Swansea put on a record show in cup
SWANSEA secured the biggest FA Cup win in their history as two firsthalf goals apiece from Tammy Abraham and Nathan Dyer helped them rout Notts County 8-1 at the Liberty Stadium.
The Magpies are flying high in League Two and held their Premier League opponents to a 1-1 draw at Meadow Lane to secure a fourth round replay.
But Swansea were inspired on their own turf and, after braces apiece for Abraham and Dyer, second-half goals from Kyle Naughton, Wayne Routledge, Tom Carroll and debutant Daniel James, on as a substitute, secured a fifth round trip to Sheffield Wednesday later this month.
Noor Husin struck for Notts County to make it 3-1 but it proved mere consolation on a chastening night for Kevin Nolan’s side.
Rochdale overcame a treacherous pitch to progress into the FA Cup fifth round after edging to a 1-0 victory over Championship club Millwall.
Much of the pre-match focus centred on the turf at Spotland but it held up for the entirety of the fourth round replay after referee Tim Robinson allowed the tie to go ahead.
Ian Henderson converted from close range in the 53rd minute and that was all that separated the sides, with League One outfit Dale booking another home clash against either Newport or Tottenham, who meet tonight, in the next round.
Chelsea are unlikely to sack manager Antonio Conte following the 4-1 defeat at Watford on Monday night.
The defending champions slumped to a second successive Premier League loss, having seen Tiemoue Bakayoko sent off in the first half against the Hornets, which further increased the pressure on Italian coach Conte.
Press Association Sport understands that there was no board meeting to discuss the manager’s future and the club are not in talks with any potential replacements.
The players have, however, been given three days off before returning on Friday in the build-up to the home match against West Brom on February 12.
Speaking at Vicarage Road, where the home side scored three late goals after Eden Hazard’s fine 81st-minute strike looked to have rescued a draw, Conte remained defiant.
“I’m not worried about my job,” the Italian said, before signalling his intention to continue working to turn the team’s form around.
Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2016 and swiftly led Chelsea to the Premier League title, winning 30 matches.
However, mounting a successful defence while also juggling the demands of a European campaign has proved testing, with Chelsea now some 19 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Yet despite having also lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth last week, Chelsea remain in the top four of the Premier League, one point ahead of Tottenham.
Conte has also guided the Blues into the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they will be at home against Sky Bet Championship side Hull. LEEDS have named Paul Heckingbottom as their new head coach.
The 40-year-old leaves Barnsley to move to Elland Road and has signed a contract that runs until the end of next season.
He succeeds Thomas Christiansen who was sacked on Sunday after a dismal run of form which has seen Leeds not win a match since Boxing Day.
Leeds have fallen to 10th in the Sky Bet Championship, and Heckingbottom leaves a side who sit 21st in the same division.
“Leeds United are delighted to confirm the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom as new head coach of the club,” the West Yorkshire club announced.
Heckingbottom only signed a new contract with Barnsley last week, when he said “there was never any doubt” he would commit to the club.
The Barnsley born and bred coach was targeted by Leeds once Christiansen left, however, and the opportunity proved irresistible.
Barnsley said several members of their staff, including first-team coach Jamie Clapham, would join Heckingbottom at Leeds.
A statement from Barnsley said the club felt “thoroughly disappointed” by Heckingbottom’s exit and “shocked” that he should want to leave.
Barnsley chief executive Gauthier Ganaye said on the club’s website: “Yes, it was unexpected. Yes, it has come during an already complicated period. Yes, it will make things more difficult short term, but our club is full of resources.” ■■The Premier League is open to the idea of introducing a winter break.
Together with the Football Association and English Football League, the Premier League has been considering ways to ease fixture congestion.
A winter break has been discussed before and the Premier League said in a statement: “The Premier League has been in discussions with the FA and EFL for several months regarding the challenges of the increasingly congested English football calendar, and ways in which we can work together to ease fixture congestion while also giving players a mid-season break.”