TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017 SPORTS Crazy to rest so many players in FA Cup, says Shearer LONDON: As the number of Premier (second-tier) sides like Newcastle United, Many managers, however, were influ- 16 (Premier) league games left this sea- Manchester United, disagreed, however. “I League clubs knocked out of this sea- Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds enced by the fact that there is a full pro- son in four months. was at home (on Saturday) and loving all son’s FA Cup by lower division oppo- United followed suit against supposedly gramme of matches in the Premier the upsets,” he said. “Every team’s making nents reached six on Sunday, debate inferior opposition by suffering embar- League and Championship coming up in JUST CRAZY changes and I think it’s making the FA Cup intensified over whether the competition rassing defeats, the latter pair going out midweek. That was no excuse, according “It’s just crazy, I don’t understand it. better. “A lot of Premier League teams was being devalued by leading teams to non-League (fifth-tier) Lincoln City to former England captain Alan Shearer, I’m all for bringing one or two young kids are playing at home and so they’re mak- resting so many players. Hull City and and Sutton United. twice an FA Cup finalist with Newcastle into the team but not six or seven of ing a lot of changes. It’s been fantastic Watford joined Bournemouth, Liverpool, Leeds manager Garry Monk acknowl- United. “Fans care about trophies,” he them. “They (the clubs) are cheating the for the Cup and I’m all for playing the Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion in edged he should not have made as many told the BBC. “I don’t get the resting of fans. Newcastle fans travelled 250 miles kids. You find out whether they’re good losing to sides from the second or third as 10 changes for a 1-0 humbling at players and never have done. down to Oxford expecting their team to enough. “And Lincoln and Sutton are not tier in this year’s competition, most of Sutton, whose captain and goalscorer “Liverpool as an example changed win. And he (manager Rafa Benitez) puts thinking the FA Cup’s been diminished. them making several changes to their Jamie Collins said his side were given a the team (for the 2-1 defeat by a weakened team out. It’s very, very disap- They’re ecstatic they’re in the next strongest lineups. huge boost when they saw the visitors’ Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday). pointing.” Fellow BBC pundit Phil Neville, round. “I think the FA Cup’s alive and well Promotion-chasing Championship team sheet. They’re not even in Europe. They’ve got who won the FA Cup three times with more than ever.” — Reuters Mourinho rejected ‘big offer’ to go to China LONDON: Jose Mourinho turned down a in the Chinese Super League, while this “big offer” to go to China, the Manchester month saw Argentina striker Carlos Tevez United manager disclosed in an interview join Shanghai Shenhua from Boca Juniors. published yesterday. His arrival came a fortnight after that of The 54-year-old Portuguese boss did Brazilian star Oscar, who joined cross-town not disclose which club made the proposal Shanghai rivals SIPG for £50 million ($63 but said he would not criticise anyone who million, 60 million euros) from Chelsea that made a highly lucrative move to the devel- smashed the Asian transfer-fee record. oping Chinese Super League. Former Chelsea manager Mourinho said Last week saw Mourinho cast doubt he was “worried” about the prospect of los- over rhe Old Trafford future of England cap- ing players to China and urged them to tain Wayne Rooney, who recently became think about more than money. United’s all-time leading goalscorer, by say- “If you are negotiating a new contract ing “the money is huge” in China, amid with one of your players, and you offer him reports of Asian interest in the striker. £5 million per year and they offer £25 mil- “I have already refused a big offer to go lion, then you have a big problem,” to China, but I don’t criticise anyone who Mourinho admitted. decides to do it,” Mourinho told the month- “Maybe the player takes £5 million ly GQ men’s magazine. because he prefers football. Or £25 million “It’s their choice, their life. Only they can because he prefers money. decide what they need for their future. “I am worried, because they can offer Other managers in the Premier League contracts that are impossible to offer in have been critical, but I am no critic.” Europe. But in the end the player who Fellow high-profile managers Luiz Felipe wants to go is a player that maybe you Scolari and Sven-Goran Eriksson are already don’t want to keep,” he added. — AFP Last-gasp Silva rescues Monaco PARIS: Bernardo Silva struck an injury-time when Djibril Sidibe tugged Draxler back as equaliser as Monaco salvaged a deserved he sought to get on the end of a cross, with point in a 1-1 draw at reigning champions Cavani calmly converting to give the hosts Paris Saint-Germain to keep the visitors top the lead. of Ligue 1. Edinson Cavani scored his 21st But Monaco, who arrived in the capital MADRID: Real Madrid’s Mateo Kovacic, left, runs with the ball through Real Sociedad defenders during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between league goal of the season with an 81st- averaging over three goals a game and Real Madrid and Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Sunday. Kovacic scored once in Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory. — AP minute penalty at the Parc des Princes, but unbeaten in their last seven trips to the Portugal international Silva fired home in Paris in the league, kept pressing and were stoppage time to thwart the hosts. rewarded when Silva’s low drive from out- Monaco moved back above Nice, who were side the area skipped past Areola. 3-1 winners over Guingamp earlier on Earlier, Mario Balotelli secured a first win Ronaldo fires Real Madrid Sunday, on goal difference with Unai in four games for Nice as they ended a run Emery’s PSG remaining three points behind of three successive draws with victory at in their quest for a fifth straight title. home to Guingamp. Alassane Plea struck four points clear at top “It’s not the best result, but it’s not the after 11 minutes to give Nice the lead at worst,” said Emery. “We will keep going as the Allianz Riviera and Jean-Michael Seri, our objective is to win the title. back from Africa Cup of Nations duty with “It’s difficult and today we had a good the Ivory Coast, added a second before MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo shrugged off the opportunity which we lost but there will be half-time. boos of his own supporters to fire Real Madrid to lots of chances.” Julian Draxler returned Jimmy Briand pulled a goal back for a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday as from a calf problem in place of Angel Di Guingamp on the hour but Balotelli, who Zinedine Zidane’s side took advantage of slip West Ham fans offered deal Maria, who scored twice in Tuesday’s 4-1 was targeted with racial abuse in last ups by Barcelona and Sevilla to open up a four- win at Bordeaux in the League Cup semi- week’s game at Bastia, sealed the win three point lead at the top of La Liga. Ronaldo teed up to get Payet off their backs finals, while Adrien Rabiot came in for the minutes from time. Mateo Kovacic for the opener in the 38th minute injured Marco Verratti in Paris. Monaco will Nice coach Lucien Favre admitted it had to cool tensions at the Bernabeu after support- meet PSG in the final in Lyon on April 1, been a struggle at times and insisted his ers had grown impatient with the team’s unin- LONDON: After selling Dimitri Payet to joined from Marseille in 2015 for a reported and coach Leonardo Jardim recalled Valere side would continue to take things step by spired display and the Portuguese secured victo- Olympique de Marseille for 25 million pounds 10.7 million pounds. ($31.2 million), West Ham United are offering The relationship broke down when he told Germain to partner Radamel Falcao in step. “We scored three goals at key times. ry with a strike of his own in the 51st. Substitute fans a cut-price deal to get the French for- the East Londoners he no longer wanted to attack with Fabinho shaking off illness to Guingamp didn’t have many chances but Alvaro Morata then put the finishing touch to ward off their backs as well. play for them and sought a return to start after coming off the bench in we sat back and suffered. We have to keep the win by adding the third in the 82nd minute. Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat of Nancy. taking it match by match and we have a big “Bring back your Payet shirt to any of the Marseille in the current transfer window. Ronaldo had been one of the scapegoats for “We always work to win,” said Jardim. one at Monaco next Saturday,” said Favre. club shops & you will get a new replacement Co-owner David Sullivan on Sunday Real’s recent stuttering run which saw them win “Perhaps after trailing 1-0, a draw is not a Lyon slumped to a 2-1 home defeat for £25,” the Premier League club’s vice-chair- accused the player of lacking respect.