It’s another FA Cup weekend and the primary focus will be on two all Premier League games shrouded in controversy before a coin’s been tossed by the man in black (and pink occasionally), Live Journalist Jermain, makes his predictions for the matches and the complicated drama behind each team.
It’s the draw from hell. Two of the most controversial matches of the season, games which have produced a legal case against one star player and an eight-match ban for another, are now being re-run in the FA Cup. Luis Suarez, who was found guilty of racially abusing full-back Patrice Evra, won’t be there when Liverpool face Man Utd. But England captain John Terry is free to play against QPR, despite allegations that he did much the same to their centre back Anton Ferdinand late last year.
To make matters that bit more tense, these two games are both local derbies.
Liverpool vs Manchester United
The fixture between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of the most significant sporting rivalries in football, with the two north-west giants just 30-odd miles apart.
After their 1-1 draw at Anfield in October last year, Liverpool striker Luiz Suarez was given an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United vice captain Patrice Evra. The length of the ban, and Liverpool’s aggressive reaction to it, has heightened tensions for a match that’s never short of bite.
Both teams are having mixed seasons. Liverpool’s league form has been disappointing, although they did reach the Carling Cup Final after overcoming Manchester City on Wednesday.
As for Manchester United, unusually for them, the FA Cup is one of just two competitions they still have an interest in, having been dumped from the Champions League by FC Basel and the Carling Cup by Crystal Palace, both of them relatively lowly sides.
Prediction: Liverpool 1–Manchester United 2
QPR vs Chelsea
The West London derby between Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea earlier this season had rival fans from both teams spitting hatred at each other. John Terry’s alleged abuse of Anton Ferdinand is still to be resolved by the courts.
Chelsea lost that match 1–0 in a feisty encounter during which the Chelsea players were unable to cope with the hostile atmosphere generated by the QPR fans. Nine of their players were booked and two were sent off, while Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas was charged by the FA for criticising the referee Chris Foy. However, it was the aftermath of the match, which found John Terry appearing to racially abuse QPR defender Anton Ferdinand on camera, that really shook football fans. Now there’s the added spice of whether Ferdinand will give the Blues Captain a customary handshake pre-match.
Chelsea will be missing key players in Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou as both Ivorian players are on duty at the African Cup of Nations. QPR have recently appointed former Chelsea player Mark Hughes as their new manager and may give starting berths to new defenders Taye Taiwo and Nedum Onuoha.
Prediction: QPR 1–Chelsea 1
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