(Football news) Having already defeated Manchester United in the FA Cup, Middlesbrough caused an upset yet again by dumping Tottenham Hotspur out of the cup competition with teenager Josh Coburn scoring the winning goal in the 107th-minute. Not only did Middlesbrough win the match and progress into the quarter-finals, they were arguably the better side throughout and the result also means that Spurs will be trophyless for yet another season.
Being eliminated from the FA Cup raises a number of questions for Tottenham Hotspur, particularly regarding the future of Antonio Conte and Harry Kane. The results have been very inconsistent of late and at 29 years of age, Kane has no trophies to his name and it’s clear he would like to move to Manchester City in the summer. Only a strong finish in the Premier League with qualification for the Champions League next season can salvage the situation for Spurs but the possibility is looking more unlikely with every passing week.
Speaking after the match, Tottenham boss Antonio Conte said "We lost a good chance to go to the next round and play in the quarter-finals of an important competition like the FA Cup. There is for sure disappointment for the final result. I think this type of game, especially when you play away, against a team that plays in the [Championship] you have to know the difficulty.
"For this reason, we had to try to kill – in a sporting way – the opponent quickly. We have had the chances to score but we didn't take it. And then you give confidence to your opponent and you risk [defeat]. At the end, Middlesbrough won the game and deserved to go to the next round. Today we are talking about a defeat. The last game we won. Two games ago we lost. Three games ago we won. I can't hide the reality. We're having too many ups and downs. This is a problem and maybe it was also in the past. In my opinion, there is only one way to try to improve: to continue to work in every aspect."
Manchester City visited Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium with Oleksandr Zinchenko leading the charge as captain for Pep Guardiola’s side. The decision to award Zinchenko the captaincy was to show support for his home nation of Ukraine with he and Peterborough captain Frankie Kent holding the Ukrainian flag before kick off. Despite the obvious gap in quality, Peterborough proved to be a tough nut to crack for the reigning Champions of England who eventually broke the deadlock through Riyad Mahrez’s trademark left footed strike that went into the back of the net in the 60th minute.
Just seven minutes later, Jack Grealish doubled City’s advantage by capitalising on Foden’s inch-perfect pass that was converted by the 26 year old who scored his first ever FA Cup goal. Despite Peterborough displaying a valiant performance, City’s quality and experience were too great for the Championship side and the six-time FA Cup winners emerged victorious and progressed into the quarterfinals. City will now shift their attention to the local derby as they welcome arch rivals Manchester United to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League while Peterborough will travel to Huddersfield in the Championship.
Speaking after the match, Jack Grealish spoke in support of Zinchenko by saying “It has been quite emotional. He is such a big character in the squad and has unbelievable quality. He is so underrated as a player. We have had to be there for him. It has been an extremely difficult time for him and for everyone associated with Ukraine. But fair play to him, he came out and captained the side. I think he did brilliantly." City manager Pep Guardiola said “He got not just [support from our fans], but all around the world, the UK, about this insane situation we are living in right now."
Also read: Leeds United appoint Jesse Marsch as head coach after Bielsa departure
