Our predictions of the F.A. Cup 3rd Round results for our Premier London Derbies (PLDs) Clubs were accurate, so apologies to Crystal Palace who went down 0-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux, if we put the hex on them. Elsewhere two young players made the headlines: Emile Smith Rowe (got it right this timer) of Arsenal who, having been saved from a red card by VAR, opened the scoring in extra time in the Gunners 2-0 win over Newcastle United; and Alfie Devine, who at 16 years and 162 days is Tottenham Hotspur’s youngest senior team player and goal scorer, putting the icing on the cake with the 5th goal in the 0-5 win away to Marine of the North West Premier League Division One.
Timo Werner ended his 827 minutes goal drought for Chelsea in their 4-0 win over EFL League Two Morecambe, and his expensive teammate Kai Havertz was also on the score sheet. Fulham’s 2.41 miles journey to QPR’s Loftus Road, aka the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, was rewarded with a 0-2 win after extra time; and West Ham United beat National League Stockport County, and torrential rain which threatened to waterlog the Edgeley Park pitch, 0-1 thanks to a late headed goal by Craig Dawson 10 years after his first F.A. Cup goal.
There have been mid-week PLDs matches too. On Wednesday 13 January Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham drew 1-1, the visitors deserving their point as much as Spurs, lacking effort and enterprise, deserved to lose at least 2 points. Both goals were first class headers from accurate left wing crosses: Harry Kane, assist Sergio Reguilon; and Ivan Cavaleiro, assist Ademola Lookman. Thursday 14 January brought another PLDs draw, this time goal-less between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium to keep both sides in the bottom half of the PL table at the start of 2021.
There is more to come still with Fulham in action again, this time at home to Chelsea on Saturday 16 January. The last time this fixture was played (3 March 2019) Chelsea won 1-2, but Fulham’s draw at Spurs ended a 13 PLDs matches losing run, they have drawn their last 5 Premier League games, and the Blues’ form has been indifferent so we shall see.
Meanwhile “Stay at home” if you can and “Keep Safe”, Andrew at PLDs.