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00:00The excitement of the English FA Cup returns this weekend, with a couple of English Premier
00:24League clubs also going to battle to qualify for the quarterfinals.
00:27Here's a preview of the games involving Manchester United, Chelsea, even Arsenal are going up
00:32against Tottenham Hotspur.
00:34My name is Ayomide Shonkumar and this is the North American Cardi Team.
00:43Joining me on the show is someone I like to call, or even likes to call himself, Agba
00:48Tommy.
00:49Great to have you on the show.
00:50Thank you so much.
00:51Always a pleasure to be here.
00:52Yes, and of course, interesting FA Cup fixtures to look forward to, but let's start with
00:56Manchester United.
00:57They are the holders of this competition at the moment, and they will play Leicester
01:02City.
01:03There's a bit of a reunion on the cards with Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has managed them
01:07at some point this season, returning to Old Trafford as well.
01:09It's a legend of a club during his playing days as well.
01:13But before we go into that game, let me ask you very quickly, Marcus Rashford to Aston
01:17Villa, do you think it's a step up or step down?
01:20Well, I don't think it's a step up, and neither is it a step down, but I believe it's a step
01:26in the right direction.
01:27And the reason is this, it's a win-win situation for not just the club, but also the player.
01:32You know, Ruben Amorim made mention of the fact that he didn't want players who are not
01:36hard-working, and Rashford is not a player that likes to track back, and that was why
01:40he had to be removed out of the team setup.
01:42So him staying out of the team for four, five, six games repeatedly is not really a situation
01:49I want a player of Marcus Rashford's ability to be in at the moment.
01:54So unfortunately that has happened, and moving to Aston Villa, I think it's a win-win situation
01:58for both the club as well as the player.
02:00So let's talk about the game, Man United up against Leicester, Ruud van der Sar also returning
02:05as well.
02:06This is perhaps a first chance for silverware for Ruben Amorim, looking at the way things
02:12are.
02:13Man United's season is a shambles, but then they managed the FA Cup when it was a shambles
02:18last season.
02:19Do you think they can go all the way this time?
02:20Well it's so unfortunate that Leicester are going through this very bad form at the moment.
02:26They were defeated in seven Premier League games, and you also sandwiched the win against
02:30QPR in the FA Cup that they defeated QPR 6-2.
02:34And also last weekend as well, they defeated the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 2-2, which
02:42is what you expect from a sporting side like Tottenham.
02:46Unfortunately, it's just very, very sad to see that the experiment has not worked with
02:52Ruben Amorim, rather with Ruud van der Sar at Leicester City.
02:56And against Man United, I really believe it's going to be a big axe for Leicester to win
03:03against Man United.
03:04You also factor in the fact that Man United were defeated last week at the Old Trafford
03:11Stadium, so they also want to go back to winning ways, and I expect to see Man United winning
03:15this one.
03:16Okay, talking about winning, how much of a chance are you giving Chelsea because they're
03:19no longer in the title race, and now they are probably in the race for the top four
03:24places.
03:25But this is a chance for Silva with Enzo Maresca.
03:27Do you trust him to lead this team?
03:29Well, I think at the beginning of the season, no-one really gave Chelsea the chance to be
03:34at where they are at this point in time.
03:36We also recall as well that at some point, they were second in the log behind Liverpool,
03:41and again, due to their downturn in form as well as performances, a lot of things have
03:46gone on.
03:47Even the manager himself, Enzo Maresca, said that he doesn't think his players as well
03:52as the club are tied to contenders.
03:54And against Brighton, I think they've proved to be the Premier League's biggest boogie
04:01team for any Premier League club.
04:02They drew against Arsenal twice this season, won all draws.
04:06They defeated Manchester City as well.
04:08They defeated Manchester United in their home run away this season.
04:11They were able to come back from behind to defeat them as well.
04:15So against Brighton, against Chelsea rather, I really believe it's going to be a close
04:19game.
04:20But I think that Brighton will need this one to win.
04:24So we're looking at an upset in that one.
04:26Talk about upsets.
04:27And Manchester City are coming from one at the Emirates Stadium.
04:31Five-one.
04:32But then they play Letting Orient now.
04:36Well, it's just unfortunate.
04:39It's also unfortunate that I think a lot of people are really excited that this is
04:44happening.
04:45And this also goes to say that you have to try to stay humble.
04:50And that was the message that Lewis Kelly was passing to Erling Haaland.
04:56Well, against Letting Orient, I mean, you definitely expect Manchester City to win.
05:01And if Manchester City don't win against Letting Orient, then it means that we have
05:05to go and look for what exactly is happening.
05:07Maybe they are village people or something.
05:08It's too bad for us now.
05:10They won't be able to do it in the FA Cup.
05:12They're out.
05:13But before we go, let's talk about Aston Villa and Tottenham.
05:16We'll probably see Rashford and Colos of Aston Villa for the very first time.
05:19But Andrzej Pustekoglu has said, look, my second season, there's a trophy.
05:23Do you think Marcus Rashford and Co can stop him?
05:25For Andrzej Pustekoglu, I mean, it's sad that at this point in time, Tottenham have
05:31not really proved to be much of a threat to contenders.
05:34But let's just see how all of that is also going to unfold.
05:36But against Aston Villa, by the way, Marcus Rashford is going to be playing for a club
05:40that is not Manchester United for the very first time in his career.
05:43So there's going to be a lot of things to look for as to how he's going to be received
05:46by the Villa faithful.
05:48And I expect a very, very close game.
05:50Maybe Aston Villa for the win that one.
05:52OK, we'll see how that one will pan out.
05:54But thank you very much for your thoughts.
05:56And thank you for watching.
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06:15Again, I've got Tommy.
06:16It's been a pleasure.
06:17Always a pleasure.
06:18Thanks for having me.
06:19And we'll see you in the next episode.
06:20Bye for now.
06:31Bye.