Ipswich booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round after goals either side of half-time saw them defeat a spirited 10-man AFC Wimbledon 3-1.

An own goal from Josh Davison and further strikes from Axel Tuanzebe and Jack Taylor saw the Tractor Boys past their League Two opponents.

AFC Wimbledon captain Jake Reeves made it 1-1 from the penalty spot after 17 minutes but the Championship high-flyers were good value for their win, with Dons midfielder Harry Pell sent off just before the hour mark.

Kieran McKenna’s side came into the game having stuttered in their promotion push, facing a Wimbledon side who themselves had endured an inconsistent run in League Two.

Ipswich opened the scoring after eight minutes with their first goal since Boxing Day.

Taylor’s corner found the run of team-mate Nathan Broadhead, whose first-time volley had looked to be bobbling wide – but in an attempt to clear, Wimbledon’s Alex Pearce stuck out a foot and sent the ball past his own goalkeeper to put the away side in front.

Wimbledon were undeterred by the early setback and won a penalty in the 17th minute after Taylor’s handball – Reeves, now in his third spell at Wimbledon, powered a superb penalty into the net in front of the travelling support to even the scoreline.

Despite Wimbledon’s energy and commitment, Ipswich enjoyed the better chances; Broadhead side-footed well over the bar after breaking through the Wimbledon defence, and Freddie Ladapo fired straight at Alex Bass.

Five minutes before half-time, Ipswich’s pressure told; Broadhead forced a good save from Bass, and during a scramble from the resulting corner, Tuanzebe headed the away side back in front.

Wimbledon attempted to equalise before the break when Connor Lemonheigh-Evans found himself with a yard of space in the Ipswich box, but fired straight into the side-netting.

Only minutes into the second half, Ipswich almost made it 3-1 when Broadhead teed up Cameron Humphreys, whose shot was deflected on to a post.

Just before the hour mark, Pell’s dismissal for a second yellow card could have deflated Wimbledon, but Johnnie Jackson’s side kept on creating chances.

After 70 minutes, Taylor conceded possession inside his own final third, allowing Armani Little to fire a vicious volley on goal, only to be thwarted by Christian Walton.

As Wimbledon tired, Ipswich continued to create opportunities – Tuanzebe had a goal disallowed for being offside, but in the 90th minute, Wes Burns’ shot from the right-hand side was palmed out by Bass into the path of Taylor, who fired home.

Alexander Isak’s double cemented a first derby victory over Sunderland since 2011 as Eddie Howe finally won an FA Cup tie as Newcastle boss at the third attempt.

Perhaps fittingly at the end of a week during which the Black Cats scored a PR own goal by allowing a bar at the Stadium of Light to be decorated in Magpies colours, much of the damage in a 3-0 defeat was self-inflicted.

Dan Ballard put the ball into his own net and conceded a late penalty after Pierre Ekwah’s error had served up the second for Isak.

Newcastle arrived on Wearside without a victory in nine attempts – a run which included six successive wins for their arch-rivals – in a fixture which had not been played since March 2016, and with Howe under a measure of pressure after a sequence of seven defeats in eight outings in all competitions.

In the event, they won at a canter with the Sky Bet Championship promotion hopefuls, and in particular dangerman Jack Clarke, who was well handled by Kieran Trippier, only really making their presence felt after the game was effectively over.

The visitors, who had gone out of the cup at the same stage to League One sides Cambridge and Sheffield Wednesday in the last two seasons, started on the front foot and Black Cats keeper Anthony Patterson had to make a second-minute save from Sean Longstaff’s header after he had met Miguel Almiron’s cross.

But for all their early possession, they were unable to make the pressure count and Trippier’s deflected 14th-minute free-kick, which was claimed comfortably by Patterson, was as close as either side came in the opening stages.

Longstaff lifted a 22nd-minute shot over after Almiron and Trippier had combined once again down the right, but with Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Longstaff struggling to create openings as the hosts got men behind the ball in numbers, Isak was largely isolated.

Isak saw appeals for a 30th-minute penalty waved away by referee Craig Pawson after he had gone to ground under Ballard’s challenge, and Longstaff fired wastefully over following Anthony Gordon’s surge down the left.

However, Newcastle took the lead with 10 minutes of the first half remaining when Joelinton exchanged passes with Guimaraes to get in behind full-back Trai Hume and cross towards Isak at the far post, where Ballard turned the ball into his own net as he tried to deny the striker a tap-in.

The home side’s efforts to get themselves back into the game were repeatedly hampered by their failure to retain possession inside their own half, and they would have gone in at the break two down had Almiron’s acrobatic volley crept inside, rather than just past, the post.

It was 2-0, however, within seconds of the restart when Almiron robbed Ekwah on the edge of his own penalty area and squared for Isak to finish emphatically.

Ekwah very nearly atoned for his error almost immediately when his dipping shot from distance took a deflection and forced keeper Martin Dubravka into a save – his first of the match – with a trailing leg.

Alex Pritchard clipped the bar with a well-struck 59th-minute attempt and then forced Dubravka into a fine one-handed save with 16 minutes remaining with the Black Cats throwing caution to the wind.

However, Isak’s 90th-minute spot-kick, awarded after Ballard had barged Gordon to the ground, completed a comprehensive victory for the Magpies.

Paris St Germain manager Luis Enrique has warned his side they will be punished if they take a victory against amateur team Revel for granted.

PSG will lock horns with the sixth-tier outfit in the opening match of their Coupe de France campaign just days after seeing off Toulouse to land the Champions Trophy for a record-extending 12th time.

Footage of Revel’s coaching and playing staff went viral as they celebrated drawing PSG in the last-64 clash last month.

And, although they are the hosts, Revel will be in unusual surroundings for Sunday’s fixture after being forced to upgrade to the Stade Pierre-Fabre – home to nearby rugby union side Castres – for the cup clash.

“They are not a professional team, and they compete in an amateur league, but they are top of their league,” said Enrique.

“We watched two of Revel’s matches – not at the stadium where we’ll play, so there is a significant difference – but that doesn’t mean they won’t pose a threat. And if we don’t prepare for the match adequately, it could turn into a bad evening.

“We need to start the competition by respecting the opponent and playing our best game. That’s how we approach things, and that’s what I’ve conveyed to the team in recent days. We’re treating this match as if it were a league encounter.

“Winning a trophy is positive for everyone at the club. After the Trophee des Champions, we will try to win others during the second part of the season.

“For me, Sunday’s match is very important. We aim to go all the way in the Coupe de France, and for that, we must win the first match and play in the best possible condition.”

Enrique captured his maiden silverware as PSG boss following his side’s 2-0 midweek win against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes.

But the result came at a cost after Milan Skriniar sustained an ankle injury which will require an operation.

It means the Slovakia defender could miss PSG’s Champions League knockout matches against Real Sociedad next month.

“Unfortunately, after the match against Toulouse, the doctors ran tests on Milan and determined that he needed an operation,” added Enrique.

“Until this takes place and we see how it goes, we won’t know how long he will be out for. It’s a shame, like every time a player gets injured. It’s a bad piece of news.”

Charlie Adam’s first home game in charge of Fleetwood ended with a 3-1 defeat to promotion-chasing Derby.

The former Scotland international has lost his first two matches, after defeat by the same scoreline at Shrewsbury on New Year’s Day, with his bottom side now winless in nine league games.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and James Collins did the majority of the damage in the first-half at Highbury.

Jayden Stockley pulled one back but Tom Barkhuizen sealed a vital three points in County’s promotion push in stoppage time.

Josh Earl squandered a great early chance for the hosts when he nodded wide.

Winger Mendez-Laing used his pace to get in behind and neatly slot home the opener in the 27th minute.

He almost made it two minutes later as he fired wide before Collins bagged a 16th goal of the season with a glancing header from Conor Hourihane’s corner at the near post.

After a poor spell, Stockley gave the hosts a glimmer as he converted Shaun Rooney’s deadly cross with 15 minutes to go.

But Barkhuizen sealed a fifth straight away win for the Rams with his late strike.

Matty Godden scored a brace as Championship Coventry thrashed League One Oxford 6-2 at the CBS Arena in the FA Cup third round.

The substitute followed up early strikes by Joel Latibeaudiere and Ben Sheaf, while Kasey Palmer’s thunderbolt made it 3-1.

Callum O’Hare’s second-half penalty made it 4-1 to the hosts who are through to the fourth round for just the second time in six seasons, with Mark Harris and Tyler Goodrham on the scoresheet for Des Buckingham’s side.

A frantic opening saw four goals in the space of eight first-half minutes, sparked by Latibeaudiere’s near-post header.

Coventry enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the early exchanges but Oxford were level almost instantly when Harris latched on to Palmer’s mistake and a wicked deflection off Luis Binks took his effort past a helpless Ben Wilson.

The 1987 FA Cup winners were back ahead even quicker than they had been pegged back when Ellis Simms powerfully drove to the byline before squaring for Sheaf to slam home his second of the season.

Palmer then gave the Sky Blues daylight when he picked up the ball inside the Oxford half before uncorking a 30-yard rocket into the top corner to round off an exhilarating first 17 minutes.

The U’s went out of the cup at the same stage last year after a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal and could have found themselves further behind when Simms blazed over after outmuscling a U’s defender, whilst Milan van Ewijk’s free-kick cleared the crossbar.

Mark Robins, who won the FA Cup as a player with Manchester United in 1990, could have seen his side go three goals to the good immediately after the interval when Palmer played in O’Hare, but he was thwarted by Simon Eastwood.

O’Hare was given a second chance to give the Sky Blues the three-goal lead they deserved after Ciaron Brown fouled Palmer before Coventry’s talismanic midfielder made no mistake as he sent Eastwood the wrong way from the spot.

Palmer was at the heart of all of Coventry’s attacking play and created the Sky Blues’ next chance for Jake Bidwell, who slid his effort past a post.

Oxford, backed by around 3,000 fans in the West Midlands, sensed hope when Goodrham picked out the bottom corner from the edge of the box, but that hope was dashed soon after as Godden entered the fray.

First, he took down Jamie Allen’s lay-off and bent an effort into the far corner before picking out the same corner with his left foot five minutes later to finish off the rout and book Coventry’s place in the fourth-round draw.

Minnows Maidstone continued their FA Cup fairytale as they stunned League One Stevenage 1-0 to reach the fourth round for the first time in their history.

The sixth-tier side took the lead through Sam Corne in first-half stoppage time and held on for the biggest win since the club was reformed in 1992.

Boro boss Steve Evans did not take the lowest ranked side left in the competition lightly as he named a full-strength team.

Lamar Reynolds missed a great chance for the hosts when he headed wide at the back post.

Maidstone were gifted a golden chance when Louis Thompson felled Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Corne made no mistake from 12 yards.

After the break Stevenage top-scorer Jamie Reid was denied by a great Lucas Covolan save.

Reid later hit the bar before Kane Hemmings found the post with his rebound effort.

Stevenage huffed and puffed, but Maidstone – who have now banked £231,375 for the progress – secured a potential money-spinning tie against a Premier League club with their sixth win since they entered in the second-qualifying round.

Tom Cannon scored his third goal in a week as much-changed Leicester moved into the fourth round of the FA Cup following an entertaining 3-2 victory at fellow Championship side Millwall.

Cannon scored twice in his first start for the Foxes against Huddersfield on New Year’s Day and was one of just four players retained from that game in their line-up as manager Enzo Maresca reminded everyone of the considerable strength of depth at his disposal.

Cesare Casadei and Ricardo Pereira put the Foxes 2-0 up and, after Duncan Watmore halved the deficit, Cannon struck with Zian Flemming setting up a nervy finish late on.

The first good chance went to Millwall, who as a League One club beat the then-Premier League champions the last time the two teams met in the FA Cup in February 2017.

In the fifth minute, Flemming’s pass put Watmore into space and he advanced into the area before his shot was beaten away by Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.

Another opening for the Lions soon followed when Watmore played a clever ball inside for Danny McNamara, whose effort also brought Stolarczyk into action.

But the Lions’ bright start counted for nothing as Leicester struck from their first real chance in the 16th minute when Marc Albrighton chipped in a superb cross that was nodded in by Casadei at the back post.

Millwall tried to hit back and captain Jake Cooper should have equalised when he sent a free header from Joe Bryan’s corner over.

The Foxes then showed their quality again by doubling their lead in the 39th minute when Casadei played Ben Nelson’s pass first time into the path of captain Pereira, who finished firmly into the bottom corner.

The tie could have been settled within eight minutes of the second half when Cannon’s shot was superbly tipped away by Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, who recovered to keep out Albrighton’s follow-up.

Instead, it looked like game on after 56 minutes when George Honeyman’s corner was nodded down by Flemming for Watmore to finish from close range.

However, Leicester restored their two-goal cushion five minutes later when Cannon beat Sarkic to Callum Doyle’s long pass outside the area before calmly rolling into the empty net.

The same combination almost manufactured a fourth for the Foxes as Cannon got in behind Wes Harding, but this time bent his shot narrowly wide.

It was all going the Foxes’ way now and it needed another double save from Sarkic, denying first Cannon then Albrighton to prevent the scoreline becoming even more emphatic.

Millwall gave themselves some late hope in the 86th minute when Flemming made the most of some awful marking to volley in Bryan’s corner, but time ran out for the 2004 finalists.

Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw believes there is no praise too high for Cedella Marley and her exploits which resulted in the country now boasting a solid women’s football programme.

Shaw, in a heartfelt post on Saturday, expressed gratitude to Marley for the work done over the past 10 years, as she partnered with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) to raise funds for the Reggae Girlz, which inevitably led to consecutive FIFA Women's World Cup appearances in 2019 and 2023.

Marley on Thursday announced her resignation as Global Ambassador for Jamaica’s women’s football programme, citing the current state of affairs involving the senior Reggae Girlz World Cup representatives and the JFF as reason behind her departure.

She also stated that the federation is “neither receptive nor interested" in her "current manner of support”, and, as such, demitted the role with immediate effect.

As such, Shaw, who rose from humble beginnings and is now enjoying a decorated professional career at Women’s Super League (WSL) outfit Manchester City, paid tribute to Marley, who she said gave not only her, but other young girls, a chance to believe in their dreams.

“To the woman, who fought for us through all the constant struggles and mistreatment, I am forever grateful,” Shaw declared.

The towering striker, who is one of only a few players to have represented Jamaica at the Under-15, Under-17, Under-20 and senior levels, simultaneously at times, recalled when JFF cut the women’s programme due to a lack of funding.

With over three years of inactivity at that time, the country was kicked off the FIFA Women’s World Rankings. However, Marley gave the programme a new lease on life in 2014.

Through her tenacity and committed fundraising efforts, Marley ensured the Reggae Girlz have not only etched their names in the annals of Jamaica’s and the world’s sporting history on numerous occasions, but are currently ranked at number 40. They only recently slipped from the country’s highest ever ranking of 37.

“When the senior programme was abandoned in 2008, due to lack of funding, there was no senior pathway. In 2014, 10 years ago, you came, and you kept every young girl’s hopes alive to one day represent Jamaica at the highest level,” Shaw said.

“(I remember) when you said ‘they said y’all couldn’t, and I said tell me why. When they said y’all wouldn’t, I said watch me.’ Here we are years later, qualified for two World Cup back-to-back, all because of your dedication and willingness to ensure we are given an opportunity. For that I am forever grateful,” she added.

Despite her resignation, Marley declared that she would continue to support the Reggae Girlz’ journey via the Football is Freedom initiative.

The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation has also cut ties with the country's governing football body in what it said was a move was to “reassess its priorities.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes it is time for FA Cup replays to be scrapped.

The Spaniard was speaking ahead of his side’s crunch third-round tie against Premier League leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Following Sunday’s match, the Gunners – who have slipped five points behind Jurgen Klopp’s side in the race for the title – are set to be out of action for 13 days.

But a draw at the Emirates would force the two sides to meet at Anfield during what would be a rare and crucial near-fortnight off for Arsenal in their challenge on both domestic and European fronts.

When asked if the Football Association should consider pulling the plug on replays, Arteta, whose side will also contest a rejigged Champions League next season if they finish in the top four, said: “I think so.

“We will see what happens because with the new format of the Champions League, there will be more games (to play) so I don’t know how we are going to fit them in.

“The (mini) break will be minimal and we have plans for both scenarios. We want to win the game and we will try to win the game, but that (cancelling replays) has to be considered.”

With just one win from their last five outings, Arsenal will head into Sunday’s mouth-watering fixture against in-form Liverpool as marginal underdogs.

In contrast to Arsenal’s drab defeat against Fulham, Liverpool fired four past Newcastle on New Year’s Day to allow them to take top spot in the league.

Arsenal’s free-scoring form of last season has dried up following just four goals in their previous five league outings – with half of those coming in a 2-0 home win against Brighton.

None of Arsenal’s frontline have managed to break into double figures for the season so far with Bukayo Saka leading the way on nine.

“What they (the forwards) did last year was exceptional and we knew that to maintain those numbers would be extremely difficult because it was a one-off,” added Arteta.

“Not just for us, a one-off in the league. We know that we need all the resources and all those kinds of goals to maintain the level that we want in the league.

“When it comes to those spaces, the timing and the definition of the action (in front of goal) that becomes trickier to coach and certainly to replicate as an action in the game.

“It’s very tricky but it’s something that we have to improve, especially in the way we have not transformed recent chances into goals.”

Verona’s Thomas Henry missed a last-gasp penalty in a dramatic finish at San Siro as Serie A leaders Inter hung on to a 2-1 victory.

Henry had cancelled out Lautaro Martinez’s 13th-minute opener with 16 minutes left only for Davide Frattesi to apparently win the game for the hosts in injury time.

However, a lengthy VAR check saw Verona, who had Darko Lazovic sent off, awarded a penalty, from which the unfortunate Henry struck a post.

Inter have never lost at home to Verona but it was the visitors who created the first real chance, Cyril Ngonge playing the ball in from the right for Tomas Suslov, who was still at a tight angle when he sent in a shot that was blocked by keeper Yann Sommer.

Inter, looking to return to winning ways after drawing with Genoa, scored the opener from their first real opening, carving the Verona defence apart.

Marcus Thuram’s deft touch played in Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who drove towards the edge of the box before teeing up Martinez for a comfortable finish into the bottom corner.

Inter continued to have most of the possession for the remainder of the first half but their final ball was disappointing and the best chance fell to Verona’s Milan Djuric, whose header was straight at Sommer.

Martinez thought he had scored a second for Inter three minutes into the second half, finding the net after Francesco Acerbi had headed on Mkhitaryan’s free-kick, but the linesman’s flag denied him.

There did not appear to be a great deal of threat from Verona until Henry scored the equaliser with his first touch after coming off the bench.

Marko Arnautovic wanted a foul for a challenge from Giangiacomo Magnani but the referee played on and Ondrej Duda’s cross from the right flew past Sommer off Henry’s knee.

Inter immediately set about trying to restore their lead and came agonisingly close in the 79th minute. A free-kick clipped the shoulder of Juan David Cabal, drawing a smart save from Lorenzo Montipo, with the ball just evading Arnautovic at the back post.

A frustrated Martinez then sent a header straight at the keeper while Arnautovic was unable to get his head on Acerbi’s high cross with the goal gaping.

But three minutes into injury time, Inter found the goal they craved. Alessandro Bastoni’s thunderous volley struck the bar, Nicolo Barella followed up with a well-struck shot that Montipo could not hold and substitute Frattesi tapped in to spark jubilant scenes.

Lazovic was shown a second yellow card in the aftermath but there was still time for another big twist when a VAR review saw Matteo Darmian penalised for kicking Magnani’s foot, only for Henry to agonisingly miss the target.

Brennan Johnson has urged Tottenham to keep building momentum after they progressed into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Spurs were made to work hard by Burnley on Friday night, but eventually broke the visitors’ resistance thanks to Pedro Porro’s superb 78th-minute strike.

It made it four wins in five matches for Tottenham and despite a plethora of unavailable players, Johnson is relishing the attacking philosophy being implemented by boss Ange Postecoglou.

“We’re enjoying it a lot. You can tell by how we play on the pitch,” Johnson said.

“We want to keep progressing individually and as a team we want to keep getting better.

“Before the game, the manager said, ‘we’re in two competitions, the Premier League and FA Cup, and we’re at no point where we can slack off in this cup or play half-hearted.’

“We know even (here), we won 1-0 but it went to seven minutes of extra time and they pushed with everything.

“We have to be on it 100 per cent and play how we play every week. If we can keep building momentum in this cup and keep playing how we do in the Premier League, I think we have every chance (of winning silverware).”

Tottenham will discover their fourth-round opponents on Monday but for a long period of Friday’s clash a replay at Turf Moor looked on the cards.

It took Porro’s spectacular effort to finally break the deadlock and Johnson hailed his team-mate.

Johnson told ITV: “There was no luck about that. Everyone who watches him every week knows the quality he has, especially on the ball.

“I think sometimes he is too far out to shoot most weeks but he won the ball back and there weren’t too many options.

“He has the quality. He shoots a lot in training, misses a lot but it came off and it was an unbelievable goal.”

It was not a sorely positive night for Postecoglou with Giovani Lo Celso forced off early and, more worryingly, Ben Davies suffered a potential hamstring injury.

While Postecoglou hoped Lo Celso’s withdrawal was “muscle fatigue,” he was more downbeat about Davies, who will be assessed over the coming days.

There was better news on Micky van de Ven, after he returned following a two-month absence with a hamstring injury, but remained an unused substitute ahead of next weekend’s trip to Manchester United.

“He’s fine. The plan was to give him some game time but the way the game was going, we needed something up front to crack them open,” Postecoglou added.

“We kept him on ice but he’s trained this week, he was okay and will train fully (next week). He’s available.”

Burnley also have injury concerns ahead of hosting Luton on January 15 with Lyle Foster replaced with an unspecified issue, while Charlie Taylor hurt his shoulder.

Clarets boss Vincent Kompany explained: “We’ll see. I hope it’s not bad news.

“I can’t tell you much more, but hopefully with that little bit of extra time before the next game, we’ll have some good news.”

Pep Guardiola refuses to take any credit for lower division sides playing in the style of his all-conquering Manchester City team.

A greater number of clubs beneath the Premier League are now looking to play out from the back, dominate possession and pass their way through opponents in the manner at which City have excelled.

That could be testament to Guardiola’s extraordinary success in his near-eight years at the Etihad Stadium, but it is not something he is aware of.

“I don’t have time to see other teams,” said Guardiola, whose treble-winning side begin their FA Cup defence against Championship outfit Huddersfield at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

“Always I believe teams play what the manager believes in, first for the players they have and they adapt.

“If one team plays high pressing it is because the manager believes in that, if a team play long balls it is because the manager believes in that. This is the most important thing but I don’t know.

“I have watched Leicester a little bit because in their last game they played Huddersfield and because (former assistant) Enzo (Maresca) is there, and I am curious and happy for how incredible he’s doing but, the rest, I don’t have time.”

Guardiola intends to make the most of City’s lighter schedule this month by getting through extra work on the training field, including at a warm-weather camp in Abu Dhabi.

After playing nine games in December, including two in Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, City have just three fixtures in January, although that will increase to four if they beat the Terriers in their third-round tie.

Guardiola said: “The Premier League took a great decision to make Boxing Day and Christmastime intense, like it always has been, and then to take a break in January.

“It helps a lot to arrive in February fresh mentally. It’s good now to have the FA Cup, to try to retain the title or go as far as possible, and after that we have a really important game at Newcastle.

“Then after that two weeks to refresh our minds. We will have more time to train in Abu Dhabi, to remember things that you cannot do normally.

“You have to try to do things you don’t have time to do in the busy schedule. We can refresh concepts we maybe forgot because we don’t have time to train.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he cannot afford to take too many risks with his team selection for the FA Cup third round tie at Arsenal.

Even though his side are already just two matches away from Wembley with a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at home to Fulham on Wednesday the Reds boss said he could not make huge changes against the Gunners.

Three will be enforced with forward Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo at the African Nations Cup and Asian Cup respectively while fellow midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has been ruled out for at least two matches with a hamstring problem.

The return of Alexis Mac Allister, out for a month with a knee injury, and Ryan Gravenberch are likely to fill the gaps in the middle of the pitch but the troublesome spot is Salah’s right-wing berth.

Harvey Elliott played there in the League Cup quarter-final with West Ham and the 19-year-old Kaide Gordon did the job in the Europa League defeat to Union Saint Gilloise but it seems unlikely the teenager will be pitched straight in at the Emirates.

“If you bring a boy who didn’t play for five or six weeks, it’s very rare he can play to his best. That’s why so far I think we did that quite well,” said Klopp of his rotation policy this season.

“But actually I am not sure if Arsenal is now a game to rotate. I don’t know 100 percent if we have the opportunity to do so to be honest.

“We have players available and we can line a good team up. If that looks then afterwards like rotation, I don’t know yet.

“We’ve had six days between the games (since Newcastle on New Year’s Day) and there’s no need for rotation.

“You can say, ‘OK, three days later we have another game’. Yes, that’s true, but we can think about that when the other game is over. That’s what we do usually.

“And both have the same importance, there is nothing in between. We want to win these games, we want to go to the final but we want to go to the next round as well but it is probably the most tricky draw you can get.”

Liverpool recalled Owen Beck, nephew of all-time top goalscorer Ian Rush, from a loan spell at Dundee as both left-backs Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are injured, although the former is expected to be back by the end of the month.

The 21-year-old cannot feature against Arsenal due to an existing Scottish League Cup ban but should help to give Joe Gomez, standing in at left-back a break, with Klopp saying: “In Dundee he made big steps, and now the situation here is clear: we lose two of our left-backs so we think it makes sense if a boy we like is available for us.”

While December was busy Liverpool could have seven matches this month if they progress on Sunday.

And the nightmare scenario would be a draw which forces a replay and interrupts what should be the weekend of their scheduled Premier League break.

“I think a rematch against Arsenal would really not be helpful because it just doesn’t fit in, would kill the winter break,” added Klopp.

“We have the most busy month you can imagine in December and then some teams obviously don’t play that often in January. We don’t have that.

“For us it is a normal month: busy but not crazy busy like December where there were five games in 13 days. That just makes no sense, but that’s how it is.

“I think rhythm helps but in the end we will see that.”

Ange Postecoglou insisted Eric Dier’s absence from Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Burnley was down to injury and not linked to speculation over a potential move to Bayern Munich.

Dier was not involved as Pedro Porro’s superb 78th-minute strike sent Spurs into the FA Cup fourth-round after a hard-fought victory over the Clarets.

England international Dier was conspicuous by his absence but Postecoglou took umbrage at any suggestions it was linked to rumours over his future.

Dier has entered the final six months of his deal at Tottenham and Bayern Munich are interested in signing the versatile defender, the PA news agency understands.

While Spurs are willing to listen to offers for Dier, Postecoglou snapped back when repeatedly quizzed on the fitness of the 29-year-old.

“Yeah he’s injured,” Postecoglou said of Dier.

“He just pulled up sore and didn’t train yesterday.”

Asked if it was linked to reports regarding Bayern, Postecoglou snapped back: “Separate issue mate but don’t question my integrity.

“When I say he’s injured, he’s injured. He didn’t train yesterday.

“It’s got nothing to do with anything else.

“I’ve got no idea (about Bayern). When you ask me whether he’s injured, he’s injured. I didn’t make that up.

“If he wasn’t injured, I’d say he wasn’t selected. It’s easy for me to say. He’s injured and in terms of anything else that’s happening, not on my radar.

“Not that I’ve heard of. If there is something I’m sure I’ll hear of it, but fair to say in the last 24 hours we’ve been focusing on the game and the guys that are available.”

Spurs, who were without captain Son Heung-min due to his South Korea commitments, created plenty of chances against Burnley, but lacked fluency in attack with Brennan Johnson testing Arijanet Muric on several occasions.

The visitors also had their moments with Zeki Amdouni firing over in the first half, but a replay looked on the cards until Porro let fly from 25-yards and found the top corner with a sensational strike.

Amdouni volleyed wide late on as Tottenham held on to reach round four, but suffered a further injury blow with Ben Davies limping off.

Postecoglou was asked if he could afford to lose Dier if Davies’ injury was serious and he replied: “Yes.”

On Davies, he added: “Ben looks like he done his hamstring. So, it looks like he will be out and Gio (Lo Celso) has a bit of tightness but hoping it is nothing.”

Meanwhile, opposite number Vincent Kompany was pleased with the progress made by Burnley since their 5-2 humbling to Spurs in September.

“It was a battle for 97 minutes and right until the end,” Kompany insisted.

“For us, that is a clear sign of improvement. The game we played against Spurs at Turf Moor is probably the story of our first 10 games and the game today is probably the story of our last 12 games if I count cup games.

“Every game has been undeniably a performance with effort, moments and chances, but in key moments you can get undone.”

Marco Silva lauded “top professional” Bobby De Cordova-Reid and said he deserves his recent success after he scored the only goal during Fulham’s 1-0 win over Rotherham in the FA Cup third round.

De Cordova-Reid’s 24th-minute long-range stunner was the difference on the night and marked his second in as many games after his winner in Fulham’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League.

And Silva, who previously hailed De Cordova-Reid’s leadership, believes his goal will lift his confidence after he netted his fifth of the season.

Silva said: “He deserves it because he’s a top professional, he’s a vocal guy and one of the great examples we have at the club in terms of focus, able to play in any position and he’s always there.

“He deserves all the credit and he deserves these good moments and good weeks.

“It’s important for us and him because he needs these type of moments to lift his confidence and he needs the confidence to keep going in the direction we want him to be.

“Bobby has the capacity to score and tonight it was a great strike from him.”

Fulham played eight matches in December and they will also have a busy January schedule with a Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool coming later this month.

Silva credited his side’s effort in recent weeks and acknowledged the busy weeks ahead.

Fulham will also play west London rivals Chelsea and Everton in the Premier League.

Silva added: “It’s a great sign for us as a football club and our fans should be proud of us that we’ve started (the season) well.

“We have kept the club in all the competitions, it was a tough and busy December and we will have another tough month for us.

“It is really important for us to win tonight and not have a possible replay.”

Rotherham boss Leam Richardson believes his side, who sit bottom of the Championship, will grow after the defeat.

The Millers had little to show for their efforts on the night but came close when Jordan Hugill’s attempt was ruled out for offside.

Richardson said: “Congratulations to Fulham. We are disappointed when we lose a game but great credit goes to the players, we nullified them in many areas and had a disallowed goal so we will only grow from that as a group.”