No Dalglish boost as United knock Liverpool out
Chelsea thump Ipswich 7-0
Kenny Dalglish’s first match back as Liverpool manager ended in a 1-0 FA Cup third round defeat by Manchester United yesterday and, to make matters worse, captain Steven Gerrard was sent off.
Any hopes Liverpool great Dalglish, the last manager to bring the league title to Anfield in 1990, would immediately revive the squad after the six-month reign of Roy Hodgson was ended on Saturday, lasted barely 35 seconds at Old Trafford.
That was how long it took United to earn a penalty scored by Ryan Giggs after striker Dimitar Berbatov was clipped in the box by Daniel Agger.
Worse followed for Dalglish when Liverpool captain Gerrard was red-carded by World Cup final referee Howard Webb for jumping into a challenge on fellow England midfielder Michael Carrick in the 32nd minute.
“I think the two decisions (the penalty and the sending-off) are important factors in the game,” said Dalglish.
“It’s difficult to come here and play at Manchester United, they are top of the league and a fantastic side.
“When you go down to 10 men, lose a goal in the first minute, I think we showed fantastic courage, fantastic commitment and I think they did that in conjunction with the fantastic support they had here.
“They (the Liverpool supporters) stayed with them the whole game, it was always going to be difficult.”
Turning to Webb’s decision to award a penalty, Dalglish said: “I don’t think it’s a penalty kick.”
Berbatov insisted that it had been a penalty.
“Of course it was a penalty. There was enough contact for me to lose my balance and people know I do not go to ground easily.”
Victory for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Premier League leaders meant United, who will tackle Southampton in the next round, avoided a repeat of last season’s embarrassment when they were knocked out in the third round by then third division side Leeds.
Elsewhere second-tier Leicester held big-spenders Manchester City to a 2-2 draw at the Walkers Stadium.
Leicester, managed by former City and England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, made a sensational start when they took a first- minute lead through Sol Bamba.
But goals from James Milner and Carlos Tevez appeared to have eased City into the fourth round until a blunder from England goalkeeper Joe Hart gifted Leicester’s Andy King an equaliser.
FA Cup holders Chelsea, bidding to win the trophy for a third straight season, thrashed Ipswich Town 7-0 just days after the Championship club sacked Roy Keane as their manager.
Chelsea may be struggling to defend their Premier League title but the result of this match was never in doubt after Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge scored in the 33rd and 34th minute at Stamford Bridge to ease the pressure on beleaguered boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Carlos Edwards’s own-goal made it 3-0 before half-time and Nicolas Anelka added a fourth goal early in the second half.
England midfielder Frank Lampard piled on the misery for Ipswich with two goals in as many minutes late on.
“We don’t have to be excited,” said Ancelotti. “We have to give the same performance next week against Blackburn. We have to wait to say everything is OK.”
Premier League high-flyers Tottenham Hotspur beat third division Charlton 3-0.
England striker Jermain Defoe, who started his career at Charlton, scored two goals in three minutes after Andros Townsend’s 20-yard drive broke the deadlock shortly after half-time.
Tottenham will face London rivals Fulham for a place in the fifth round.
Non-league Crawley face Championship side Derby in the third round today with Hereford, bottom of the Football League, away to fourth division rivals Wycombe tomorrow.
Summaries
Chelsea 7
Kalou 33; Sturridge 34, 52; Edwards 41 og; Anelka 49; Lampard 78, 79;
Ipswich 0
Leicester 2
Bamba 1; King 64;
Man. City 2
Milner 23; Tevez 45;
Man. United 1
Giggs 2 pen;
Liverpool 0
Red card: Gerrard (L) 32.
Tottenham 3
Townsend 49; Defoe 58, 60;
Charlton 0
Next fixtures
Tomorrow: League Cup SF, first leg 20.45 West Ham vs Birmingham.
Wednesday: League Cup SF, first leg 20.45 Ipswich vs Arsenal. Premier League 21.00 Blackpool vs Liverpool.
Saturday: Premier League 16.00 Chelsea vs Blackburn; Man. City vs Wolves; Stoke vs Bolton; West Brom vs Blackpool; Wigan vs Fulham. 18.30 West Ham vs Arsenal.
Sunday: Premier League 13.00 Birmingham vs Aston Villa; Sunderland vs Newcastle. 15.05 Liverpool vs Everton. 17.10 Tottenham vs Manchester United.