Ill Wolves manager Mick McCarthy was handed just the tonic in his side’s 5-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in their FA Cup replay on Tuesday.Speaking to EPSNsoccernet after goals from Steven Fletcher, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Kevin Doyle, Matt Jarvis and David Jones sent Championship outfit Rovers spiralling out of the competition, McCarthy revealed he had been battling illness since Wolves’ 1-0 home win over Chelsea on January 5.

His decision to clamber out of his sickbed shortly before Doncaster’s visit to Molineux was a sweet one, as Wolves chalked up their biggest victory since their 6-0 drubbing of Gillingham in 2003.

Mujangi Bia’s 61st-minute strike put the English Premier League side 2-0 up, kick-starting a 29-minute, four-goal bonanza for McCarthy’s side.

“I can remember the last time I was beaten more than 5-0, which was Southampton here (0-6 in March 2007),” McCarthy said.

“I can’t remember too many 5-0 scorelines, but this turned out to be a comfortable night in the end with what was a good professional performance.”

“Once we managed to get the second goal it completely opened up the game, and after that there were more chances.”

McCarthy revealed he had been in bed until 4.45pm, perhaps having been stricken by ‘a bit of man flu’.

“I’m just soft me, I know, but I was here doing my job,” he said.

It was a miserable return to his home town for Wolverhampton-born Doncaster manager Sean O’Driscoll, who could only speculate on what might have been had striker Billy Sharp not been thwarted by Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahneman in a one-on-one chance in the third minute.

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“Billy is usually clinical with those, then a minute later we were 1-0 down,” he said.

“After that we just gave bad goals away. Those aside parts of the performance were okay as we kept our shape and discipline. But you cannot give away goals like we did in the Championship, never mind against a Premier League team.”

Twente, Ajax and Groningen kept up the pressure on Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven on Sunday, with all three sides recording wins.

Reigning champions Twente scored a fighting 2-1 home win over struggling Feyenoord to cut PSV’s lead at the top to just a solitary point.

Gill Swerts gave Feyenoord the lead six minutes after half-time, but a goal from Wout Brama levelled proceedings on 76 minutes before substitute striker Bryan Ruiz scored a last-gasp winner to hand Twente all three points.

The win left Feyenoord in 15th place and just four points clear of the relegation zone – a stunning fall from grace for a side regarded as one of the giants of Dutch football and which finished fourth last term.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Ajax held onto third place – six points behind PSV – when they cruised to a 3-0 win away from home against NAC Breda.

Strikes from Siem de Jong and Miralem Sulejmani and an own goal from NAC defender Rob Penders gave Ajax full points at the Rat Verlegh Stadion.

A brace from midfielder Dusan Tadic plus single strikes from Jonas Ivens and Tim Matavz lifted Groningen to a 4-1 win over Heerenveen, leaving them just a point behind Ajax in fourth position.

ADO Den Haag moved into seventh place with a 5-1 away thumping of Excelsior, who had to play most of the match with 10 men when defender Daan Bovenberg was given his marching orders after 24 minutes.

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Excelsior took the lead on 13 minutes thanks to a goal from Tim Vincken, but the visitors hit back hard with two goals from Dmitry Bulykin and strikes from Frantisek Kubik, Jens Toornstra and Wesley Verhoek helped seal a convincing win.

The match between De Graafschap and Utrecht was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini was furious with referee Antonio Rubinos Perez after he was sent to the stands in Saturday’s 4-3 loss at Valencia in La Liga.

Central defenders Martin Demichelis and Helder Rosario had earlier been sent off by Perez in the 16th and 65th minutes at Mestalla, and Chilean Pellegrini was sent from the dugout eight minutes from time.

“I’ve never seen a refereeing performance like this in Spain before,” the normally stoic Pellegrini said.

“I don’t want to add any more. Spanish football is already in flames about how to do it and I’m not going to go into details about the performance.”

The former Real Madrid and Villarreal boss missed Valencia’s last-minute winner from Aritz Aduriz, having watched his side lead twice in the first half with goals from Jose Rondon.

Despite being down to nine men they scored in the 80th minute through Julio Baptista to make it 3-3 before conceding the late goal.

Malaga, who were bought by a member of the Qatar royal family last summer, have been La Liga’s most active club in the January transfer market and were the better side even after Demichelis was sent off.

The Argentine was shown a straight red card for tripping Juan Mata in the area when he was clear through on goal, though Pellegrini claimed the Spanish winger was offside.

Referee Rubinos Perez said Portuguese Rosario was shown a straight red card for making a rude gesture at the linesman, and Pellegrini was sent off for entering the field of play and for persistent complaining about his decisions.

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The referee added in his match report that as he and his team made their way to the changing rooms they were accosted by players and members of the Malaga coaching staff, who directed insults at them.

The result left Malaga 16th in the standings, a point above the relegation zone with 17 points from 20 games.

Chelsea signing Fernando Torres said he doubts he will celebrate if he scores against his old side Liverpool when the sides clash on Sunday.

The Spanish World Cup winner made the switch to Stamford Bridge for 50 million pounds during the week, but has pledged to keep the celebrations low-key if he puts the ball past Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina in their English Premier League clash in London on Sunday.

“First of all, I have to play. After that, I have to score. Something has to happen. But I have a big, big respect for Liverpool fans so I don’t think so (that I will celebrate). I don’t think so,” Torres said.

“I will never say anything bad about the people at that club or anyone in that city. I understand they will be angry and may not understand my decision. But I am sure in a few days or weeks, maybe I will not have to explain all the reasons.”

“But I want to start talking about the future now so thanks to them, thanks very much. Because I wasn’t much of a fan when some of the big players left the club, I didn’t understand.”

In terms of handling a new set-up under manager Carlo Ancelotti, Torres said he was willing to line up alongside the Chelsea forwards who he once feared at Liverpool.

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“It is a big challenge, playing alongside either Anelka or Drogba. When we played against Chelsea, we were very worried about both of them. So it’s an exciting opportunity to be playing in the same side as them. So it depends on my work if I can play,” he said.

“Hopefully I have the chance to play in the same side as them and enjoy working with this kind of players that everyone wants to play with. So I’m looking forward to getting the chance to play with him.”

Scunthorpe United upset Nottingham Forest 1-0 in Wednesday’s sole Championship match.

Ian Baraclough’s side entered the match having won just one and lost 12 of their last 14 Championship fixtures, but the Glanford Park outfit lifted for the visit of the high-flying Nottingham Forest and produced a superb result.

Chris Dagnall scored the game’s only goal, converting Lee Miller’s assist after 19 minutes.

Scunthorpe’s defence, so often their downfall this season, has been bolstered by the January transfer window signings of Paul Reid, Michael Nelson and Andy Hughes from Colchester United, Norwich City and Leeds United respectively.

The trio performed well alongside Eddie Nolan and kept out a Forest side who chased the game in the second half, with strikers David McGoldrick and Dele Adebola thrown on as Billy Davies’ side went on the hunt for an equaliser.

But no goal was forthcoming as Scunthorpe celebrated a terrific victory and moved five points clear of bottom-side Preston North End.

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Nottingham Forest could have gone into second position and one of the automatic promotion spots with a win but instead remain fourth, with a tricky home match against Cardiff City to come on Saturday.

Manchester City must overcome Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev if they are to extend their Europa League campaign into the quarter-finals.City secured top spot in Group A on goal difference ahead of Lech Posnan and booked their place in the third round with a 3-0 aggregate win over Greek club Aris Salonika. Third in the English Premier League, seven points behind leaders Manchester United, City are unbeaten in their last six matches in all competitions and won 1-0 at home to Wigan Athletic on Saturday. They are also through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and have a strong chance of reaching the last four in that competition, if they can beat Reading.The FA Cup tie against Championship opposition comes just three days after their trip to Kiev, in what is shaping as a decisive month for manager Roberto Mancini.While the Italian coach’s priority remains Champions League qualification, he will be keen for the team to progress in both the Europa League and FA Cup in a bid to end City’s 35-year trophy drought.But Dynamo will be no pushovers in Thursday’s first leg. Experienced European campaigners, they topped Group E ahead of Belarusian club BATE Borisov, beating the Eredivisie’s AZ Alkmaar home and away.An 8-1 aggregate victory over Turkish side Besiktas in the second round was a further indication of the threat they pose. Dynamo are coached by Yuri Syomin, who led the club to the league championship in 2008/09, and are second in the Ukrainian Premier League this season.They beat Metalurg Donetsk 2-0 away from home on Sunday in what was their first domestic match since November following a three-month winter hiatus. City are without second-choice goalkeeper Shay Given and wide midfielder Adam Johnson through injury, while centre-back Kolo Toure is suspended indefinitely following a failed drug test.James Milner is also in doubt for the trip to Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium with a hamstring problem.

This week on FootballFanCast.com we are abandoning the pessimistic view taken by much of the sports press in this country that there is a dearth of young English talent, and instead are proclaiming that the future of English football is bright.

Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen once famously said that “you can’t win anything with kids”, a claim completely disproved by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and we think that what youngsters don’t have in experience they more than make up for in enthusiasm and talent.

So in our focus on the future of football we’ll look at the English stars of the future who will soon be carrying the hopes of the nation on their shoulders, as well as uncovering foreign talent that will be appearing at a Premier League club near you soon.

Blogs:

England’s starting XI in five years time?

Top TEN youngsters outside the Premier League ready to make the step up

Are we putting too much pressure on this young duo?

The right move for Conor Wickham?

‘Six of the best’ – Tottenham starlets to make the grade at WHL

Fergie could save millions in his search for a successor

‘Six of the best’ – Liverpool starlets set to make the grade at Anfield

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Behind closed doors – the future of football?

‘Six of the best’ – United starlets to make the grade at Old Trafford

Top TEN youngsters set to take the Premier League by storm

Rafa Benitez has yet again been compelled to defend his contribution to Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph over AC Milan. His predecessor, Gerard Houllier, has previously attempted to exaggerate his involvement in the Anfield outfit’s victorious campaign and alleged that within moments of the final whistle, “virtually every player came up to me, gave me a hug and said, ‘This is your team, this is our team.’” So how accurate are Houllier’s assertions and was Benitez’s influence limited to the signing of two players?

A popular accusation levelled at Benitez implies that two-legged knock-out matches best portray his tactical aptitude, and Liverpool’s 5th place finish in the Premier League that season suggests some truth in the decree. Despite this, Liverpool qualified for the following season’s Champions League due to the holder’s rights to defend the trophy, but it is worth noting that Houllier guided the ‘same’ side to fourth in the League and only the 4th round of the UEFA Cup in his final season in charge.

The claim that the side Benitez selected in Istanbul consisted of a principally Houllier developed nucleus may hold up to an extent, but Rafa proved, in his previous post at Valencia, his capacity to mould an established squad of players in his image, supplemented by two significant signings. The Valencia side he inherited in 2001 had emerged from two consecutive Champions League Final appearances and contained the likes of Roberto Ayala, Santiago Canizares, Ruben Baraja and Pablo Aimar. Benitez procured two players, Mista and Francisco Rufete, introduced an offensive style of play and presided over a La Liga triumph in 2002 and a League and UEFA Cup double the season before he arrived on Merseyside.

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What’s more, Benitez’s additions at Anfield, Luis Garcia and Xabi Alonso, played an extensive role in Liverpool’s successful European campaign, the former scoring the winning goal in the semi-final that booked their place at the Ataturk Stadium where the latter converted a dramatic equaliser to set Liverpool on their way to a fifth European Cup. The Spaniard developed the playing staff over the following two seasons and in 2007 guided a side devoid of all Houllier sentiment to a further Champions League Final. Even though Milan achieved retribution it could be argued that Liverpool’s display was more assured than in 2005, proving that Benitez’s reputation precedes him and that he retained the ability to direct teams towards cup finals long before displacing Houllier at Liverpool.

There is no doubting that Houllier’s tenure at Liverpool left an emotional imprint, not least due to the Frenchman’s unenviable medical condition, but if his influence at Anfield was so far-reaching why did the board decide to replace him with Rafa? The simple answer is that Houllier was afforded enough time, following the 2001 treble, to elevate the side to a trophy-winning standard and found in Benitez a manager who could deliver on such requirements. It is easy for Houllier to claim credit for the events of 2005, but it is considerably more difficult to achieve silverware, which is exactly what Benitez accomplished within 10 months, before securing FA Cup glory a year later.

It is clear that Houllier feels he departed during a progressive phase of his project and that he had unfinished business at the Anfield club, but in reality he is due minimal credit. Benitez led the club to two European Cup Finals in half the length of Houllier’s employment by Liverpool, and it is worth mentioning that the former Lyon manager is currently supervising an Aston Villa side approaching the final 8 games of the season just one point off the relegation zone, having finished in the top six for three consecutive seasons before he took the helm.

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Italian World Cup winner Gigi Buffon is one of many goalkeepers who have been touted as a potential answer to Manchester United or Arsenal’s requirement for a new goalkeeper for next season.

With Edwin van der Sar’s impending retirement and Arsenal’s shortage of a dominant No 1, Buffon would fit the bill.

The Juventus No 1 is the most expensive goalkeeper in the world at a reported £32.5 million. If the 33 year old does want to leave The Old Lady this summer he could invoke a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for free, which was instated when he stayed with Juve after their relegation to Serie B.

Although, the noises coming out of Turin from Buffon’s agent Silvano Martina suggest Buffon is intent on staying with Juve. “I really don’t understand why there are constant rumours regarding Buffon.”

“Gigi has 2 and a half years left on his contract and he is more than happy at Juve.” (SUN)

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If Martina is right, then the top two in England will have to divert their attentions elsewhere in their search for a new No 1.

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League leaders Lille were held to a 1-1 home draw with Bordeaux in Ligue 1 on Saturday while Lorient came from behind to beat Rennes 2-1.Lille had the chance to extend their lead on second-placed Olympique Marseille to six points with a victory and it looked like happening when Moussa Sow converted Yohan Cabaye’s assist just before the hour-mark.

It was Sow’s 22nd goal of the season in all competitions for Lille and it looked like Rudi Garcia’s side would bounce back from their shock defeat to Monaco last week, but the visitors had other ideas and claimed an equaliser with 14 minutes remaining.

Serbian defender Vujadin Savic was the unlikely goalscorer, snaring his first of the season to secure Bordeaux’s fourth successive draw and deny the table-toppers.

Lorient dealt Rennes’ Champions League aspirations a further blow with their 2-1 away win at the Stade de la Route de Lorient.

Stephane Dalmat opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a low strike that found its way into the bottom left corner, but despite taking the lead, Rennes were on the back foot when a pair of yellow cards saw Samuel Souprayen sent off, giving Lorient the numerical advantage.

And it was an advantage they took full use of, with the equaliser coming shortly after half-time when Kevin Gamiero’s near-post header found the back of the net as he notched his 16th strike of the season and levelled proceedings.

The goal gave Lorient life and 12 minutes later they grabbed the winner through Arsenal loanee Francis Coquelin, who scored a close range effort to claim his first goal for the season.

Coquelin’s goal proved enough for victory, with Rennes’ defender Jean Kana Biyik also sent off, leaving the hosts with nine men to finish the match.

A late, injury-time free-kick from Dariusz Dudka has handed Auxerre a 1-0 victory over Toulouse, moving them up to 14th, while Lens did little to help their lowly position with a 1-1 draw against Brest.

Nice’s resurgence continued as they extended their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions with a 3-2 home win over Monaco.

Caen slipped into the relegation zone after being downed 3-2 by Sochaux, while Dimitri hit a brace as St Etienne defeated Nancy 2-1 to move to sixth.