FA CUP- 4th round : MAN UTD progress but Liverpool n Arsenal out

 Manchester Utd & Chelsea picked up wins in the Fa Cup over the weekend, but Liverpool and Arsenal were both sent crashing out at the fourth round stage of the competition

An action-packed weekend of FA Cup action ended up with two of English football royalty in Liverpool and Arsenal both crashing out at the fourth round stage

SOUTHAMPTON 1 Arsenal 0

CHELSEA 3 Luton Town 1

WEST HAM 4 Doncaster 0

Cheltenham 1 MAN CITY 3

Fulham 0 BURNLEY 3

Brentford 1 LEICESTER CITY 3

EVERTON 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0

Wycombe 1 TOTTENHAM 4

BOURNEMOUTH 2 Crawley Town 1

Aubameyang's brace vs. Newcastle hints at what Arsenal can be when the striker is at his best

 Arsenal's post-Christmas revival will really gather pace if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace in this 3-0 win over Newcastle signals a return to form.

For 50 minutes or so, this appeared likely to be another evening spent in the shadow of his former self, bereft of confidence and lacking conviction when chances presented themselves.

With just a quarter of an hour played, Bukayo Saka burst into the box and tried a shot across goal which Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow touched away with his outstretched right foot. The ball came quickly to Aubameyang just beyond the far post around three yards out and he could only steer his shot off the far upright with the goal at his mercy. The speed with which the ball came to him, via a late deflection, offered small mitigation but it was a chance he should have converted and one he surely would have done had he been anywhere near his best of late.

Just before the interval, Aubameyang had another chance to cut in from the left and try his luck but the 31-year-old could only produce a tame effort off target. And so when Thomas Partey released Aubameyang five minutes after half-time for another run at Newcastle right-back Emil Krafth, the odds were against what happened next.

Suddenly, the old Aubameyang appeared. The one who helped Arteta and Arsenal thrive in 'Project Restart' and helped guide them to an FA Cup final success with goals against Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Gabon international burst forward with intent, shifted the ball onto his left foot, and in a flash fired a shot past Darlow. It was reward, not least for his perseverance.

"That's what he has done through his career and mentally you have to be really strong in order to do that," said Gunners boss Mikel Arteta. "He has come out of a difficult period. We have been missing his goals a lot. Today he has come back and scored two, and contributed to the team to win and this is exactly what we need. So I am really pleased for him."

It was only Aubameyang's second Premier League goal since Nov. 1 but one that eased frustrations on a night when Arsenal dominated the ball but struggled to translate that superiority to the scoreline.

Thomas Partey, making his first start since Dec. 6 following a thigh injury, looked utterly unflustered throughout, misplacing just three of his 58 passes all evening. Sterner tests are to come for Arsenal's £45 million summer signing but there were encouraging signs given the midfielder's lack of action due to injury since arriving from Atletico Madrid.

Meanwhile, youngsters Emile Smith Rowe and Saka continue to inject joy into the Gunners' play, taking advantage of some dreadful defending and to combine for Arsenal's second.

It felt apt that Smith Rowe continues to show signs of being able to take up a creative mantle once the preserve of Mesut Ozil, who is now in Turkey ahead of a move to Fenerbahce. Smith Rowe is said to have been one of several youngsters to look up to Ozil even during his spell in the wilderness but the quickest way for everyone to move on is for the 20-year-old to continue on like this.

"The manager tells me so much to play free, clear my mind, and be confident," Smith Rowe told Sky Sports. "If I make a mistake he tells me to carry on. I'm so happy to play for a manager like Mikel and to get these opportunities."

Cedric Soares, selected ahead of Hector Bellerin at right-back, capped a composed display with an assist for Aubameyang to tap home a second. It is the first time Aubameyang has scored more than once in a game since that FA Cup final -- he was denied the chance to pursue a hat trick after coming off with what Arteta described as a small "stomach issue" -- and since signing his new contract in September, there have been accusations in some quarters of a drop off in intensity from the Gabonese.

However, his tally of just eight goals for the season including the Community Shield is the product of a number of factors beyond a loss of confidence, not least the poor chance creation the Gunners suffered with during that spell before Christmas when they lost five out of seven games in all competitions.

Aubameyang has now scored in his last four games against Newcastle and Arteta's hope will be this is the beginning of a renaissance given the tougher opposition that lies in wait: potentially Southampton twice in four days before Manchester United, Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds, Benfica and Manchester City.

But everyone has to start somewhere. Steve Bruce made eight changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Sheffield United but there was little discernible by way of a reaction and in the end, this was a nice confidence-builder for the home side, their fifth win in six games (including their FA Cup third-round win against Bruce's men nine days earlier).

This was also Arsenal's fifth consecutive clean sheet, the first time they have managed such a run in 12 years. Align that with a revived Aubameyang and Arteta may well be on to something.

Emiliano Martinez confirms Arsenal exit with emotional message to club and fans

Emiliano Martinez has sent an emotional message to Arsenal fans and the club as he prepares to leave after a decade in north London. 

The Argentine goalkeeper is expected to join Aston Villa in a £20m move, despite starring for the Gunners in their run to the FA Cup final last season and as they won the Community Shield against Liverpool last month. 

Martinez has been at the club since 2010 and has largely been an understudy for various other goalkeepers, but finally got his chance to shine after Bernd Leno was injured at the back end of last season. 

The 28-year-old feels that all his hard work paid off, with his chance to play and star in the first team, and now it is time to move on with Leno returning and his place under threat again. ‘I always had that feeling that I would have my chance at Arsenal,’ Martinez said in an Instagram video. 

‘Season after season I was always trying to come back to the club I love [from loan] to try and have my chance. ‘I waited, I worked past the frustration because football is not always easy, like everyone thinks. 

‘I’m proud to overcome my frustration and show the Arsenal fanbase what they missed 10 years ago, because I knew I could do the same thing years before.

‘I truly believe that keepers go at different times and on different paths. 

For me, it was hard, but I knew there was light at the end of the tunnel.’

Martinez is thrilled with the response he has had from the Arsenal fans and thanked them for their support. 

‘With my family I decided, 11 years at the club, 10 years worked so hard, I leave through the front door today,’ said the stopper. 

‘For me I could not be happier to leave through the front door with the Arsenal fanbase supporting me and the club. 

‘I’m very grateful for the 11 years at Arsenal, even if it was a hard road for me. ‘Today I’m happy and I tried to show all the young goalies that hard work pays off. 

‘When you work hard you’re not going to be happy the whole time, there’s going to be frustrations and bad times, but you have to work past that and you’re going to see the light.

Martinez was emotional after winning the FA Cup (Picture: Getty Images)

‘That’s what I saw when I won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, I saw blue sky and it is the right time for me to step up. 

‘They all understood at Arsenal and they support my decision. The Arsenal fanbase were always there for me, I felt the love. ‘Even when Bernd got injured I was receiving loads of messages saying, 

“Emi we trust you. You are our goalie. We know you’re going to do so well.” 

‘That made me confident, made me win games, made me the keeper I am today. ‘They understood my story, they loved the way I worked hard in the club and I’m so grateful to be part of the Arsenal family for 11 years.’ 

Martinez is expected to be confirmed as an Aston Villa player in the very near future.

Willian dazzles on debut as Gunners start Premier League season with a win

Arsenal kicked off the new Premier League season in style. The Gunners smashed London rivals Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage and new signing Willian was the star of the show. 

He provided a hat-trick of assists inside 60 minutes.  

The first set-up Alexandre Lacazette's 8th-minute tap-in, while his second was the cross that fellow debutant Gabriel headed in shortly after half-time.

Willian's third assist was the pick of the bunch. 

The Brazilian curled a beautiful ball into the path of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the striker took three touches before curling a beauty past Marek Rodak.

What a way to make your debut. Take a bow, Willian. He wasn't the only one that impressed either.

Mikel Arteta will be very happy with how his Arsenal side performed on Saturday afternoon. They dominated Fulham from start to finish. 

This looked like a real statement from the Gunners - they are a team to take seriously this season. 

Aubameyang and Lacazette renewed their deadly partnership up top and with Willian forming part of that new trio, all three forwards look dangerous. 

Behind them, the makeshift midfield partnership of Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny were strong, while the back three kept a clean sheet. 

All in all, it was a very comfortable win for Arsenal against newly-promoted Fulham. 

There will be tougher tests ahead for Arteta's team, but that shouldn't take anything away from this impressive performance. 

The Gunners have their first three points of the season in the bag and there's plenty to suggest this could be the start of a special season at the Emirates. 

CHELSEA bercita2 besar

BERBANDING rata-rata pasukan Eropah yang terkesan akibat pandemik Covid-19, Chelsea sebaliknya berbelanja besar sekitar £200 juta (RM1.06 bilion ) untuk menyaingi Liverpool dan Manchester City di tangga teratas liga.

Pengendali Chelsea, Frank Lampard berjaya menandatangani pemain berbakat Eropah iaitu Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech.

Dengan kejayaan menyambar pemain baru, Lampard mengharapkan penamat yang berbeza berbanding tempat keempat musim lalu.

"Harapan saya berbeza berbanding tahun lalu kerana kami kini di dalam situasi berbeza. Saya tidak hadir ke kelab ini untuk menamatkan saingan di kedudukan keempat," katanya.

Lampard perlu membuktikan pemilihannya selaku pengurus Chelsea untuk musim ketiga adalah tepat terutamanya dalam usaha bersaing dengan Liverpool dan City.

"Kami ketinggalan banyak mata sejak dua musim lalu, jadi kini kami perlu merapatkan jurang dan membina keyakinan semula.

"Kami perlu bekerjasama dengan pemain dan tugas saya adalah untuk memahami barisan pemain baru bagi membolehkan mereka menyesuaikan diri bersama pasukan.

"Tugas itu bermula sekarang," kata Lampard.

 Chelsea akan berkunjung ke Brighton untuk menghadapi perlawanan pertama awal pagi Selasa dan mereka tidak boleh mencicirkan mata bermula daripada perlawanan itu jika mahu mencabar Liverpool dan City.

AUBAMEYANG bantu ARSENAL julang Piala Komuniti

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a superb goal and netted the winning penalty in a shootout as Arsenal beat Premier League champions Liverpool in the Community Shield at an empty Wembley Stadium.

Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster, brought on in stoppage time, hit the crossbar with his penalty - the only one not converted in the shootout.

Aubameyang's curling strike gave FA Cup winners Arsenal the lead in the first half before Liverpool substitute Takumi Minamino equalised after the break.

Minamino's flicked pass to Mohamed Salah bounced back kindly for him to slot home from close range.

There was a quick VAR check for handball by Salah but the replay showed no clear contact.

It is the second year in a row Liverpool have lost on penalties after Manchester City's victory in 2019.

Aubameyang leads Arsenal to move silverware

Aubameyang's importance to Arsenal was once again shown in another impressive performance.

The Gabon international, who scored twice in the FA Cup final at the same stadium this month, cut inside from the left and whipped the ball into the far corner in emphatic style to open the scoring.

He continued to terrorise Liverpool's defence, exposing young right-back Neco Williams.

And when Aubameyang stepped up to take the final penalty, with the score 4-4 in the shootout, there was no way he was going to miss.

He has netted 71 goals in 110 Arsenal appearances and no Gunners player has scored more than his five goals at the venue.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Friday he was "pretty confident" the skipper will sign a new contract after a long, painful wait for supporters.

After lifting their second piece of silverware in a month, it would cap off a very pleasing summer for Arsenal if Aubameyang does eventually put pen to paper.

Stuttering Liverpool fall short again

Liverpool were without regular starters Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson but they fielded a side many would feel were capable of beating Arsenal.

They started off on the front foot, with Sadio Mane getting in behind on numerous occasions on the left and linking up with full-back Andy Robertson.

But sloppiness crept into their game as the first half wore on - Virgil van Dijk berated Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho on separate occasions for giving the ball away too easily in midfield.

Arsenal's Ainsley Maitland-Niles was impressive and caused problems, while Bukayo Saka was busy in and around the Liverpool box.

However, Liverpool had plenty of chances to score. An unmarked James Milner headed over the bar, Van Dijk almost got on the end of a Mane flick-on and Roberto Firmino had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

Liverpool grew more dominant in the second half - Minamino deservedly drew them level with more than 15 minutes to play - but they could not find a winner.

Arsenal's Joe Willock had a brilliant chance to make it 2-1 with five minutes to go when he miscued his header following Cedric Soares' cross from the right.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp brought off Wijnaldum, who had his penalty saved in last year's shootout by City, and replaced him with 20-year-old Brewster, but the England youth international crashed his spot-kick off the bar.

There is certainly no need to panic but the air of invincibility Liverpool had throughout most of the 2019-20 league campaign has worn off in recent months following a patch of two defeats and a draw in seven games at the end of the season.

'You never get used to winning' - what they said

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, speaking to BT Sport: "You never get used to winning. I knew the challenge we faced today against this incredible opponent. Thank you very much to the players for the effort and performance.

"The courage of the team, how aggressive we were without the ball and against the Liverpool press. I am pleased and knew in the second half we would suffer. But in the penalties we had courage to do them right.

"In the last 10 minutes we took the ball and played in the final third. I am pleased how they competed. It creates belief."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, speaking to BT Sport: "We deserved the equaliser and could have scored more but we didn't do that.

"When you play against a formation like this then you need to be really fresh in the final third and you need to force it, create angles. The rhythm for that fell a little bit. Today it was not enough."

Man of the match - Ainsley Maitland-Niles

SEVILLA juara liga Eropah (UEL)

SEVILLA memenangi mahkota Liga Europa buat kali keenam ketika sepakan gunting Diego Carlos terkena kaki Romelu Lukaku untuk gol kemenangan mengatasi Inter Milan, 3-2 dalam aksi final menarik di Cologne.

Wakil Sepanyol itu antara kelab kedua terbanyak memenangi kejuaraan berkenaan berbanding kelab lain.

Dua jaringan menerusi tandukan Luuk De Jong menafikan gol penalti awal Lukaku dan gol penyamaan Diego Godin buat Inter ketika empat gol dihasilkan pada babak pertama.