Liverpool manager in firing line on road to Wembley

LONDON: Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson faces a daunting trip to Manchester United tomorrow as he attempts to quash calls for his dismissal with an FA Cup third round victory at Old Trafford.

The kick-off proper of the world’s oldest football competition could hardly have come at a worse time for Hodgson, who edged closer to the sack after a miserable midweek defeat to Blackburn Rovers.

Hodgson appeared to be resigned to his fate in the aftermath of Wednesday’s loss at Ewood Park, abruptly cutting short his post-match press conference and declining to answer questions on his future.

Although Liverpool’s owners New England Sports Adventures are reportedly planning a change of management in the summer, the wrong result against Liverpool’s most bitter rivals tomorrow could hasten Hodgson’s exit.

“You keep going as best you can,” a gloomy Hodgson stated. “You make certain that you try to get over the result and make certain the next result is a better one and wipes away the memory.”

The bad news for Hodgson is that his team are coming up against a United side who are determined to atone for their shock exit to Leeds at the same stage of the competition last season.

United manager Alex Ferguson has indicated that he plans to pick his strongest possible side as the club launch their bid to win the FA Cup for the first time since 2004.

“It was a bad result last season against Leeds, especially considering the rivalry between the two clubs,” Ferguson said.

“In hindsight I could have picked a stronger team. I won’t be making that mistake this time.”

 The fact that United have not managed to lift the FA Cup for seven years is also a statistical anomaly that Ferguson wants to correct.

“It is an important trophy so there is a strong desire to get our hands on it,” said the United boss. “We haven’t won it since 2004, or been to Wembley in the final since we lost to Chelsea in 2007.

“So we definitely want to get back there. And we want to win it.”

Hodgson is not the only Premier League manager whose fate could be decided by this weekend’s FA Cup ties.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will face unbearable pressure if the holders somehow fail to beat Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, while West Ham boss Avram Grant and Aston Villa’s Gerard Houllier may not be able to survive if their teams slip up against Barnsley and Sheffield United respectively.

Ancelotti, who appeared to write off Chelsea’s hopes of retaining their Premier League crown after a shock 1-0 defeat at Wolves on Wednesday, insisted the English champions remained united.