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Weekly Football News 9 1 12
Weekly Soccer News, January 9, 2012
FA Cup draw pits arch-rivals together
English Premier League champions Manchester United have been drawn to face Liverpool in the fourth round of England’s FA Cup after their contentious 3-2 victory over league leaders Manchester City on Sunday.
United, who knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup last season before losing to eventual champions City in the semi-final, almost threw away a 3-0 half-time lead against their 10-man arch-rivals in a pulsating encounter at the Etihad.
In related news, Paul Scholes made his first appearance of the 2011-12 season after coming out of retirement to sign a short-term contract with United until the end of the season.
Warnock out at QPR
Queen's Park Rangers have sacked manager Neil Warnock after last season’s English Championship title winners slipped to 17th place in the EPL.
The West London side that has lofty ambitions under new owner Tony Fernandes have won just five of their 20 games this season in their first season back in the top flight after an absence of 15 years.
Former Fulham boss Mark Hughes has been strongly linked with the new vacancy at Loftus Road.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed, but having achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of pride," Warnock said. "I have enjoyed my time here more than anywhere else and the QPR fans have been brilliant with me - they deserve success."
Hazard a bit like Messi: Cole
England midfielder Joe Cole has likened team-mate Eden Hazard to Lionel Messi.
Hazard is contracted to Lille until 2015 but he has admitted that this season is likely to be his last in Ligue 1. The playmaker has been linked with transfer window moves to Arsenal and Manchester City.
Cole said: "Hazard is different class. He's still only 21 and has definitely got another few gears to go up. He's got the same attitude as [Wayne] Rooney at that age - he's fearless. He knows how good he is, and that's a positive thing.
"All the top players have got that belief and a bit of presence and arrogance, and he's like that. He's a bit like Messi. There's only one Messi and I don't want to put pressure on the kid, but he's like him - short, squat, powerful legs, great touch, he can finish.
"He’s got everything."
Magilton the man for Melbourne
Australian A-League club Melbourne Victory have appointed Northern Irishman Jim Magilton as head coach following the dismissal of Mehmet Durakovic.
Magilton was recently in the running to coach the Northern Ireland national team but lost out to compatriot Michael O’Neill, who he was assistant coach to at Shamrock Rovers before making the move down under.
The former Southampton and Oxford United midfielder is considered to be an astute tactician, and has previously enjoyed success at Ipswich Town in the English Championship.
''[Magilton] seems to be very professional. As soon as he got off the plane, he wanted certain things ready for him - he's hit the ground running,'' Melbourne’s assistant coach Kevin Muscat said.
''He'll see there is a good football squad here. It's just a matter of getting that consistency from week to week and winning actual games.''
Compiled by Marc Fox
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