FA Cup: Everton, Forest put aside off-field issues, advance to next round

Everton and Nottingham Forest put aside their off-field difficulties by winning FA Cup replays to advance to the fourth round on Wednesday.

They were playing two days after being charged by the Premier League with breaches of English soccer’s financial rules, which could potentially lead to points deductions for two clubs who are just above the relegation zone.

A deep run in the cup would offer a welcome distraction and Everton, whose last major trophy came when winning the famous competition in 1995, eked out a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace thanks to Andre Gomes’ curling free kick from 25 meters at Goodison Park.

That set up a meeting with another top-flight rival, Luton, in the last 32 on Jan. 27.

Forest needed extra time before seeing off third-tier Blackpool 3-2, with Chris Wood scoring the winner in the 110th minute after his team squandered a two-goal lead.

Andrew Omobamidele and Danilo had put Forest in control at Bloomfield Road, with the visiting players marking the goals by holding aloft the No. 8 jersey of teammate Cheikhou Kouyate as a tribute to the absent midfielder’s father, who recently died. A message on the jersey read: “Thinking of you, Cheikhou.”

Forest will play second-tier Bristol City next.

FRIENDS REUNITED

Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner are such close friends that they regard each other as family. Soon, the two managers will be going head-to-head in the FA Cup.

Norwich, the team managed by Wagner, beat Bristol Rovers 3-1 in the night’s other third-round replay to secure a trip to Anfield to play Liverpool, the team coached by Klopp. The match is on Jan. 28 and it will be a case of friends reunited.

They share a friendship that extends beyond 30 years and started in Germany, when they were teammates at Mainz in the early 1990s. In 2005, Klopp got married and Wagner was the best man. They were coach (Klopp) and assistant coach (Wagner) for Borussia Dortmund from 2011-15. Klopp is the godfather to Wagner’s daughter.

It won’t be the first time they’ve been in opposite dugouts in England. In October 2017, Klopp’s Liverpool beat Wagner’s Huddersfield 3-0 in the Premier League, also at Anfield.