The Budweiser FA Cup

[Colly]

Surely they can't use 'not many people have travelled to St James Park' as evidence of a protest, how many were expected to go anyway?

[Baddar]

How many were at Old Trafford? Didn't sound like there were a lot.

...also, how many Blackburn fans turned up?

[Lineker]

Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston will not attend this weekend's third-round FA Cup tie at non-league neighbours Fleetwood Town and says the game is neither exciting nor a high priority.

The match has been eagerly anticipated locally, with the 5,094 capacity Highbury Stadium completely sold out.

But Oyston says he prefers to focus on success in the Championship.

"It's perhaps caught the imagination," Oyston concedes. "But it's not the big event people are billing it as."

Fleetwood, who are second in the Blue Square Bet Premier, beat Yeovil 2-0 in an FA Cup second-round replay in December to set up a tie with the Tangerines, who lie just outside the Championship play-off places, having been relegated from the Premier League on the final day of last season.

After the win over Yeovil, Fleetwood chairman Andy Pilley called the Blackpool tie "the game of the decades" for his club.

"Genuinely, hand on heart, we would prefer Blackpool at home to Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, anybody," Pilley added.

"The hysteria this tie will cause for the next few weeks will be absolutely immense."

But Pilley's Blackpool counterpart Oyston is less enthused by the draw, and told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's a competition that neither club will win, without being defeatist.

"I've got tickets for Saturday, but I'm passing them on to other members of the family. I'm going to stay away.

"I'll be monitoring the progress from afar, but I think it's more important that people go who really want to go and are excited by it."

Oyston, who has been in charge at Bloomfield Road since 1999, then expanded on the club website: "If we had drawn Manchester United or Manchester City that would have been exciting, but a Conference club isn't wonderful."

Glenn Bowley of the Blackpool Supporters' Association told BBC Sport: "We're looking forward to it. Some fans are really excited.

"I don't think the chairman's done us a disservice. I think it's going to be a good day, an enjoyable day, and I hope we win."

And he agreed with Oyston to an extent, adding: "We're all looking forward to it, but it's very easy to get carried away. Our priority has to be the league."

[stokeriño]

Stats that amuse me:

"This is the eighth successive year Chelsea have been drawn at home in the third round to a lower division club."

Good Lord.

[IAceI]

I suppose it's not that rare for it to happen, and even a few times, but for it to happen eight seasons in a row is pretty interesting. You'd at least want to play a lower division club away for a fun away day though.

Meanwhile, things that just amuse me:

"Mancini may not have a full squad to fill the bench for the FA Cup match"

Where did I put my tiniest of violins? Especially given Darlington can't afford to pay for the bus to take them to Barrow for possibly their last match is also a bit of a story at the minute.

We better beat Peterborough on Sunday. I'd love for us to get a decent cup run going for a change but it seems like O'Neill may be forced to make some changes given we're struggling with injuries as is. Gordon and Turner played for the reserves the other day when we beat Arsenal 2-0 so that's heartening. Ryan Noble is possibly going to get a run out and may partner Ji up front from the start (that won't work at all), and their may be a return for Fraizer Campbell on bench after his long, long, looong absence. Wouldn't be surprised if O'Neill doesn't give David Meyler a chance to impress either.

So it'll probably be a weakened team with a mix of some usual suspects to keep us dangerous. So, Sessegnon, in other words.

Edited January 6, 2012 by IAceI

[DavidMarrio]

Be interesting to see what team we put out tonight. I'm expecting people like Shelvey, Fabio Aurelio, Martin Kelly to play tonight which will be good. But I'm kinda hoping we put out Gerrard and Carroll at one bit, maybe this is the sorta game to get confidence up for the team after a highly disappointing last outing against City. Should be a good atmosphere though tonight at Anfield looking forward to go

[Starvinho]

Is the Liverpool game on tv, can't see it anywhere in my Sky tv guide.

[Lineker]

Not convinced that it's televised.

Arsene Wenger says Thierry Henry will face Leeds on Monday night - but he is unlikely to play the full 90 minutes.

[IAceI]

No it's not on TV today, only Wycombe v Huddersfield in L1 is on TV tonight.

Liverpool and Everton both got drawn at home in the FA Cup so couldn't both play on Saturday. With the Manchester teams playing each other Sunday (making travel for Oldham fans maybe a bit trickier) and I believe Liverpool are playing Man City midweek(?) so they opted to have it tonight.

[Hobo]

Liverpool team to play Oldham:

25 Reina

06 Aurelio

16 Coates

23 Carragher

34 Kelly

08 Gerrard

11 Maxi

20 Spearing

33 Shelvey

18 Kuyt

39 Bellamy

Substitutes:

32 Doni,

37 Skrtel,

38 Flanagan,

14 Henderson,

19 Downing,

26 Adam,

09 Carroll

EDIT:

Simpson gives Oldham the lead and Criag Bellamy equalizes!

Jonjo Shelvey has a chance to score but falls over!

Half time penalty gives Liverpool the lead and in the second half Jonjo Shelvey scores his first Liverpool goal!

3-1 with 20 mins left.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Is there any sort of studio show or something going tomorrow with an overview of all the matches as they happen?

[Berober]

Sky Sports News will have it, as it always does...

They also have Batista.

[jack95]

According to the BBC live text, Oldham midfielder Tom Adeyemi has got into an argument with a Liverpool fan in the front few rows, and seems on the verge of tears. No clues as to what was said, but I'm sure we all have a certain idea.

[Hobo]

Andy Carroll makes it 4-1! I didn't see it due to my stream going to shit.

EDIT: Downing makes it five!

[Colly]

Downing makes it five goals from five different players. All whiteys...

[Berober]

Now Liverpool only need to play in League One each week, and Carroll will be their top goalscorer!

[Colly]

Now Liverpool only need to play in League One each week, and Carroll will be their top goalscorer!

Straight swap for Jordan Rhodes?

[Hobo]

All British too!

[DavidMarrio]

According to the BBC live text, Oldham midfielder Tom Adeyemi has got into an argument with a Liverpool fan in the front few rows, and seems on the verge of tears. No clues as to what was said, but I'm sure we all have a certain idea.

Yeh we are all racists.....

Nah some dickhead threw a coin according to word after the match and then the stewards pretty much got him straight away and ejected him. But if someone did say something then its one fan who would end up getting punished by the club and police, don't associate us all with one bigot. (If he did say something)

Slow start as usual from us but after Robbie Simpson scored his belter we just upped the gear. Lucky deflection from Bellamys goal when Shelvey had a shot, Gerrard blasting a pen and Shelvey getting his first goal. Carroll's goal was a great bit of play from Flanagan before a great strike and Downing actually scored as well. Looked good tonight though, atmosphere was great tonight fair play to the Oldham fans they were really noisy. Hopefully we get another home game next round.

[Colly]

Its from the Daily Fail so take with a pinch of salt, but I don't remember many incidents of players crying after a coin throw...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083403/Liverpool-race-row-Fan-abuses-Oldham-player-Tom-Adeyemi.html?ITO=1490

Yet more bad PR.