Huddersfield Town 0 Manchester City 0
Man of the Match: Philip Billing (Huddersfield)
If achievements in other competitions are measured in pounds, dollars and euros, the FA Cup produces less by way of prize money but plenty in terms of pride.
“A clean sheet against Manchester City makes our chest bigger,” said Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner.
His team are in elite company. Only Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton had previously prevented a free-scoring Manchester City side from finding the net.
Huddersfield’s excellence could be measured in a compliment.
“Congratulations to Huddersfield,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “They are a really good team.”
Wagner could not quite emulate his best man, Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool beat City in December, but nor did he come off second best. Huddersfield might yet reach the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1972. A promotion-chasing group may pull off greater feats but they have already accomplished much.
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Read more
■ FA Cup round-up: Lincoln stun Burnley, more misery for Leicester
■ The 'Little Lippis': From Conte at Chelsea to Zidane at Real Madrid
■ Team Talk Podcast: What next for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger?
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City had won their previous four games, all against top-flight opposition, scoring 11 goals. They had struck eight times in two FA Cup games against Premier League rivals. They were halted by a side third in the Championship.
“We wanted to show we are one of the fittest teams in the competition and we are aggressive and brave. All of this we have proved,” Wagner said.
In the process, Huddersfield gave a manager who has seen much a novel experience. “I will play a replay for the first time in my life,” Guardiola said. His first tastes of the FA Cup had been cruises. City were in rockier waters on Huddersfield’s bumpy pitch.
Wagner’s charges share his can-do mentality. He shares Klopp’s footballing philosophy, unsurprisingly given their shared past at Borussia Dortmund. “They are so aggressive, so dynamic,” Guardiola said.
He made eight changes, Wagner seven. Huddersfield seemed affected less, playing with their normal rhythm. City’s stand-ins stood out, for better and worse. Claudio Bravo had not made a save since January 2 — perhaps a deceptive statistic, given he had only made two appearances since then, even if he did concede six goals in that time — but rendered that fact outdated in the second minute.
The recalled Chilean went to produce two better stops, tipping Jack Payne’s free kick away and blocking a Rajiv van la Parra effort. “Brilliant,” said Guardiola, who also called the much-maligned goalkeeper’s efforts “amazing”.
Bravo does not have a monopoly on long waits. Jesus Navas has gone 13 months without a goal, but when Joel Coleman blocked Nolito’s effort, the rebound fell invitingly for the Spaniard. Navas beat the goalkeeper, but not Mark Hudson, who was on sentry duty on the line.
Nolito also had a volley tipped wide, but Coleman’s real duel was with Sergio Aguero. With Gabriel Jesus sidelined and an opportunity to reclaim his place, the Argentine returned to the starting 11 displaying persistence but not the clinical touch he exhibits at his best. A lob cleared the crossbar and Coleman twice saved.
Guardiola summoned Kevin de Bruyne and Leroy Sane for the last quarter — a third substitute, Raheem Sterling, was targeted when a bottle was thrown at him though it missed, but City did not fashion enough chances.
They lacked their usual invention and incision but not effort, perhaps because they fielded a beefed-up midfield, with Fabian Delph in David Silva’s usual role and Fernando also included. Guardiola understood the physical challenge Huddersfield presented. He was not surprised, he claimed, nor frustrated. Nor has the replay changed plans. City are still due in the UAE for a mid-season break this week, and they will return on Saturday.
By then, the leg injury that ruled Vincent Kompany out — “not a big, big issue,” Guardiola said — should be consigned to the past. A reunion with Huddersfield lies in the immediate future.
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
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Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
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Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai
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Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
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Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
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HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
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2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
Martin Sabbagh profile
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In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
Sweet%20Tooth
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LAST-16 EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURES
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
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Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
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Tenet
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