[caption id="attachment_69037" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Ireland’s Simon Cox got a hat-trick for WBA."]
Manchester United, who had lost consecutive English Premier League games to Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, bounced back on Sunday when they knocked neighbours and FA Cup holders Manchester City out of this year’s FA Cup competition. United, with two goals from Wayne Rooney, beat City 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium. During the past week there had been speculation that Rooney was on his way out of Old Trafford after a row with manager Alex Ferguson. But the England international was bang on form on Sunday.
Fergie also caused a shock by coaxing 37-year old Paul Scholes out of retirement until the end of the season to cover for recent injuries at the club. Scholes came on as a sub on Sunday.
Elsewhere Irish international Simon Cox got a hat-trick as West Brom beat Cardiff 4-2, Damien Duff was on target in Fulham’s 4-0 win over Charlton, Jonathan Walters got Stoke’s first goal in their 3-1 away win over Gillingham and Derry’s James McClean scored in Sunderland’s away win over Peterborough. Meanwhile the clash between two former Irish internationals at St Andrews ended in a draw with Chris Hughton’s Birmingham drawing 0-0 with Mick McCarthy’s Wolves. Now they have to meet again at Molineux on Jan. 17 with the winners away to Sheffield United in the fourth round. But no doubt about the standout tie in the fourth round which will be played on the weekend of Jan. 28/29, that’s the meeting of Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield. Queens Park Rangers drew 1-1 with MK Dons on Saturday and it turned out to be outspoken manager Neil Warnock’s last game in charge. He was fired after eight league games without a win.
In Scotland, Dubliner Anthony Stokes scored all three goals as Celtic beat third division Peterhead 3-0 in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.
