SMITH: RESPECT KEY TO CUP SUCCESS

By Lisa Gray, Press Association Sport Chief Scottish Football Writer

Rangers manager Walter Smith believes their impressive record in domestic cup competitions is simply down to respect for the opposition.

The Ibrox side have lost just one cup tie - the Co-operative Insurance Cup final against Celtic last year - since Smith returned for a second spell at the helm in January 2007.

On Wednesday night they will attempt to maintain that form when they face St Johnstone in the last four of the League Cup, with a meeting with St Mirren in the final at Hampden next month up for grabs for the winners.

"I don't think there is any secret to it," said Smith of his record in cup clashes.

"We always try and show each of the teams we are playing a level of respect. St Johnstone deserve it, as do St Mirren, who we are playing in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.

"We've always been up for most of the games. In the year we reached the UEFA Cup final, we were having to play semi-finals, big games, in amongst a whole load of other huge games but we still managed to dig out a result. Hopefully we can continue to do that."

Rangers romped to a 3-0 win over St Johnstone in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League in December but Smith is well aware that previous meetings have not been quite as comfortable for his side.

Saints put up a decent fight in the Scottish Cup 12 months ago before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat, while Smith's men required penalties to dispose of the McDiarmid Park side in the semi-final of the same competition the year before.

"They have been tricky for us," admitted the Rangers boss.

"Derek McInnes has done a great job there with a group of players who have a good attitude about them.

"He uses his players very well and they have played very well against us in the games they have played us. So we have had that warning and, being a cup tie, it will be a big game.

"We've managed to reach each of the domestic finals that we've managed to compete in over the last three years.

"It's a big thing for us to get to the final but, equally, St Johnstone, with the way they have played against us this season, will see an opportunity to get there themselves.

"That would be a huge thing for them so we know what we are going to face and we should be equal to that."

Rangers' priority may be retaining the SPL title but, according to skipper David Weir, they are also desperate to claim the first silverware of the campaign.

He said: "It's very important. It's the first trophy available during the season. At Rangers you want to be in finals and you want to be winning finals.

"Obviously, along the way, you've got to win the games to get there. We know it will be a very tough game, St Johnstone are always hard to beat.

"They are very well-organised and have given us a couple of tough games already this season. We know we will have to be at our best."

Robbie Keane debut falls flat as Kilmarnock stun Celtic

By ANDREW SMITH

THE same old failings brought the same old fallbacks from Celtic manager Tony Mowbray last night after Robbie Keane's debut for his club was distinguished only by a defeat that erodes further a fast-dissolving title challenge.

Robbie Keane cuts a dejected figure as his debut ends in a 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock Picture: SNS Group

Earned by a 54th-minute goal from the striker they loaned late last night, Chris Maguire, Kilmarnock's first victory over Celtic in nine years and 32 attempts prevented Mowbray's men making any impression on Rangers' ten-point SPL lead with their game in hand. Keane's bow for the Glasgow club ended in further discordant noises about the direction the Celtic manager is taking a completely reshaped squad. Mowbray, though, sang the same old song in his post-match dissection.

"That's football, we will take it on the chin and keep going," he said, with his team only having 15 matches to effect a 10-point swing. "There is a long way to go and I'm sure there will be some twist and turns. There are big games and see how they flow at Ibrox or Easter Road when the pressure is on."

Mowbray said he "wouldn't call for patience" when asked if the quality was required as he looks to integrate up to eight new players after a hectic January window. He knows it will not be forthcoming as the league campaign continues to be marked by reverses the like of which Celtic have not suffered in a decade. "The team has got to gel quickly and we have got to put on performances and win games."

About Keane, Mowbray said: "He played well and made a few chances. You could see from the positions he found he will be a huge benefit."

On a night Mowbray said Scott Brown is "in my mind" as captain with the midfielder at the "stage of his career he needs to find the maturity" for such a role, Celtic lacked the on-field leadership or drive with which Kilmarnock manager Jimmy Calderwood imbued his charges. He admitted he felt they benefited from the "Keane effect", with a crowd of 9308. "The atmosphere was fantastic and really lifted our boys," he said of a first league win of his three-week Rugby Park tenure that keeps his team two points ahead of bottom club Falkirk, who were 1-0 winners at Aberdeen last night.

"I thought the script was written because I've had it before against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final that was Henrik Larsson's last game. Robbie Keane caused us all sorts of problems early on with his movement and we had to hang on. But we did.

"The defence got organised and Maguire kept the ball up front. There was some good football in the build up to the goal and Chris stuck it away well. After that, Celtic threw everything at us. As normal against the Old Firm, we had to ride our luck. The keeper (Cammy Bell] has made a lot of great saves and I don't think we tested Artur Boruc too much after the goal. But we got the victory."

Maguire joked that he only wished his loan move agreed from Aberdeen last night at 9pm was as "glamorous" as the man whose thunder he stole. "Am I get 65 grand a week as well? I wish." Money, as last night showed, doesn't always change everything.

Michael Dawson to captain Tottenham in FA Cup against Leeds

By John Ley

Michael Dawson will captain Tottenham in Wednesday night’s FA Cup fourth-round replay against Leeds United at Elland Road following Robbie Keane’s loan move to Celtic.

While Fabio Capello has an awkward decision about who should lead England,Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insisted the decision to hand the job on Wednesday night to Dawson was an easy one.

Ledley King is the club captain at Spurs but his inability, through injury, to play in every game prompted Redknapp to make Keane the team captain when he returned to White Hart Lane last February after an ill-fated move to Liverpool.

With Keane – who was due to make his Celtic debut against Kilmarnock on Tuesday night – leaving on loan late on Monday, Dawson will lead the side at Elland Road before Redknapp makes a final decision for the remainder of the season, with the injured Jonathan Woodgate also in the running.

“I’ve not discussed it with Michael,” Redknapp said. “It’s only happened recently, so I’ve not even had the chance to see the players and talk to them at the moment. It is not official yet.

“But Michael Dawson has captained the team before, done a good job, he has just signed a new contract, been in great form and is a real leader who leads by example.”

Redknapp knows what he wants from a captain: “You look for a leader, somebody who can take your instructions on the pitch, see things that are going wrong and put them right in their own way, and every captain is different.

“Bobby Moore was a great captain – he was quiet, he led by example, he didn’t shout and scream at anyone. He was probably our greatest captain, we won the World Cup with Bobby as captain.

“But everybody has different ways. Tony Adams would be barking out orders, he was a great captain, organising people and talking. John Terry is a leader when he plays. Again, he organises and bosses people on the pitch. But everybody is different.”

Redknapp was keen not to interfere with the conundrum facing Capello, adding: “That’s Mr Capello’s decision; he’ll do what he feels is right. I do not want to be second guessing what the England manager is going to do.”

But he set out his rules, explaining: “There has to be standards with young footballers and everybody else. They are role models, they are setting examples out there to kids, and we have to set the right examples.”

Redknapp is short on numbers for Wednesday night’s difficult return, a game forced by Jermaine Beckford’s late penalty at Spurs.

With Keane at Celtic for the rest of the season and Alan Hutton and Kyle Naughton also out on loan, and with newcomers Eidur Gudjohnsen and Younes Kaboul ineligible, he has little room to move, particularly as King, Benoît Assou-Ekotto, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Aaron Lennon, Woodgate and Carlo Cudicini are all injured.

“I will risk everybody at Leeds,” Redknapp said. “I’ve got to have three kids on the bench because I don’t have enough subs. I might have Danny Rose as well so there will be four kids on the bench.”

Redknapp will be interested to see the latest response from David Bentley, who was expected to leave in the window but remained and, in the last two games, has impressed.

“He’s played and been in good form,” said Redknapp. “He’s come in the last two games and done very well for me. He’s important to me. Aaron’s not fit and David’s got to make that position his own.”

Chelsea held to draw at Hull

Wolverhampton, Wigan knocked out of FA Cup

Chelsea missed the chance to go four points clear at the top of the English Premier League with a 1-1 draw at Hull on Tuesday.

Defender Steven Mouyokolo gave Hull a surprise lead in the 30th minute and, although Didier Drogba equalized 12 minutes later with his 20th goal of the season, Chelsea was unable to convert concerted pressure into more goals.

The draw left Chelsea on 55 points, three clear of defending champion Manchester United. Both teams have played 24 games, the same as third-place Arsenal, which was another four points back and at Chelsea on Sunday.

Chelsea had already missed a couple of chances when Mouyokolo got his first goal for Hull. The central defender outjumped a cluster of Chelsea defenders including John Terry to head in a 29th-minute corner by Stephen Hunt.

Terry was jeered throughout by Hull fans. In late January, there were newspaper allegations that Terry had an affair with an England teammate's former partner.

But Chelsea continued to press and Drogba, playing his first Chelsea game in a month following his stint at the African Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, scored direct from a free kick just outside the area.

Jozy Altidore missed with a headed chance for Hull and teammate Amr Zaki troubled the visiting defence, but Drogba missed at the other end as the home team held on for a valuable point in its fight against relegation.

Hull was still in the relegation zone but was level on 21 points with the three teams immediately above it.

Wolverhampton, Wigan out of FA Cup

Also on Tuesday, Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers and Wigan were both knocked out of the FA Cup after losing fourth-round replays to lower-league sides.

Crystal Palace defender Danny Butterfield scored a hat trick in seven second-half minutes to give the League Championship side a 3-1 win over Wolves, while Wigan was humiliated 2-0 by visiting Notts County of the fourth tier.

Spurs a harder tie than Old Trafford, says Leeds manager Simon Grayson

 Cup not a distraction to promotion push
 Spurs will be targeting 'chance to win silverware'

• Harry Polkey
• guardian.co.uk
• Simon Grayson, the manager of Leeds United, who travel to White Hart Lane in the FA Cup fourth round. Photograph: Christopher Thomond
  
  
  
  Simon Grayson believes tomorrow's trip to White Hart Lane will prove a far more difficult challenge for Leeds United than their FA Cup tie at Manchester United. Jermaine Beckford humbled Sir Alex Ferguson's side in the third round at Old Trafford but Grayson is anticipating thatTottenham Hotspur will be far more focused on getting a result.
  
  "The expectancy level is obviously slightly higher, but Tottenham are one of the group of teams who, as well as aiming to qualify for the Champions League, will be targeting this competition as a major opportunity to win silverware," said the Leeds manager. "They played earlier this week and again next Tuesday, so I expect they'll make some changes, but probably not as many as Manchester United made. They'll be close to their strongest."
  
  Grayson appeared genuinely amused when it was put to him that given Leeds, who are leading League One, have failed to win any of the three games they have played since the victory at Old Trafford, an ideal outcome in the fourth round match might be defeat with honour. "You try telling that to the chairman. Tell the [4,500] fans we'll be taking to White Hart Lane, or the 9,000 we took to Old Trafford, that the Cup is a distraction.
  
  "If we lose but come off with no regrets about the way we played, then so be it, sometimes you have to say they had that extra quality – but winning would be better."
  
  Having missed out on promotion in the play-off semi-finals last season, plenty of Leeds supporters would swap progress in the Cup for a league win, but Grayson insists performances have not fallen off. "Results have suggested we have not totally focused, but I'm more than happy with how we have played. We've conceded a couple of sloppy goals, which we've not been doing in the early part of the season, but we've created good chances and just haven't had the breaks.
  
  "You go through patches when you get results you possibly don't deserve, which was sometimes the case in the first part of the season, and over the past three games we probably deserve better results than we've actually had. You have to live with that."
  
  Leeds will approach the game in the same relaxed but determined way they approached the tie at Old Trafford, he said. The former Leeds players Robbie Keane and Danny Rose could feature against their old club, though Aaron Lennon's groin injury means a third misses out.
  
  "We'd love for the likes of Keane and Lennon to still be in our team, but that's football," said Grayson, a little wistfully. "We went through that episode of selling our best players just to survive, and other clubs benefited, but we have to move on. Other players are coming through who will take the club forward, and this is another chance for them to show what they're all about."
  

Arsenal and Cesc Fabregas revel in turnaround and reveal hunger for the title

By Jeremy Wilson 

Arsène Wenger paused to gather his thoughts when asked recently to name the quality that convinced him of Arsenal's ability to break the Premier League dominance of Manchester United and Chelsea. "Hunger," he said eventually.

It was shortly before Christmas and, at the time, few shared Wenger's confidence. His team had been 11 points behind Chelsea at the beginning of December and the memory of last season's disappointments and internal problems remained fresh in the mind.

Yet, come 9.45pm on Wednesday, Arsenal need only a repeat of Sunday's 2-0 away win over Bolton to be top of the Premier League for the first time since the opening week of the season. It has been some turnaround, particularly in the midst of injury crises both in attack and midfield.

"We refused to give up, continued to fight and believed in our strengths," said Wenger. "The biggest test in our camp was the mental strength and solidarity of the players. We have a great solidarity, a great team spirit. Why should we stop here when we have taken so many points from our opponents? Now we have a chance to keep that momentum going."

Cesc Fabregas has come to embody that increased resilience and, like Wenger, he pinpoints the collective desire within a group of players who, having largely grown up together, are still waiting for their first silverware.

"I'm sure other teams will think the same as us, that they can win the league, but there will be no team that wants to win it more than us, for sure," said Fabregas. "We have to go game by game, take it easy. Let's not get too carried away. There are many, many games where you can lose or win points. We have to be ready for Bolton again – no excuses."

A range of factors explain Arsenal's enhanced staying power. An extra year has left them more able to cope when their opponents adopt physical tactics, while the signings of Thomas Vermaelen and Andrei Arshavin have also brought added steel and quality.

It has contributed to a transformation in the atmosphere at the Emirates, notably among a home fanbase that can be difficult to please. The key, though, remains Fabregas, who is beginning to assume the sort of talismanic influence at Arsenal of Thierry Henry. With 13 goals already from midfield, he is a convincing early candidate for player of the season.

Wenger refuses to join that debate but does regularly pinpoint his captain's extra physical strength and ongoing desire for self-improvement.

Even after a virtuoso display on Sunday, Fabregas was not satisfied. "I am happy with the team's contribution, I will never be happy as an individual because you can always do better but the team was really good," he said.

Yet as the chance to go top of the Premier League beckons, a different sort of pressure suddenly rests on the young shoulders of this Arsenal squad. It is one thing to produce results to get back into contention, quite another to maintain that momentum when the finishing line is coming into sight.

As Wenger has consistently said, capturing that first trophy together will be the most difficult. It will also be the most important and was one of the main reasons why Sol Campbell, a winner of silverware at Tottenham, Arsenal and Portsmouth, was recruited.

Sunderland put block on Liverpool FC's move for Kenwyne Jones

LIVERPOOL’S hopes of signing Kenwyne Jones were effectively dead today after Sunderland refused any attempt to do business.

As was reported in later editions of last night’s ECHO, the Reds spent the weekend trying to thrash out a deal to bring the Trinidad & Tobago international to Anfield on loan until the end of the season and were hopeful of doing so.

With Fernando Torres facing a spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury, boss Rafa Benitez wanted to bring Jones to Anfield to give his strike force a physical presence and increase competition for places.

Yet despite the player wanting to switch Wearside for Merseyside, Sunderland would not entertain any thoughts of a loan and insisted the only way the Jones would leave the Stadium of Light during this window was in a cash deal.

The Reds, of course, are not flush with cash at present and had no intentions of meeting Sunderland’s asking price of well in excess of £10m for Jones, who has scored 25 times in 85 appearances for the Black Cats.

Benitez, who is also in the race to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, is unlikely to give up his search to bring another forward in before the window closes and has vowed to keep “working hard” to find the right man.

“We will see if we can do something more in this window,” he added. “If we cannot we will stick together for the next challenge. We have a good team, a good squad and are not as bad as people think.”

A more immediate priority, though, is tomorrow night’s Anfield showdown with Tottenham Hotspur and the Reds’ boss wants to see his team show the same attitude and resilience as they did at Stoke on Saturday.

But, more importantly, he has urged them to develop a ruthless streak in order to prevent more precious points slipping away.

“We are in a position where we have to kill off games,” he said today. “Even in the last two games when we haven’t played well, we could still have won them.

“If we can do what we did against Wolves and Aston Villa, the confidence will be there. We might not have been doing well but still we can be close to where we want to be.

“That has to be the message to the players. We are still in there. We have to approach every game thinking that we need to get three points.

“The main thing is to be strong, be solid and if we can score, let’s try to kill the games. We haven’t been doing this enough. Against Reading, we started the second half really well but couldn't get the last pass right or find the player.

“Had we done that, we’d be talking about a totally different situation. We know that we have to improve but we have a game soon to do that.”

Ancelotti proud to boss Blues

Italian coach welcomes Chelsea challenge

By Chris Burton

Carlo Ancelotti admits he is 'honoured' to have been charged with the task of guiding Chelsea to glory.

The Italian moved to Stamford Bridge last summer, having cut his coaching teeth in his homeland.

Successful spells at Juventus and AC Milan helped him to establish a reputation as one of Europe's top bosses, bringing him to the attention of Chelsea.

The Blues have struggled to establish stability in the dugout since Jose Mourinho left the club in 2007, but have high hopes for their latest recruit.

Their judgement appears to have been well founded, with Chelsea continuing to lead the way in the Premier League title race and well-placed to launch an assault on the UEFA Champions League crown.

Much of the credit for their success this season has been laid at Ancelotti's door, with the Blues back to their free-flowing best.

The affable Italian insists owner Roman Abramovich deserves to take more credit for the upturn in fortune than he does, but admits he is loving life at one of English football's most prestigious clubs.

"This team is the owner's team, it's not mine," Ancelotti said after watching his troops hammer Sunderland 7-2 on Saturday.

"It is the team of Roman Abramovich and I am honoured to train this team.

"He likes to see Chelsea play like we did today.

"If we continue to play like we did it will be very difficult to lose a game."

Manchester City Will Sell Robinho If He Does Not Train Well - Roberto Mancini

'Mancio' throws down the gauntlet...

By Adithya Ananth

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has challengedRobinho to train harder or risk being sold to another club.

The Brazilian was called into action early on during the recent 2-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park, as Roque Santa Cruz had to be taken off due to injury. But the diminutive hitman was himself substituted on 51 minutes, adding further to the speculation surrounding his future with the Citizens.

Mancini did little to cover for his player, insisting that the £32.5 million signing must earn his stripes on the training ground if he wishes to continue plying his trade in a Sky Blue jersey.

"All players try to work hard during the week in training and that is the most important thing," Mancini is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying.

"If he wants a future here, then, yes, that is what he has to do.

"I thought Robinho could have been a big player for us here, but sometimes a player is on form and sometimes he is off.

"I wanted to change the situation in the second half and if that means taking him off, then I will. I cannot worry about him, only about the result."

Jones set to stay with Sunderland

(UKPA)

Sunderland have dismissed claims that striker Kenwyne Jones is set to sign for Liverpool on loan.

It was reported that the 25-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international was due at Anfield for a medical as under-fire Reds boss Rafael Benitez seeks a temporary replacement for the injured Fernando Torres.

However, sources at Sunderland have told Press Association Sport there is "not a chance" of that happening after weeks of speculation over the former Southampton frontman's future.

Both manager Steve Bruce and chairman Niall Quinn have in recent days stated Sunderland's intention to hang on to the man former boss Roy Keane signed for £6million in August 2007.

However, it is believed the Black Cats might be prepared to consider an offer for Jones, but only at the right price. Birmingham made an enquiry earlier in the transfer window which has gone no further.

Jones once again partnered Sunderland's leading scorer Darren Bent in Saturday's 7-2 Barclays Premier League drubbing at Chelsea.

Hours earlier, a Liverpool side shorn of key men Torres, Steven Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun through injury had allowed a 1-0 lead to slip at Stoke when Robert Huth snatched a point with a last-gasp equaliser at the Britannia Stadium.

Dirk Kuyt headed against a post deep into stoppage-time when he might have done better to leave Benitez bemoaning the absence of compatriot Torres, who is expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks.

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