FA Cup Overhaul

GM football fans. It’s Monday, Jan. 14 - FA consider scrapping extra time in the FA Cup, Welsh football shakeup, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

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FIXTURES

Premier League MW21: Brentford vs Man City, 19:30 / 14:30. City have turned a corner with back-to-back league wins, while Brentford have lost their last two at home in the league, and three in all competitions. Chelsea vs Bournemouth, 19:30 / 14:30. Having lost consecutive Premier League games against Bournemouth in 2019, Chelsea are now unbeaten in their last six meetings. Nottm Forest vs Liverpool, 20:00 / 15:00. Forest are looking for a first league double over Liverpool in 62 years, though the Reds have been good on the road this season, going unbeaten in their nine away league matches. See list of Premier League fixtures here.

Results…

• La Liga: Real Sociedad 1-0 Villarreal (League Table)

• Serie A: Monza 2-1 Fiorentina (League Table)

• FA Cup, 3rd Round: Millwall 3-0 Dag & Red

TOP TALKING POINTS

FA Cup Overhaul Considered

The FA will review whether to scrap extra time in FA Cup matches at the end of the season. Reports suggest it will not consider bringing back replays.

This season, FA Cup replays were scrapped from the first round onwards to ease the congested fixture calendar. The removal of replays was met with criticism, as smaller clubs have enjoyed financial windfalls from securing playoffs. It was estimated that Tamworth, the lowest-ranked team in the third round, would have earned £1m if they had a replay against Tottenham Hotspur. The club’s yearly revenue is £1.6m.

Some argue that going straight to penalties after 90 minutes gives clubs, who may have part-time players, a better chance of winning instead of running out of steam in extra time. The EFL Cup scrapped extra time six years ago for all rounds except the final.

Learn more on the arguments for and against FA Cup replays here.

Welsh European Dreams

Four of EFL’s Welsh-based clubs – Wrexham, Cardiff City, Swansea City and Newport County – are getting closer to gaining access to the Wales League Cup, a competition contested by teams from the top two tiers in the Welsh league. The winner of the cup is granted a place in Uefa’s Conference League.

The Welsh FA and the clubs have presented their plans to Uefa, the Welsh and UK Governments, and all Cymru Premier clubs. Now, they must earn approval from the FA to get the official green light to proceed. The Welsh FA says the move could raise the profile of the domestic game and improve the country’s poor Uefa coefficient ranking, currently 49th out of 55.

The plans have faced resistance from former Cymru Premier players. The EFL has also expressed some doubts, citing concerns about the integrity of its competition, the congested calendar, and the commercial impact.

Sheff United Death Inquiry

An investigation around the death of former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack has been finalised. The report will shared with a coroner by the end of the week.

Cusack, 27, took her own life in September 2023, leading to her family putting together a seven-page complaint about her last seven months with Sheffield United. The timing coincides with the appointment of manager Jonathan Morgan, who denies contributing to Cusack’s emotional anguish. He has agreed to give evidence at an inquest.

Morgan was previously cleared of wrongdoing in an independent inquiry in December 2023 and no disciplinary action was taken. He was sacked by the club in February last year after a former Leicester player told The Athletic she had a secret relationship with him while he, in his 20s, was managing the club. The player in question reportedly said she was 17 when the relationship started.

POLL

ON THE BALL

Europe

> The Premier League will issue disciplinary charges today against any club who has broken financial rules for the 2021-24 reporting period (Previous Write-up) | The postponed Premier League game between Everton and Liverpool has been rescheduled to Wednesday, 12 February at 19:30 GMT (More) | Aston Villa have reportedly reached an agreement with Dortmund to sign Donyell Malen for €25m plus €5m add-ons (More)

> Milan must decide between Marcus Rashford or Kyle Walker due to a new Serie A rule relating to Brexit where clubs can only sign one British player per transfer window (More) | Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is nearing a move to Paris Saint-Germain (More)

> Benfica were crowned champion of the Portuguese League Cup for the eighth time in its history (More) | Rangers fan group Union Bears staged a protest walk-out during their 3-1 win over St Johnstone; the group are also calling for manager Philippe Clement to go (More)

> Simon Kjær, Danish international, has announced his retirement from professional football (More)

Americas

> Casey Stoney, former Manchester United manager, has officially been appointed head coach of Canada women’s national team (More) | CF Montreal announced the signing of forward Prince Owusu to a two-year contract (More)

> San Jose Earthquakes sign Chicho Arango from Real Salt Lake (More)

> Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory, is set to join Argentine club River Plate for €4.5m from Sevilla (More)

Rest of the World

> Hong Kong football chief Eric Fok Kai-shan has acknowledged that the legalisation of gambling on matches in Hong Kong would increase resources for the sport in the city (More) | Barcelona FC ‘signed’ to play in Hong Kong but an unsent email row stopped it from happening (More)

> Melbourne City went top of the A-League with a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar as Auckland FC went down 1-0 to Perth Glory (More)

ROUTERS’ VOICE

Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think that the club you support should be where you grew up and/or who your family supports?

🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🏡 Absolutely... (51%)

🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ 🙅 Nope... (44%)

🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (write in!)... (5%)

Your punditry takes:

• 🏡 N.E: “My grandfather played for West Ham, my dad supported them, and I have had a season ticket for 36 years. That lineage should be preserved.”

• 🙅 K.F: “I've been a supporter of my team for 17 years and although I have not grown up in Manchester, and have not had an opportunity to visit the UK in 42 years (yikes), we definitely have fans and supporters internationally. I'm proud to be one of them. Looking forward to getting to the Etihad and staying at YOTEL Manchester Deansgate, and having a pint at Sinclairs Oyster Bar. C'mon City! 🩵”

• ✍️ G.B: “Not necessarily. My hometown club is HIBERNIAN in Edinburgh, but they played Tottenham Hotspur at Easter Road, in a friendly (1950, or 1951), so I supported Tottenham as my English club. Then I moved to Newcastle in 1952, and now they are the English club I support, but with still a soft spot for Tottenham. I now live in Canada, and I am still a HIBBEE!”

EXTRA TIME

Journalist leaks Lyon owner’s explicit messages about midfielder Rayan Cherki. (via X)

When Liverpool won the European Cup quarter-final with a coin toss.

Guardiola lectures autograph hunters.

French designer’s football qamis to be released at the end of the month.

A day in the life of a Premier League footballer. (via X)

Inter Milan 25-26 home kit leaked.

FPL Scout Selection ahead of today’s deadline.

Every VAR and referee error so far in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United defender David May shares dementia fears.

Six players to be aware of in Pochettino’s USMNT January camp.

David Moyes's first interview in his second term as Everton manager.

GAME FACE ON

Question: Can you name all the nationalities of the managers that have won the Premier League title since its inaugural season in 1992-93?

Scroll below for the answer.

ON TODAY

Premier League

• Brentford vs Man City (19:30)

• Chelsea vs Bournemouth (19:30)

• West Ham vs Fulham (19:30)

• Nottm Forest vs Liverpool (20:00)

Copa Del Rey, Last 16

• Ourense vs Valencia (20:00)

Bundesliga

• Holstein vs Dortmund (17:30)

• Leverkusen vs Mainz 05 (19:30)

• Frankfurt vs Freiburg (19:30)

• Wolfsburg vs M’gladback (19:30)

Serie A

• Como vs AC MIlan (17:30)

• Atalanta vs Juventus (19:45)

Women’s FA Cup, 4th Round

• Crystal Palace vs Sheff Utd (19:00)

*All time in UK. ET -5. CST -6. PST -8. MST -7. CET +1.

Answer

Scottish. Italian. French. Portuguese. Spanish. German. Chilean.