Exploring Nigeria to discover their amazing love of football

Nigeria is the most popular black country in the world. The country is situated in west Africa and much of the population are youths.

Visiting the country for the first time will expose you to some of the loving nature of the country. Nigerians generally are lovely, they welcome visitors with open arms. You can look for a guide to take you around and also explore some of the exciting national heritages.

One of the most favourite places to visit in Nigeria is Lagos. Lagos is the commercial centre of Nigeria. This is where you want to be. One catching feature of Lagos are the youths hustling to get their daily bread. Despite this hustle, they still find time to unwind.

The most popular way is playing football. You hardly visit any street in Lagos without seeing one or two local fields. You see both old and young enjoying their time by watching interesting game of soccer. Some of Nigerian great players played in the streets of Lagos before going abroad. Taiye Taiwo a former Marseille Captain is a notable player that played in the streets of Lagos.

Those footballs are interesting and we have seen many individuals set up inter street competitions to foster unity.

Football might originate from England, but football is life in Nigeria and Lagos to be precise.

Travelling to Lagos is quite easy with Timbu. You can easily check the flights available from your country of residence here. You can also check out some of the hotels that may be of interest to you when you arrive at Lagos here.

Daily 2 odds

League ➡ Spanish la liga
Teams ➡ A.bilbao vs Leganes
Tip ➡ A.bilbao win

League ➡ Spanish la liga
Teams ➡ Real betis vs A.madrid
Tip ➡ A.madrid win

Stake ➡ 10,000
Return ➡ 23,200

Good luck

5000 to 50,000 challenge

Day 2

League ➡ France ligue 1
Teams ➡ Nice vs Angers
Tip ➡ Nice draw no bet

Stake ➡ 6,250
Return ➡ 8,125

Good luck

5,000 TO 50,000 DAILY CHALLENGE

DAY 1

LEAGUE ➡ SPANISH LA LIGA
TEAMS ➡ OSASUNA VS GRANADA
TIP ➡ OSASUNA Draw No Bet

Stake ➡ 5,000
Return ➡ 6,250

Goodluck

Riyad Mahrez has penalty disallowed for Leicester against Manchester City… as he made contact with the ball twice after slipping

The Algerian superbly won the spot-kick after being hauled down by Gael Clichy but had goal chalked off in bizarre situation

RIYAD MAHREZ had his penalty disallowed for Leicester against Manchester City… as he kicked it twice after slipping.

The Algerian star superbly won the spot-kick after being hauled down by Gael Clichy, but had goal chalked off in bizarre circumstances.

Riyad Mahrez's penalty was ruled out after he appeared to kick the ball twice

Riyad Mahrez's penalty was ruled out after he appeared to kick the ball twice
After stuttering in his run-up, Mahrez slipped but somehow managed to get a good enough connection to see the ball rifle into the top left corner of the net.



However, seconds later referee Bobby Madley blew his whistle, much to the Leicester players' bemusement.

On review, it's clear Mahrez made TWO contacts with the ball after he slipped and knocked the ball into his right leg.

Riyad Mahrez slipped but still saw the ball fly into the top corner of the net

Reuters
Riyad Mahrez slipped but still saw the ball fly into the top corner of the net
Referee Bobby Madley immediately ruled out the spot-kick attempt

Reuters
Referee Bobby Madley immediately ruled out the spot-kick attempt
The ball then somehow made it's way into the back of the net, but would not stand.

With the game poised at 2-1, that ruled out equaliser could prove to be a massive boost for City – and a huge blow for clubs around them in the table, such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United.

The incident echoes another very similar incident from earlier this week, when Antoine Griezmann scored from the spot against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

Riyad Mahrez made two connections with the ball on his chance to equalise


Riyad Mahrez made two connections with the ball on his chance to equalise
Leicester furiously protested the decision to rule out Riyad Mahrez's penalty

Leicester furiously protested the decision to rule out Riyad Mahrez's penalty
The Frenchman's standing leg connected with the ball as he struck it past Keylor Navas, who got a hand to it.

The goal should not have stood, but was allowed to count as Atletico eventually crashed out of Europe.

Back in 2004, Middlesbrough had a penalty count in the League Cup final against Bolton – despite Bolo Zenden doing exactly what Mahrez did on Saturday.

Frank Lampard predicts Antonio Conte will build great Chelsea dynasty

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Frank Lampard has backed Antonio Conte to build a dynasty at Chelsea after the Blues wrapped up the Premier League title with victory at West Brom.

Former Italy boss Conte has now won four-successive domestic titles as a manager after his triple success at Juventus between 2012 and 2014.

Conte's future at Stamford Bridge remains far from certain, though, with Inter Milan reportedly coveting the 47-year-old.

The ex-Juventus midfielder is likely to be offered a new contract at Chelsea, 12 months into the three-year deal he signed on joining last July.

And Lampard, who won three Premier League titles with the Blues, believes the Italian has all the ingredients to lead the club to lasting success should he stay.

Asked if he thought Conte could go on to build a dynasty, former Chelsea midfielder Lampard said: "I think so.

"If you're a Chelsea fan that's what you're hoping for now. The way he's held himself this year and the results have been different class.

"I think he's going to be backed, and he does need backing. It's a great squad of players they've got there. Maybe a freshen up, don't lose your best players and add one or two at the top end.''
Lampard Terry Chelsea title 170512 Frank Lampard congratulates former Chelsea teammate John Terry after the Blues secured the Premier League title.
Lampard, who left Stamford Bridge in 2014 to join Manchester City, claimed Chelsea were deserved champions but warned they might find it tougher next term.

Speaking to Sky Sports after Chelsea's 1-0 win against the Baggies on Friday, Lampard added: "They are by far the strongest team this year.

"The consistency, the desire, the quality in the team -- they deserve it, and they deserve that moment with their own fans.

"It will be a big test next year. The formation they play won't be a surprise for anybody and all the other teams behind them will be back stronger.''

Lampard, Chelsea's record goalscorer, won his three titles alongside club captain John Terry, who will leave the club this summer after a 19-year career at Stamford Bridge.

Former England captain Terry has now won five Premier League titles and Lampard suggested the 36-year-old's influence will be tough to replace.

"If he's going to leave this is the year to do it,'' said 38-year-old Lampard.

"He hasn't played a huge part on the pitch, but the part he's played behind the scenes, I know for a fact, once he goes, everyone will appreciate him even more.

"Someone has to take the mantle now. He's such a big miss for them. Gary Cahill, maybe he'll step up even more now, but John Terry is so important for this club.''

5,000 to 50,000 challenge

Rolling acca

League ➡ La liga
Teams ➡ Espanyol vs Valencia
Tip ➡ Over 1.5goals 2+

Stake ➡ 5,000
Return ➡ 5,900

Goodluck

DAILY 2 ODDS

League - England premier league
Teams - Bournemouth vs Burnley
Tip- Over 2.5goals 3+

League - German bundesliga
Teams- Augsburg vs Borussia Dortmund
Tip- Over 2.5goals 3+

Stake ➡ 10,000
Return ➡ 25,000

Stake what you can afford to lose

We are back

Hello friends. We are back after a long hiatus, due to little issues. We are back to give you daily football tips at its best.

5,000 to 50,000 bet challenge

Bet 5 Bet 5 Bet 5

League➡ Netherland KNVB cup
Teams➡ Cambuur vs Ajax
Tip➡ Ajax draw no bet
Stake➡ 11,718
Return➡ 14,061

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon d'Or as world's best soccer player for fourth time

Cristiano Ronaldo is your Ballon d'Or winner as the best male soccer player on the planet for 2016. It comes as no surprise.

Mostly because Ronaldo enjoyed a truly transcendent year by winning the UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid in May and then finally bringing home silverware for his native Portugal at a triumphant European Championships in July. Also, the 31-year-old continues to respond to ongoing criticism that he's over-the-hill by continuing to produce for Real this season with 10 goals in 11 La Liga games.

But the soccer world already had a pretty good hunch on Monday that Ronaldo would beat out Lionel Messi and longshot finalist Antoine Griezmann for his fourth Ballon d'Or trophy when a certain magazine cover started making the rounds on the web.

France Football is the magazine that conducts the balloting of journalists for the award, and it appears that a leaked cover of the upcoming issue with the words "BALLON D'OR 2016, SACRÉ CRISTIANO RONALDO!" gave the news away, hours before the actual announcement.

Ronaldo was definitely deserving. He has scored an incredible 48 goals in 52 games for club and country this year at a time when most attacking players begin their inevitable decline in form. One can point to Ronaldo playing just 25 minutes in the Euro 2016 final due to a knee injury, but he proved to be an inspiration for Portugal to beat host France in extra time.

"I am happy for this moment right now," Ronaldo said in a pre-taped ceremony. He is with Real Madrid in Japan for this week's FIFA Club World Cup.

"This trophy is for Real Madrid," he added.

Messi's year, ultimately and cruelly, was defined by disappointment.

For club, his Barcelona was ousted from the Champions League quarterfinals by nemesis Atletico Madrid, and for country, he led Argentina to the Copa America Centenario final only to lose a major tournament title game for the third straight summer (the Argentines lost the finals of the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America as well). The penalty-shootout defeat to Chile in July was so painful that Messi announced his retirement from international duty immediately afterward, only to reconsider his decision and return to the national team in September for World Cup qualifying.

Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or victory continues the domination of world player honors by Ronaldo and Messi, who won for a fifth time last year. The two have combined to capture the last nine Ballon d'Ors, with Kaka in 2007 being the last winner not named Messi or Ronaldo.

Champions League Draw 2016-17: Round-of-16 Fixture Schedule and Dates Released Champions League Draw 2016-17: Round-of-16 Fixture Schedule and Dates Released

Arsenal will play Bayern Munich once again in the pick of the fixtures in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 following Monday's draw, while Paris Saint-Germain face Barcelona.

Leicester City's reward for topping their group is a tie with three-time UEFA Europa League champions Sevilla and Manchester City will play AS Monaco.

Meanwhile, Juventus take on Porto, Real Madrid will face Napoli and Atletico Madrid play Bayer Leverkusen. Borussia Dortmund will meet Benfica in the remaining tie.

Here is confirmation of the draw, per the UEFA Champions League's official Twitter feed:

According to UEFA's official website, the first legs of the round will played in the weeks commencing February 13 and 20, while the second legs will be in the weeks of March 6 and 13.

The seeded group winners will be away in the opener and then at home for the return leg.

After exiting the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage in each of the last six years, the pressure will be on the Gunners to progress past it this time around.

Arsenal defied the odds to win Group A ahead of PSG and for their efforts have been rewarded with a draw against Bayern.

Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger's side, while they may have been able to avoid the likes of Barcelona by winning their group they've been handed an equally tough draw here, one that will feel familiar to Gunners fans—Bayern knocked them out at this stage in 2013 and 2014 and thrashed them 5-1 in the group phase last year.

Real will be looking to make history as the first side to retain the trophy in the Champions League era, as well as add to their collection of 11 European Cups.

Los Blancos are top of La Liga and enjoying a 35-game unbeaten streak, so Napoli will find progressing difficult.

The Italian side will still be tricky, but they're among the most favourable teams of all those the Los Blancos could have drawn—provided they avoid complacency, they should progress.

Leicester are enjoying their first taste of Europe's premier competition and made it through the group stage at the first attempt, topping Group G ahead of Porto.

The Foxes largely kept things tight throughout, shipping just one goal in their first five games prior to their 5-0 thrashing in Portugal, but Claudio Ranieri's side have been a shadow of the team they were last season—progressing past Sevilla will be a huge ask.

Jorge Sampaoli's side are not only boast an exceptional record in Europe of late with their hat-trick of Europa League wins, they're also going strong in La Liga.

Man City enjoyed an unprecedented run to the semi-finals last year, and with Pep Guardiola in charge, they'll be hoping to go further still.

Monaco might seem a kind draw, but they'll be very difficult. The Ligue 1 side topped Group E and have scored a staggering 53 goals in 17 league games this season, not to mention they knocked Arsenal out at this stage in 2015—City will need to be wary.

While Barcelona aren't yet out of La Liga's title race, it's certainly advantage Real who hold a six-point lead over the Blaugrana—as such, the Champions League might perhaps be an even greater priority than usual.

PSG will provide a real test, the kind Barca would have been hoping to avoid at this stage after winning their group.

They beat PSG 5-1 on aggregate on their way to winning the trophy in 2015, but they'll need to ensure they put in strong performances to do so again.

Champions League draw live: who will Arsenal, Manchester City and Leicester City get in the last 16?

Which teams have qualified, and which are out?

Teams already qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of this week's final round of group stage matches - and those who have been knocked out:

Qualified: Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Leicester City, Manchester City, Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Napoli, Porto and Benfica.

Eliminated: Basel, Besiktas, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Celtic, Club Brugge, CSKA Moscow, Copenhagen, Dinamo Zagreb, Dynamo Kiev, Legia Warsaw, Ludogorets Razgrad, Lyon, PSV Eindhoven, Rostov, Sporting Lisbon, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Vardy ends drought with treble as Leicester beats Man City

LONDON (AP) -- Jamie Vardy and Leicester embarrassed Manchester City to rediscover the look of champions.

City's defense disintegrated as Vardy's hat trick powered Leicester to a 4-2 win that delivered an emphatic response to the team's critics on Saturday in the English Premier League.

With his first treble since his days playing for Fleetwood in the fifth tier in 2012, Vardy ended a 16-game goal drought in all club competitions.

''We just wanted to make sure you saw the team fight for the cause,'' Vardy saw. ''We have definitely done that.''

The striker took only three minutes to rediscover his scoring touch against Pep Guardiola's side and City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was beaten again inside two minutes by Andy King. Both of City's goals only came once Vardy eased Leicester into a four-goal lead, with Aleksandar Kolarov and Nolito scoring in the last eight minutes.

On a weekend when Leicester faced the possibility of dropping into the relegation zone of the league it won in May, Claudio Ranieri's team halted a five-game winless run and moved four points clear of danger.

City remains four points behind leader Arsenal in fourth place but has collected only 12 points from a possible 27 in its last nine games.

''It's not about the system,'' City defender Pablo Zabaleta said. ''We played with four at the back today, sometimes we play with three, and we know exactly what we have to do on the pitch. It is more about concentration.

''We know the risk we take every game because we are a very attacking team, and we want to attack all the time and create chances ... but of course at the back when you give space you have to concentrate on the players that you can't let run easily.''

Guardiola isn't complaining about his players.

''I have to look inside myself - what I have to do - and they have to follow me,'' the City manager said. ''We have missed points in the last games. We have to change as quickly as possible.''

There wasn't only a feast of goals at King Power Stadium. It was the first time in 23 years that six home teams scored three goals each on a single day in the league, according to stats company Opta.

ARSENAL 3, STOKE 1

Arsenal nudged ahead of Chelsea into top spot on goal difference, ahead of its London rival's game against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Arsenal kept its nerve after conceding Charlie Adam's 29th-minute penalty. Theo Walcott leveled before halftime, Mesut Ozil's looping header put Arsene Wenger's side in front, and Alex Iwobi slotted in a third.

SWANSEA 3, SUNDERLAND 0

Swansea is out of the relegation zone after Bob Bradley won for only the second time in eight matches in charge. All the goals came in the second half, with Gylfi Sigurdsson netting from a penalty before a double from Fernando Llorente. Although Sunderland is bottom, Swansea is only a point ahead in 17th place.

HULL 3, CRYSTAL PALACE 3

Unlike its previous away game at Swansea, Palace profited from a late goal this time. Substitute Fraizer Campbell scored the last of five second-half goals in the 89th minute to grab a point for Alan Pardew's side.

Hull led through a penalty in the first half from Robert Snodgrass that was canceled out by another spot kick from Christian Benteke before Wilfried Zaha put Palace in front. The game swung back in Hull's favor when Adama Diomande and Jake Livermore scored but former Hull striker Campbell had the final say.

BURNLEY 3, BOURNEMOUTH 2

As Hull's Mike Phelan and Palace's Alan Pardew saw their sides produce a thriller, the league's other two English managers also faced off. Sean Dyche got the better of Eddie Howe, who managed Burnley during a spell away from the Bournemouth dugout in 2011 and 2012.

Jeff Hendrick's dipping volley and Stephen Ward's strike saw Burnley race in front in the opening 16 minutes. George Boyd netted Burnley's third in the second half either side of goals from Benik Afobe and Charlie Daniels.

Bournemouth is a point ahead of Burnley in 11th place.

WATFORD 3, EVERTON 2

With one win in 10 league games, Everton manager Ronald Koeman's problems are mounting. Watford leapfrogged Everton into seventh place thanks to Stefano Okaka's double and Sebastian Prodl's header. Watford held on after Romelu Lukaku, who opened the scoring, netted a late second.

Pep Guardiola: Man City manager defends system after defeat at Leicester

Leicester 4-2 Manchester City: Guardiola will 'look inside' himself after defeat
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola defended his team's system after a 4-2 defeat by Premier League champions Leicester City.

Guardiola started with a back three but reverted to a four-man defence when his side trailed 2-0 after four minutes.

The Spaniard said: "It is not about the system. We defended well with these players at the beginning of the season.

"Now we have to stand up and analyse what happened, especially mentally to encourage the players to step forward."

England striker Jamie Vardy scored a hat-trick in Leicester's stunning win to end his 10-game run without a Premier League goal, while Andy King also netted.

Aleksandar Kolarov and Nolito scored late consolation goals for a Manchester City side who have lost back-to-back league games for the first time under Guardiola.

They have won only four of their past 15 games in all competitions, but the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss said he would not change the team's style.

"I want to play the football I feel," said Guardiola, whose team are four points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

"I cannot say we played badly or didn't play without the intention to create.

"Always I try to control the games so we concede few goals, in here I cannot do that and I have to analyse why.

"I want to win games, I don't want to lose games. I feel what I feel and in the Premier League there are some special things, but the pitch is the same. What I believe is good and will be good."
Guardiola has seen his side concede three or more goals in back-to-back league games for the first time as a manager
Manchester City failed to win a tackle in the first 35 minutes at the King Power Stadium, but Guardiola played down the statistic.

"The second balls is a concept here in England, I'm not a coach for the tackles so I don't train the tackles," he said.

Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy was critical of their tactics.

"That's as good as I've seen Leicester this season, it was like the Leicester of last season. But Manchester City didn't half help them.

"Kolarov was supposed to be playing as a third centre-half but he played so far forward, he left John Stones isolated.

"Pablo Zabaleta was playing in a weird in-between position and it didn't look like he knew what he was doing.

"Kevin de Bruyne appeared to be at left-wing-back. The communication and lack of defensive line was pretty bad. Kolarov was playing his own game going forward so often. They gave Leicester so many opportunities to attack them. It could have been more.

"Fifty changes they've made this season. It's nice to build relationships and have some familiarity. You can't keep changing players."

Guardiola defended £50m summer signing Stones, whose mistake presented Vardy with the opportunity to score his third goal.

"Today, except the last goal, he made a good performance. Central defenders is just defending, put the ball long, but what we want is a little bit more, not just defending.

"I'm not disappointed with my players. When I need to tell them something I will tell it to them. They are professional and old enough to know what happens.

"Hopefully in the future we can improve."

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said "it was the true Leicester" that had won the game.

"We played smart, slowed down the tempo. Everyone knows what we do but it is important to score two goals very early," said the Italian, 65.

"This is our strength. We can't keep possession often, our strength is to play fast, find a solution.

"I told my players the result is always important but we had to fight till the end."

5,000 to 50,000 bet challenge

Bet 4 Bet 4
Teams- Psg vs Ludogorets
Tip- over 0.5goals in 1st half
Stake➡ 9,765
Return➡ 11,718

FA Cup Draw 2016: Full 3rd-Round Fixtures and Dates Released

Defending champions Manchester United will host Reading in the third round of the 2016-17 FA Cup after all the Premier League and Championship sides were entered into the competition in Monday's draw. 

Current Premier League leaders Chelsea will face Notts County or Peterborough United, while Arsenal—the joint most successful side in the competition's history with United—will get their campaign underway against Preston North End.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side drew Newport County, and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City were paired with West Ham United.

Here is the full list of fixtures following the draw:
FA Cup 2016-17: Third-Round Fixtures Home vs. Away Ipswich Town vs. Lincoln City/Oldham Atheltic Barrow vs. Rochdale Manchester United vs. Reading Hull City vs. Swansea City Sunderland vs. Burnley Queens Park Rangers vs. Blackburn Rovers Millwall vs. Bournemouth West Ham United vs. Manchester City Brighton & Hove Albion vs. MK Dons/Charlton Athletic Blackpool vs. Barnsley Wigan Athletic vs. Nottingham Forest Birmingham City vs. Newcastle United Chelsea vs. Notts County/Peterborough United Middlesbrough vs. Sheffield Wednesday West Bromwich Albion vs. Derby County Everton vs. Leicester City Liverpool vs. Newport County/Plymouth Argyle Wycombe Wanderers vs. Stourbridge/Northampton Town Watford vs. Burton Albion Preston North End vs. Arsenal Cardiff City vs. Fulham Stoke City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers Cambridge United vs. Leeds United Bristol City vs. Fleetwood Town/Shrewsbury Town Huddersfield Town vs. Port Vale Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa Brentford vs. Halifax Town/Eastleigh Bolton Wanderers vs. Crystal Palace Norwich City vs. Southampton Sutton United vs. AFC Wimbledon Accrington Stanley vs. Luton Town Rotherham United vs. Oxford United/Macclesfield Town
BBC Sport

Fixtures will be played across the weekend of Jan. 6 to Jan. 9, 2017.

Non-league sides Barrow and Sutton United will continue their campaigns against Rochdale and AFC Wimbledon, respectively.

Meanwhile, seventh-tier Stourbridge, the lowest-ranked side left in the draw, will face Wycombe Wanderers if they can see off League One's Northampton Town in the second round following an initial postponement.

Per Squawka, Old Trafford will see the return of former United centre-back Jaap Stam in the third round, as the Dutchman now manages Reading:

City's clash with West Ham is arguably the highlight all-Premier League draw of the round and will be a tough challenge for Guardiola as he takes charge of his first FA Cup match.

However, other top-flight pairings include Hull City hosting fellow strugglers Swansea City and defending Premier League champions Leicester City travelling to Goodison Park to face Everton.

Former FA Cup winners Steven Gerrard and Ian Wright analysed the draw on BT Sport Football:

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the Premier League sides who will be wary of an upset when they face Aston Villa, who have looked much better of late under manager Steve Bruce.

The Emirates FA Cup

All players dream of an Emirates FA Cup run but Curzon Ashton manager John Flanagan has admitted that even he goes to bed contemplating reaching the third round.

Curzon Ashton needed a replay to see off ninth-tier Westfields, the lowest ranked team left in the competition, in the first round but have been rewarded with a home tie against AFC Wimbledon.

The National League North side will also be welcoming the BT Sport cameras to Tameside Stadium on Sunday with a potential tie against a Premier League side just 90 minutes away.

Curzon Ashton v AFC Wimbledon The Emirates FA Cup Second Round Proper 12noon, Sunday 4 December 2016Tameside Stadium, Curzon AshtonLive on BT Sport

"I go to bed thinking about it every night. Whilst it will be very difficult, we are going to have to be at our best and we will need some luck here and there," said Flanagan.

"We will rely on Wimbledon to take us lightly, there's various factors that can influence things and level off the gap that's in the league positions.

"But if you can get through, the potential financial reward - we could get amounts of money you could not have dreamed of six to eight weeks ago.

"It puts us in an unbelievable position where you could get a big name. We all dream about an FA Cup run, a run with a Premier League club would be unbelievable but it's a long way off."

Ashton have not had preparations go completely their way in the build-up, they suffered a 2-1 defeat on Monday night in the Buildbase FA Trophy against Worcester City. 

But the distraction could work in Flanagan's favour as it allows the squad to treat the match as they would any other despite the excitement and buzz in the area. 

"It's difficult when you play a game in the week before a big game," added Flanagan. "It was surprising how some injuries suddenly disappeared.

"We played in The FA Trophy on Monday night so we have not had a great time to focus.

"We had a meeting of the coaching staff but we haven't spoken to the players about it yet, we've tried to keep it as normal as possible.

"We will be speaking to the players and our training session will be Thursday evening and that will be it.

"There's bound to be one or two lads who are anxious, that's inevitable, but that's for me to recognise and prepare for that to make sure they don't let the occasion pass them by."

Emirates FA Cup historyThis is only Curzon Ashton's second appearance in the FA Cup second round. In 2008-09 they beat League Two side Exeter City to reach round two but lost to National League's Kidderminster Harriers.

AFC Wimbledon were formed in 2002 following Wimbledon FC's move to Milton Keynes and the two teams met in the FA Cup second round in December 2012 with MK Dons winning 2-1. They reached the third round for the first time in their history last season where they were beaten 2-1 by Liverpool.

Did you know?Curzon Ashton have been promoted twice since Flanagan took charge at the start of the 2011-12 season, rising from the step four to step two of the football pyramid. In October 2016, 14 years after their formation, AFC Wimbledon moved above MK Dons in the football pyramid for the first time. The club are currently seventh in League One.

Ones to WatchStrikers Lyle Taylor and Dominic Poleon have scored nine goals each already this season, with both having found the back of the net four times in cup competitions. It could be a busy afternoon for Curzon Ashton goalkeeper Cameron Mason coming up against that AFC Wimbledon pair. The stopper did save a penalty in defeat to Worcester City on Monday though.

The prizeWinners of any second round Emirates FA Cup tie receive a £27,000 prize as well as a place in the draw for the third round where the Premier League and Championship clubs enter the fray.

Bans confirmed for Man City trio Aguero, Fernandinho and Otamendi

The Football Association has confirmed that Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi are to serve four, three and one-match bans respectively.

Aguero is facing four games on the sidelines following his red card against Chelsea on Saturday.



The Argentina international was sent off for a reckless challenge on David Luiz in injury time of Manchester City's 3-1 defeat to the Premier League leaders at the Etihad Stadium.

The FA updated the disciplinary page on their official website on Monday, verifying that Aguero has been given a suspension that will rule him out of matches against champions Leicester City, Watford, Arsenal and Hull City.

It is the second time Aguero has been punished for violent conduct this season, prompting the lengthier ban, after he was given a retrospective red card for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid in August.



Team-mate Fernandinho has received a three-match suspension after he was sent off for pushing Cesc Fabregas over the advertising boards in the fracas that followed Aguero's challenge.

Finally, Otamendi has been handed a one-game ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.



The Spaniard will be missing for Saturday's trip to reigning Premier League champions Leicester.

Pep Guardiola will be forced to shuffle his pack as a result, with three experienced figures ruled out of his plans down the spine of his City side.

Pep Guardiola: Man City boss apologises after brawl during 3-1 loss to Chelsea

Fernandinho can expect a three-game ban, while Sergio Aguero is set to be suspended for four matches

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola apologised for his team's part in the mass brawl that resulted in Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho being sent off at the end of their 3-1 defeat by Chelsea - but defended both players.

Leaders Chelsea fought back from 1-0 down to secure an eighth straight Premier League win, and City's frustrations boiled over in injury time.

Aguero was dismissed for a wild lunge on Chelsea defender David Luiz, with team-mate Fernandinho also shown a red card for clashing with Cesc Fabregas in the melee that followed.

Aguero's tackle on Luiz was high and late

"It is a pity the game finished like this," Guardiola said. "I don't like that and I apologise for what happened.

"I don't think Aguero's challenge is intentional. Both players were strong, that is all.

"Then Fernandinho went over to defend his team-mate because of what the opponent did to Aguero.

"When (City winger) Nolito did that against Bournemouth, it was a red card for him and a three-game ban. That is why Fernandinho went to defend his team-mate, that is all.

"I have not spoken to him about it - if it is on TV, we will see about it."

Fernandinho will be suspended for three matches and Aguero will face a four-game ban because he has already been sent off once for violent conduct this season - the retrospective red card he received for a challenge on West Ham defender Winston Reid in August.

The pair will miss games against Leic ester, Watford and Arsenal and, while Fernandinho can return at Hull on 26 December, Aguero will have to wait until City's trip to Anfield to play Liverpool on New Year's Eve.

Referee Anthony Taylor had angered City's players and fans with some of his earlier decisions, including a first-half challenge by Luiz on Aguero that went unpunished.

However, Guardiola refused to blame Taylor for the defeat, his first at Etihad Stadium since he took charge of City in the summer.

"We didn't win because we missed a lot of chances, not because of the referee's decisions," the Spaniard added.

"I am proud of my team and how we played - I came here to try to play the way we played in this game.

"You have to remember who we were playing, and that we created more chances than we did in our last two games against Burnley and Crystal Palace, when we won.

"But in the boxes we are not strong enough. When the opportunities arrive, we have to score goals because when we don't it is tough mentally for the players.

"It is a problem we have had all season. It is difficult for us to score goals and we concede them very easily."

Fernandinho pushed Cesc Fabregas, who tumbled over the advertising hoardingsAnalysis

Chief football writer Phil McNulty:

It is unlikely either Manchester City or Chelsea have heard the last of a shameful conclusion to a high-class game of football as players and officials from both sides became embroiled in ugly scenes.

City's frustration at what they believed was a series of injustices at the hands of referee Anthony Taylor boiled over in injury time as Aguero caught Luiz high and late, which happened after the Argentina striker clashed with the defender at a corner earlier.

Chelsea's Nathaniel Chalobah joined in and was lucky not to see red, while Fernandinho was sent off for grabbing Fabregas.

Even then, Fernandinho had to be forced to leave the pitch and with the whole situation threatening to go completely out of control, it was fortunate referee Taylor was able to blow the final whistle seconds later.

It is hard to see how both cl ubs can escape censure for a failure to control their players.

Former Premier League striker Jason Roberts on Final Score:

The tackle from Aguero was absolutely outrageous. It's exactly what you don't want to see in football. It was the type of challenge that can break a leg.

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton on Match of the Day:

Aguero lost the plot. It's as bad a tackle as you will see - I can't ever remember seeing one as bad as that.

Alex Scott, Arsenal Ladies and England defender on Final Score:

The Football Association has to act. With Aguero, you know that players can get frustrated - but what he did you know you cannot do in football, no way. The thing is, it was such a superb game of football but such a bad ending.

Former England winger Chris Waddle on BBC Radio 5 live:

Chelsea were clinical and look so well-drilled and fresh. City lost their discipline at the end, which will disappoint Guardiola. And now Aguero will be ba nned - that will be massive.

December is now going to be tough for Manchester City.