Key players: El Hadji Diouf has long been Senegal's talisman and the captain led by example when sorting out unpaid bonuses and salaries in October.

The skilful Bolton star threatened to quit the Teranga Lions unless such issues were addressed but his unconventional methods worked - so earning him respect from the less privileged players in the squad.

While all Senegal is hoping Mamadou Niang can replicate his blistering club form at Marseille, fans will also be looking to midfielder Bayal Sall to hold the Senegalese midfield together.

The 22-year-old has been earning rave reviews for another French side, St Etienne, this season.

Verdict: Senegal are strong enough to emerge from their group, so the quarter-finals will decide their fate.

Should they face either Egypt or Cameroon, revenge will be uppermost in their minds - having been beaten in the 2002 final by the Indomitable Lions while the Pharaohs knocked them out in the 2006 semi-finals, thanks to a dubious penalty

The mere fact of Kevin Keegan's return to Newcastle has lifted
hopes a lot at St. James' Park. On wednesday in the FA-Cup
they won easily (4-1) against Stoke despite a red card and
showed a very good performance.
In the Premier League the opposition will certainly be stronger,
but Bolton are in rather poor form and lost Anelka to Chelsea.
We believe the Kevin Keegan euphoria will run over Bolton and
secure a home win.
Odds for the Newcastle win have already fallen at many bookmakers

Fiorentina Look To Progress To Quarterfinals



Cesare Prandelli’s men look to punch their ticket into the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia with a win over pesky Ascoli on Wednesday afternoon. The two teams met in the first leg of the round of 16 in Ascoli on December 11 and the Viola could only manage a draw in front of a hostile crowd on a rain-drenched pitch.



Prandelli will ask much more of his troops when they lock horns this time in the comfortable confines of the Artemio Franchi. With most of his focus on Serie A and the UEFA Cup, he will most likely field a lineup consisting of fringe and second team players but they should have enough quality to see Ascoli off with relative ease.



Fiorentina’s spirits will be further buoyed by their impressive display on the road against Parma which saw them earn a well deserved 2-1 victory. With their previous bad run of form just a distant memory, the Viola will hope to run out as comfortable winners against Ascoli.



Ascoli Look To Keep Coppa Italia Dream Alive



Ivo Iaconi’s men will travel to Florence hoping for a historic victory that will see them progress to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. The Bianconeri do have a Serie A scalp to show for their Coppa Italia travels as they upended Genoa 3-2 to set up their current match-up against Fiorentina.



Ascoli put on a courageous performance in front of their home supporters at the Stadio del Duca in the first leg and were rewarded with a draw. Things should be tougher the second time around as Fiorentina will prove to be difficult to beat in front of their home supporters.



Ascoli are in the midst of a lukewarm campaign which sees them sit in 11th place in the Serie B standings sixteen points off the pace. A blood and guts victory over Fiorentina will be just what the doctor ordered to help resurrect their promotion aspirations.



FORM GUIDE



Fiorentina



January 13 vs Parma (A) WON 2-1

December 23 vs Cagliari (H) WON 5-1

December 16 vs Sampdoria (A) DREW 2-2

December 08 vs Palermo (A) LOST 2-0

December 02 vs Inter Milan (H) LOST 2-0



Ascoli



January 12 vs Modena (H) DREW 1-1



December 22 vs Albinoleffe (A) DREW 0-0



December 08 vs Bari (A) DREW 1-1



December 04 vs Bologna (A) DREW 0-0



December 01 vs Grosseto (A) DREW 1-1



TEAM NEWS



Fiorentina



Adrian Mutu and Sebastian Frey have pledged their future to the club as their names have fueled much transfer speculation since the window opened in January. Prandelli will most likely rest many of his starters for the upcoming match against Torino this weekend



Probable starting XI- Lupatelli, Balzaretti, Kroldrup, Mazuch, Vanden Borre, Gobbi, Kuszmanovic, Pazienza, Liverani, Lupoli, Pazzini.



Ascoli



Iaconi will be without Di Dinato who is out with a nasty virus and Gaeta due to a throat infection. Belingheri is a major doubt due to a muscular injury



Probable starting XI- Bremec, Bellusci, Giallobardo, Micolucci, Minieri, Aquilanti, Centi, Guberti, Perulli, Vitiello, Bernacci



PLAYERS TO WATCH



Giampaolo Pazzini (Fiorentina)



One of Italy’s top-rated prospects has failed to impress lately and has been languishing on the bench for the last couple of matches. Prandelli will need him to hit the back of the net on Wednesday to ensure safe passage to the quarterfinals.



Stefano Guberti (Ascoli)



Leads the team in scoring in the cup competition and will need to have the game of his life if Ascoli are to pick up a famous victory.



PREDICTION



Pazzini finds his stride as Fiorentina dash Ascoli’s Coppa Italia hopes with a comfortable victory.

Jamie Carragher will captain Liverpool on his 500th appearance for the club in the FA Cup replay against Luton.

Manager Rafael Benitez intends to field a strong side and could give a debut to £6.5m defender Martin Skrtel.

Luton have doubts over Dean Brill and Chris Perry (both thigh), while goalie Marlon Beresford (shoulder) is out.

Matthew Spring and Sam Parkin are back but boss Kevin Blackwell fears some of his players could refuse to play for fear of putting transfers at risk.


BIG-MATCH FACTS
An own goal from Liverpool's John Arne Riise helped much-troubled Luton secure this money-spinning replay at Anfield, after Peter Crouch had put the Reds ahead.

This is one of two League One against Premier League replays in the third round.

Liverpool are keen to add to the six Premier League clubs who definitely know they in round four; Luton would like to join Huddersfield, Oldham and Southend, as League One representatives in the last 32.

The League ladder

Liverpool are 62 places higher than Luton in the league standings.

The Merseysiders are chasing a Champions League spot in the Premier League's top four; the Hatters are fighting against relegation from League One, having been deducted 10 points for going into financial administration.


FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES

LIVERPOOL
Current form

Undefeated in six; drawn the last four. Not lost since being knocked out of the Carling Cup by Chelsea at the quarter-final stage on 19 December.

Recent FA Cup performance

Won the cup once in six years, but their triumph in 2006, was followed by a third round exit to Arsenal last season.

The Manager

Liverpool's victory on penalties over West Ham two years ago won for Rafa Benitez the only domestic Cup of his managerial career.

FA Cup fact

Mark Lawrenson was the only English link in Liverpool's FA Cup winning team of 1986. Ten of the 11 players were full internationals and none of them represented England. Although he played for the Republic of Ireland, Lawrenson was born in Preston. Technically the side that beat Everton 3-1, 22 years ago, is considered to be the first non-English team to win the cup.


LUTON TOWN
Current form

Defeat home to League One Swansea on Saturday, ended a five-match unbeaten run (all comps).

Recent FA Cup performance

Appeared in the fourth round twice in 12 seasons; 2004 and last season. They were denied by Liverpool in 2006, after one of the most memorable and exciting third round ties of recent years, when beaten 3-5, after being 3-1 up. The victory eventually led to Liverpool winning the trophy.

FA Cup fact

Reached Wembley in their only FA Cup final in 1959, when they lost 2-1 to fellow top level Nottingham Forest, who were reduced to 10 men after half an hour, when Roy Dwight broke a leg.


HEAD to HEAD
All competitions

Luton's only victory in their last nine meetings with Liverpool was a 3-1 top-flight triumph on 23 February 1991 at Kenilworth Road.

FA Cup

The Hatters have been drawn with Liverpool four times previously in the competition, and have only knocked them out once; it took three games to complete the task with a 3-0 victory in the third round on 28 January 1987 with goals from Brian Stein, Mick Harford (penalty) and Mike Newell.

Stoke are waiting to see if full-backs Andy Wilkinson and Carl Dickinson will be fit. Both played in the first game.

Dickinson is hopeful after treatment on his dead leg and Wilkinson is rated 50-50 to recover from a groin strain.

Newcastle's caretaker manager Nigel Pearson is facing a major selection headache with central midfielders Alan Smith and Nicky Butt are suspended.

Habib Beye, Abdoulaye Faye, Geremi and Obafemi Martins are away on African Nations Cup duty, so Emre could start.


BIG-MATCH FACTS
Newcastle United run the risk of being giant-killing casualties in a third round replay on home turf to Championship opposition for the second year running. When this replay kicks off, it will be just one day under a year since Birmingham shocked Tyneside with an astonishing 1-5 victory over Glenn Roeder's team.

The Toon are at a very low ebb. The goalless draw with Stoke in the original tie at the Britannia Stadium signalled the end of Sam Allardyce's 24-game tenure at St James' Park. It was followed by Saturday's six-goal second-half mauling by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Now the managerless Magpies must avoid a first ever FA Cup defeat to the promotion-chasing Potters.

The League ladder

Newcastle are 13 places higher than Stoke in the league standings.


FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES

NEWCASTLE UNITED
Current form

The stalemate in the Potteries interrupted a four-match losing run in the league. Indeed they are without a win in six, since a 0-1 away victory over Fulham on 15 December.

Recent FA Cup performance

The 1998 and 1999 runners-up, were losing semi-finalists in 2005, quarter-finalists in 2006 and made that third round exit last season.

FA Cup fact

Newcastle have not lifted the trophy since 1955. It was the sixth time. On the first in 1910, Albert Shepherd became the first player to take and score a penalty in an FA Cup final. Shepherd scored both goals in the replayed final at Goodison Park, when the Magpies beat Barnsley 2-0.


STOKE CITY
Current form

Drawn the last five and unbeaten in 12; won five and drawn seven in all competitions since losing 0-1, home to Sheffield United - their only defeat in 14.

Recent FA Cup performance

Not beaten a top-flight club in the FA Cup since 1976, when they were a Division One outfit themselves. They beat Manchester City in the fourth round 1-0 at home in 1976 before losing in a fifth round replay at Sunderland.

FA Cup fact

Eliminated by Premier League clubs in five of the last six years, and in each of the last three by Arsenal, Birmingham and Fulham.


HEAD to HEAD
All competitions

The only time these clubs had met in 18 years prior to earlier this month, was on 25 October 1995 at the Victoria Ground in the third round of the Coca Cola League Cup, when the visitors prevailed 0-4, with a brace from Peter Beardsley and one each from Les Ferdinand and Darren Peacock.

FA Cup

Newcastle beat Stoke in the fifth round in 1951 on their way to lifting the trophy for the first of three occasions in five seasons.

Call it a gut feeling but it's about time we see first home win from PSG this season.
I placed a large bet on home win already and cross my fingers it'll be a good game and 3 points in a bag for home team.
They have a perfect opponent to stop this negative streak - 18th Lens (2-1-6 6:12 away record).
Also PSG heaven't won a single home game in last 6 years to Lens. Still Lens lost their last 2 games while PSG won in 3 out of 4...Perfect timing for a big bet if u ask me

Match report to follow later.








BIG-MATCH FACTS
Bury are making amends for having their Cup run cut short last season when eliminated for fielding an ineligible player.

This is the only Championship against League Two tie in the third round.

The League ladder

Norwich are 46 places higher than Bury in the league standings.


FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES

NORWICH CITY
Current form

Unbeaten in seven; drawn the last three. Lost one of 10, winning five of them.

Recent FA Cup performance

Knocked out at the third round stage in eight of the last 10 seasons, but survived to the fifth round last year.

FA Cup fact

Successfully negotiated a tricky third round tie away to non league Tamworth in front of live Match of the Day cameras a year ago; but not so fortunate in the third round in 1998, away to Division Two Grimsby. They lost 3-0 with former manager Peter Grant in the side; their last loss to a club from the third or fourth tier.


BURY
Current form

A 1-1 draw at Lincoln on New Years Day followed a five-match losing run; the second round win over Exeter is their only victory in eight.

Recent FA Cup performance

This is their first appearance in the third round since 1999.

FA Cup fact

Chester benefited from Bury's expulsion last season, but they were not the first club to be reinstated into the FA Cup proper. Darlington lost in the second round of the 1999-2000 competition at Gillingham, but played away to Aston Villa in the third round, effectively taking Manchester United's place as a lucky loser. United withdrew to play in the FIFA World Club Championship.


HEAD to HEAD
All competitions

Bury and Norwich last met at second league level in 1998-99. Bury drew at Carrow Road and lost at home, failing to score in both games.

FA Cup

This is their first ever meeting in the FA Cup.

Match report to follow later.









BIG-MATCH FACTS
One of six all-Championship ties in the third round.

Both clubs have won the cup once; Barnsley 95 years ago and Blackpool 54 years ago.

The League ladder

Barnsley are one place higher than Blackpool in the Championship table.


FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES

BARNSLEY
Current form

Drawn the last three and not won in six.

Recent FA Cup performance

Not been beyond the third round since reaching the quarter-finals in 1999.

FA Cup fact

Been quarter-finalists four times since 1961.


BLACKPOOL
Current form

Unbeaten in four (three wins, one draw).

Recent FA Cup performance

Reached the fourth round last season, for the first time in 17 years.

FA Cup fact

Most famous for their 4-3 victory over Bolton in the 1953 "Stanley Matthews" final.


HEAD to HEAD
All competitions

Barnsley are unbeaten in eight against the Seasiders (five wins, three draws), since Blackpool's 1-2 win at the Oakwell in the first round of the Carling Cup on 12 August 2003.

FA Cup

Blackpool have won the last three meetings, but they've only been drawn together once in 25 years prior to this.

The Magpies's 1-0 defeat to Wigan on Boxing Day has cast further uncertainty over Allardyce's future at St James's Park.

Newcastle, 11th in the table with 26 points from 19 games, face a momentous challenge when they travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on Saturday.

Another defeat is certain to intensify the pressure on Allardyce, but Ferguson believes Newcastle fans have unrealistically high expectations because of their five-goal thrashing against Manchester United in 1996
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is out with a thigh injury, with Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole suspended.

John Terry (foot), Carlo Cudicini (rib), Didier Drogba (knee), Florent Malouda (knee) and Claude Makelele (ear) are also out.

Newcastle's Joey Barton will not play after being remanded in custody charged with common assault and affray.

Striker Michael Owen (thigh) could return, while Claudio Cacapa and Nicky Butt may figure after being rested
A depleted Chelsea take the field just three days after one of the most dramatic matches of the entire season; Newcastle desperately need an improvement from their Boxing Day loss at Wigan, if manager Sam Allardyce is silence the critics.

Chelsea are seven points off the pace and seeking a 73rd home league game without defeat.

Newcastle return to the capital hoping to make it six points out of six from trips to London this season, after the victory at Fulham on 15 December.

Chelsea have picked up four points over Christmas from a 0-1 win at Blackburn and sensational 4-4 home draw with Aston Villa.

The Magpies are yet to win a holiday fixture having been held to a 2-2 draw by rock bottom Derby, and beaten 1-0 at Wigan on Boxing Day.

Chelsea are bidding to beat Newcastle for the 50th time in a league match.

KEY PLAYER NOTES
CHELSEA


Didier DROGBA and Frank LAMPARD are Chelsea's top scorers with nine goals, and five each in the Premier League.

LAMPARD is one shy of 100 goals for Chelsea.

DROGBA is a hat-trick short of 50 Premier League goals in Chelsea colours.

If selected:-

LAMPARD will be making his 550th club career appearance (West Ham, Swansea and Chelsea).

Suspended:-

Ricardo CARVALHO (three matches)
ASHLEY COLE (three matches)

HEAD TO HEAD
Newcastle are yet to record a Premier League victory at Stamford Bridge; and have not taken away three points since Andy Thomas got a brace and Peter Beardsley the other in a 1-3 victory on 22 November 1986.

Chelsea have won their last five consecutive home league matches against the Magpies without conceding a single goal, and have kept clean sheets in nine of the 14 Premier League meetings at the Bridge.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Chelsea 49 wins, Newcastle 44, Draws 33
Prem: Chelsea 13 wins, Newcastle 7, Draws 8

at Chelsea only
League (inc PL): Chelsea 36 wins, Newcastle 10, Draws 17
Prem: Chelsea 10 wins, Newcastle 0, Draws 4

Ajax welcome Twente for today game in Holland Eeresdivisie that Ajax is in role of an wounded lion after two lost games in previos 3 games.But one game that realy hurts is their lost at Excelsior-a team that hasn't won since november, but still managed to get all 3 points from Ajax. Ajas must to bouch back to winning role if they want to win this year title. But Ajax still consider one of the greatest teams in Holland and in Europe.

Twente is playing pretty good this year and after winning at high-flying Heerenveen and got to decent 5th place. And in that way they have finished two games run of getting only 1 point.