Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BRUCE’S QUEST FOR CUP GLORY
challenges such as the one Troy Deeney launched on AlexanderArnold.
Quite why Michael Oliver did not produce a card can be filed in the mountainous pile of this season’s refereeing mysteries.
Insult was almost added to near-injury when Deeney (left) missed a double chance late in the first half. But with Lovren unconvincing to say the least, you always felt there would be opportunities for Watford. So it proved, although it would be harsh to lay total blame at Lovren’s feet.
For Watford’s first, he was culpable for allowing the throw-in to bounce over his head.
But no more than Van Dijk for allowing Abdoulaye Doucoure in behind him, and no more than Andrew Robertson for letting Sarr steal in and score.
And Liverpool’s entire back line was flat-footed when Deeney’s pass – after another throw-in was poorly dealt with – set Sarr free.
The speed and style of the Senegalese striker did the rest.
Even Alisson was made to look ordinary by the finish, just as Alexander-Arnold’s ordinariness on the night led to the third.
His errant back-pass was collected by Sarr and his assist was almost as calm as Deeney’s splendid, sidefoot in. It was a finish that evaded
Van Dijk’s head, another moment that encapsulated his and his side’s night.
All of this was just a moment, of course – Liverpool will win the Premier League. It might just be delayed a little. And the law of averages demanded something like this happen at some stage. No big deal, really.
Perhaps Klopp’s main concern will be if it has any ramifications for the game that has, arguably, become the biggest of their season – the Champions League second leg with Atletico Madrid.
Unlikely. But for the first time in a long, long while, Liverpool and Van Dijk looked bedraggled.
Again, don’t let that lessen the acclaim due to Watford.
They will stay up if they reproduce this sort of form.
They were, as Van Dijk will testify, hair-raisingly superb.
West Brom v Newcastle
NEWCASTLE’S FA Cup record in the Mike Ashley era reads more like a crime sheet – something current boss Steve Bruce is hoping to change.
Tuesday night’s trip to The Hawthorns to face Championship leaders West Brom in the fifth round represents the furthest Newcastle have travelled in the competition in the 13 years under owner Ashley.
Last season, Geordie hero Alan Shearer labelled their latest failure, a fourthround defeat at home to Watford “pathetic”.
Gateshead-born former Liverpool star Don Hutchison surveyed the wreckage, and said: “Newcastle are an utter shambles in the FA Cup.”
And former St James’ Park striker Micky Quinn said: “The fans keep paying money to see mediocrity at times. And don’t forget, if you look back in time before Mike Ashley arrived, there was always a proud tradition of Newcastle United and the FA Cup.”
Shearer himself was in the side which reached successive FA Cup Finals in 1998 and 1999, while back in the 50s there were
FA Cup fifth round, Tuesday, 8pm
FA CUP THIS WEEK
TOMORROW PORTSMOUTH v ARSENAL TUESDAY CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL READING v SHEFFIELD UNITED WEST BROM v NEWCASTLE WEDNESDAY LEICESTER CITY v BIRMINGHAM SHEFFIELD WEDS v MAN CITY TOTTENHAM v NORWICH THURSDAY
DERBY v MANCHESTER UNITED
regular trips to Wembley to watch ‘Wor’ Jackie Milburn, Bobby Mitchell, Vic Keeble, Joe Harvey and company.
They won the famous trophy three times in that decade – the 1955 triumph amazingly Newcastle’s last major domestic prize.
Shearer was on punditry duty for the replay against Oxford. He said: “The Newcastle fans have a great affection for this competition, but, in the last 12 years, Newcastle have been hopeless in it.
“In defence of Steve [Bruce] he’s always said he will play his strongest team, and this is a decent draw.”
Bruce is definitely up for it, insisting: “The FA Cup Final is still a huge moment in this country – I have vowed I would never play weakened teams.”