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FRUSTRATED Sokratis’
Gunners future is in doubt
By John CRoSS
THE Premier League is in
talks with Manchester City
and Arsenal about
rearranging their clash for
next Wednesday.
The Gunners were due to
play at the Etihad last
Sunday, but it was
postponed because of the
Carabao Cup final.
They are looking at next
week as both clubs have a
free midweek. It would be
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s
first return to City after
leaving in December to take
over at the Emirates.
A decision on the
rearranged date is
expected in the next 24
hours. Arsenal face West
Ham on Saturday while City
have the Manchester derby
on Sunday, meaning
Arteta’s men have an extra
24 hours to prepare.
Sokratis has opened the
door to an Arsenal exit if he
is not playing next season.
The Greek defender, 31, is
under contract until
summer 2021 and said: “I
never sit on my contract. It
is important I feel good and
the team is happy with me.
If not, I finish.”
Lucas Torreira could still
play for Arsenal again this
season despite leaving
Portsmouth on crutches.
The Uruguay midfielder
was carried off 16 minutes
into Monday’s 2-0 FA Cup
victory and will have
further assessments.
But the club remain
hopeful he will not be ruled
out for the rest of the
campaign.
Gunning
for new
City date
BLADES provE
SHA rp ENoUGH
Billy’s extra-time strike seals Cup glory
READING 1 SHEFFIELD UTD 2
Puscas 43 pen McGoldrick 2, Sharp 105
FA CUP 5th ROUND
Madejski stadiuM
AEt: 1-1 AFtER
9 0 miNUtEs
GOLDEN-OLDiE Billy Sharp
proved the last thing which deserts
a natural goalscorer is
his instinct.
At 34, Sharp may be raging against
the fading light of youth – but he is still
one in a bullion among his Sheffield
United flock.
And the Blades’ pied piper came off
the bench to send Chris Wilder’s men
into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the
first time in six years with only his
third goal of the season.
A tedious impasse was drifting
towards penalties until Billy the King
arrived at the far post to head home
Luke Freeman’s cross at the end of the
first period of extra time.
The Blades had taken just 85
seconds to lead this Cup tie. From Ben
Osborn’s wicked left-wing cross,
unmarked David McGoldrick rose to
head his first goal of the season.
When goal-shy centre-forwards hit
the target with barely a minute on the
clock, you are entitled to think your
luck’s out.
But the Royals summoned a decent
response, and United keeper Dean
Henderson did well to parry Yakou
Meite’s swerving missile from distance.
And they were level two minutes
before the break when George Puscas
rammed his penalty beyond Hender-
son after George Baldock was penal-
ised for pushing Andy Rinomhota.
It was not clear how much force, if
any, Baldock exerted in his challenge,
and referee Kevin Friend’s decision
appeared to be based on the dramatic
artistry of Rinomhota’s fall.
The Blades didn’t always look com-
fortable on a lively pitch with a
trampoline bounce, but they had
looked likelier to extend their lead
than concede an equaliser.
Skipper John Egan’s glancing
header from Luke Freeman’s
corner was just too high, while
McGoldrick extended Rafael
Cabral. Once they were level,
however, Reading were excellent.
Optimism has drained away
since the giddy heights of Steve
Coppell and Brian McDermott’s
heyday, and they have banks of
empty seats to prove it.
But if the Royals were going
nowhere fast until Mark Bowen
took over as manager, they gave
Wilder’s high flyers all the trouble
they could handle.
READiNG: Cabral 6, Yiadom 7,
Miazga 7, Morrison 7, Ejaria 6
(Gomes 98), MOtM^ Swift 8,
Rinomhota 6, Meite 7 (McCleary
105), Obita 6, Olise 5 (Masika
98), Puscas 6
SHEFFiED UNitED: Henderson
6, O’Connell 7, Egan 7, Basham 7,
Baldock 6, Lundstram 7, Berge
6 (Robinson 99), Freeman 6
(Retsos 105), Osborn 7,
McGoldrick 7 (Sharp 79, 7),
Mousset 5 (McBurnie 61, 6)
REF: Kevin Friend At t:^15 ,129
match stats
46% poSSESSion^5 4%
5 ShoTS on TARgET^5
4 ShoTS oFF^ TARgET^4
4 CoRnERS^5
1 oFFSiDE^2
8 FoUlS^11
1 0 CARDS^1 0
By MiKE WAlTERS
@MikeWaltersMGM
Veteran Sharp pounces
late on to earn United
1-2 a quarter-final place
Puscas scores with a
penalty to level
after McGoldrick
(near right)
had netted
SPOT ON
IN THE CUP