The fact they sacked Pellegrino showed that results have not been great and sometimes teams can get a lift from the new man.
“Their priority is obviously to stay in the Premier League – like ours is to win promotion – but I would say they will go with a full-strength team because there is a two-week international break after the game.
“Mark Hughes will want to see what he’s got and they will want to get to a Wembley semi-final just like we do.
“You could argue Southampton are the weakest of the four Premier League teams we’ve been drawn against in the cup because of their position and the fact they’ve only won one of their last 17 games. They sold Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool in the January window and have lost Charlie Austin through injury, which is a big blow to them because they have struggled for goals of late.
“But Hughes will want to instil a winning mentality into the team and reaching the semi-finals can have a positive spin-off in their remaining league matches, like it can do for us in our promotion bid.
“Expectations have risen here since that fantastic win over City but it’s going to be a tough game. But we’re looking forward to it and we’ve shown what we are capable of by beating three top-tier teams already. We’ve got to take that confidence into Sunday.”
If the tie goes to extra-time and penalties – there are no replays – Jacobs will not be afraid to step up to the plate. He was in the Northampton team that secured a famous League Cup third-round win at Anfield during Roy Hodgson’s ill-fated spell as Liverpool manager in September 2010.
“I ‘shinned’ one into the top corner to put us in front in extra-time but they equalised with virtually the last kick of the game,” he recalled. “It went to a shootout in front of the Kop. I was only 17 but confident enough to take the third penalty. Brad Jones got a hand to it but the ball crept in to my huge relief and we won the shootout 4-2. It was a crazy night – a bit like the one against City.”
Jacobs has an unlikely link with the Saints – their chief scout Nick Haycock is his former PE teacher.
“I hadn’t seen him since I left school but bumped into him at one of our recent games,” he said. “He was scouting us ahead of the cup game.
“I was trying to get some info out of him and we swapped numbers. I’ll be texting him after the game – but only if we win!” WEST BROM manager Alan Pardew has come out fighting in his desperate bid to keep his bottom-of-the-table Baggies in the ºPremier League.
Pardew, below, said: “The criticism that hurts me more than anything came from one of our fans who said I don’t care.
“Well I do care. Trust me, I care. I want this team to win and I think my players care too – my senior players care.
“I signed a three-year contract. It’s a difficult period but that’s not to say I’m not ingrained in this club already.
“I didn’t imagine I’d be in this scenario, but PAUL LAMBERT has revealed that a guilty memory from his Celtic days is driving him to make sure his Stoke players do not hide as they battle relegation.
The former Scotland midfielder still feels bad about failing to prevent John Barnes getting sacked in 2000 after just eight months in charge at Parkhead.
“It was horrible when John Barnes left Celtic. John’s a really good guy. We were at fault, the players. We never performed,” said Lambert, above.
“The manager shouldn’t be a lightning STEVE MOUNIE feels the secret ingredient helping him lead Huddersfield’s push for survival is a bowl of porridge.
The Benin striker, below, has taken to the food since arriving from Montpellier last July. He made the perfect start, scoring twice on his debut in a 3-0 win at today’s opponents, and he has scored in recent wins over Bournemouth and West Brom too.
He said: “The first time I ate porridge was when I came to England and it’s very nice. Has porridge helped me with my I am and I need to keep showing the fight I’ve got in me.” Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is delighted his midfielder Lewis Cook, 21, has been called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad this week for the friendlies against Holland and Italy.
“He is one of the players who always wants to do more, which is the type of player I love,” said Howe. rod, because players have got to take responsibility on themselves as well.” Everton manager Sam Allardyce has backed Jordan Pickford to win the race for England’s No1 jersey ahead of the World Cup. “Jordan has been the most consistent player for the club,” said Allardyce. “I rate his chances very, very highly in terms of his England career.” goalscoring? I think so. It has given me energy and strength.” The Terriers face a Palace side whose playmaker Ruben Loftus-Cheek can use his return to kick-start his bid for a World Cup place. Manager Roy Hodgson is hoping his on-loan midfielder is finally clear of the serious ankle injury he suffered in December. Hodgson said: “If he can come back and produce his best, it will be a big lift for us.”