The world’s enjoying a tasty cuppa

THE Cup – just the word evokes thoughts, memories, smiles.

And it’s been with us for dozens of centuries – the word, if not the FA competition (that started in 1871).

Ancient Greeks spoke of a ‘koupa’ and the Romans ‘cupa’, which over millennia eventually evolved into the beloved ‘cuppa’.

From the Maoris (kapu) to the Arabs (kub) to Japan (kappu), the whole world knows about the cup.

And as early as 1640 the ‘cup’ meant ‘a sports trophy in the form of a cup’ – originally for horseracing.

Today, minnows Newport take on Leicester in the Cwpan FA, following Woking’s televised battle with Watford.

But the interesting tie will be tomorrow when Wolves host Liverpool. Boss Jurgen Klopp (left) has experienced cup success – not here, but seven years ago when his Borussia Dortmund lifted the Dfb-pokal, Germany’s equivalent of the FA Cup (‘pokal’ can also mean ‘a goblet’).

In NEIL’S the week’s FIVE other big cuppa competition MUST-SEE – GAMES the Carabao Cup Today: semi-final, Ddfdfggfddfg first leg (Sky Sports Premier League Xpm Sky Sports

Football, 8pm) – Spurs take on PL/ME

Tomorrow: Chelsea Ddfdfggfddfg on Tuesday evening. Premier While League Citeh, Xpm fresh Sky Sports from their PL/ME

euphoric win over the Reds, have Tuesday: Ddfdfggfddfg

Premier what League some Xpm are Sky rather Sports naughtily PL/ME referring to as a bye to the final Wednesday: Ddfdfggfddfg

because they’re playing Nigel Premier League Xpm Sky Sports

Clough’s Burton Albion in the other Carabao Cup semi

(Sky Sports Football, 7.45pm).

Pep may not rotate too extensively on Wednesday since the trophy is the first he picked up in England before his historic Premier League triumph, so, no doubt, he’ll be keen to repeat his cup achievement of last year.