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FA Cup HOT or NOT

What’s sexy, and what’s not sexy, in cup football this week…

HOT

Micky Mellon
Football’s best-named manager is edging closer to the glory he deserves after League One Shrewsbury Town’s dramatic victory against three-time winners Sheffield Wednesday. An 87th-minute leveller from Shaun Whalley followed by a 97th minute winner from Jack Grimmer, either side of the Owls being denied a stonewall penalty, provided all the necessary ingredients for FA Cup magic. Even Lewis McGugan’s two goals from a combined distance of 60 yards were not enough to keep Wednesday in the Cup as the Shropshire side prevailed 3-2. Manchester United at home in the next round was Micky Mellon’s reward. Remember the name.

Kelechi Iheanacho
Having previously proved himself an able supersub, Manchester City’s teenage Nigerian showed that he isn’t bad playing from the start either. His first senior hat-trick in City’s 4-0 win at Aston Villa was completed in almost effortless fashion, and not just because it was against Aston Villa. The striker was even self-assured enough to get into an argument with his £50m team-mate Raheem Sterling about who should take a penalty, and it was Sterling who was forced to back down. Eight goals so far in a season where he has only started five games is not too shabby from the 19-year-old.

Alex Wynter and Tom Eastman
It’s unlikely that many footballers will be hit on the head harder than these two strapping Colchester United defenders were in the Essex side’s glamour tie against Tottenham. Just two minutes were on the clock when the team-mates collided with a sickening thud, and with such ferocity that Wynter suffered a seizure. The fact that he was sitting up and talking by half-time - thereby establishing himself as a serious hard man - was hopefully some consolation for missing out on the chance to go toe-to-toe with Harry Kane.

NOT

Eden Hazard
Breaking a 31-game goal drought should normally be a moment of joyous celebration, but the Chelsea midfielder’s penalty in the Blues’ 5-1 win against MK Dons served more to highlight the fact he hadn’t found the net for 31 games. Plus, it was a penalty. And it was against MK Dons. In fact, one could argue that Hazard would have been better off letting someone else take that spot-kick and breaking the duck on another, more prestigious occasion. Because now the man feted as one of the world’s best players is left open to the accusation that he is only capable of scoring penalties against MK Dons.

Footballs
Premier League. Lionel Messi. Harry Redknapp’s car window. Brazil 1970. Chris Kamara. None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for that little round thing that gets kicked around the pitch. And we were reminded of the fragility of it all when the match ball burst during Peterborough’s visit to West Brom - two teams that evidently kick the ball harder than anyone else. On the plus side, the mishap allowed Posh manager Graham Westley to display a hitherto hidden talent for comedy when he pretended that the misshapen leather mess had knocked him over like a skittle. But Tony Pulis wasn’t laughing when Jon Taylor’s stunning late equaliser secured a home replay for the League One side, who haven’t made the fifth round for 30 years.

Portsmouth
When Pompey won the FA Cup in 2008, their south coast rivals Bournemouth were preparing to negotiate a League Two season with a 17-point deduction. The sides’ fourth round tie at Fratton Park on Saturday was a reminder of just how much things have changed since then, with the Cherries in the Premier League and Pompey in the fourth tier. The Cherries’ 2-1 win was therefore no surprise, but in the full context of recent history it could be looked upon as a long-term giant killing. Bournemouth goalscorer Josh King proved sharper on the pitch than off it, commenting post-match, “We got the three points and we’re through to the next round.” Now that’s an FA Cup classic.

@darlingkevin