Jermain Defoe was back in to the starting eleven replacing Robbie Keane, leaving Paul Robinson deputising as captain. Spurs began brightly, laying siege to the on the Middlesbrough goal. Boro were without new strikers Aliadiere and Mido and looked toothless in attack.

Brad Jones In Stoppable Form

Spurs were wasteful with gilt-edged opportunities in front of goal, Jenas and Defoe coming closest to breaking the dead lock. Schwarzer’s understudy Brad Jones demonstrated form that could have the Australian keeper looking over his shoulder.

Second Half Goals & Clean Sheet The Perfect Tonic For Confidence At Spurs

The Tottenham defence still looked suspect from set pieces but they managed to hold up and keep a confidence boosting clean sheet. Gareth Bale broke the deadlock in a controversial move Aaron Lennon appeared to be in an offside position but was deemed not to be by the referee, paving the way for Bale to run round Jones before putting the ball in the goal. Crowd favourite Tom Huddlestone added the second ensuring Spurs name was entered into the hat for the draw. Huddlestone headed the ball past Jones after Lennon carved out an opportunity to cross having beaten Rochemback on the right flank.

Having left Middlesbrough the Portuguese midfielder has decided to join David Beckham on the right side of the pitch at the Home Depot Center.

Xavier could have stayed in England, there were reports of deals keeping him in the north east at either Sunderland or Newcastle. However with the stigma of being troublesome and involved with drugs he has elected to move abroad to start over.

The Galaxy have offered the former Liverpool and Everton player an 18 month deal.

Yes, the headline is correct! Woodgate has got the move he has dreamed about since he was a boy. He had been on loan as part of his recovery from the recurring injury that ended his Newcastle United playing career.

Woodgate has been playing well and receiving rave reviews from fans and pundits alike. However Madrid have elected to sell him for a fee believed to be around £7m rather than recall him to play in their defence.

It appears that after a long search and intense negotiations that Gareth Southgate has found a player that can fill the gaping hole in the Boro defence his transition to management created.

Looking for the FA Cup Semi-Final Draw?

Manchester United could only manage a draw when they visited the Riverside stadium for the FA Cup clash with Middlesbrough. Boro who often raise their game when hosting the big clubs were always going to be a tough test for United after their Champions League exploits on Wednesday.

United took the lead when the Middlesbrough defence didn’t close down and advancing Wayne Rooney, allowing the striker to pick his spot and easily put the ball past Mark Schwarzer. The home side were not behind for too long when confusion in the Red Devils defence presented youngster Lee Catermole with an opportunity. Catermole controlled the ball with one touch and then volleyed it in to the United goal with his second, demonstrating excellent composure for a young player.

Boro took the lead when captain George Boateng was afforded a free header at the back post, that he directed at Kuszczak who really should have done better with his attempted save. Boateng turned from hero to villain when ten minutes after he scored he handled the ball in the box, referee Rob Styles had no option but to award United a penalty. Cristiano Ronaldo dispatched the spot kick, which Schwarzer was unable to stop despite diving in the right direction.

The result means that there will be another match for Manchester United to play in their already a congested fixture list, before they find out if they will the hat for the draw for the FA Cup Semi-Final.

Looking for the FA Cup Semi-Final Draw?

There will be smiles on the faces of the managers of the big three this afternoon after they witnessed the draw for the quarter-final of the FA Cup sponsored by EON, as they all managed to elude each other again.

Granted Manchester United will have to get past a tricky away trip to Reading in order to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. Similarly Arsenal have to travel to Ewood Park and over come Blackburn Rovers before playing host to Manchester City.

Chelsea have a home tie against Tottenham Hotspur who knocked out their south London neighbours Fulham. The last draw of the round is between two of the countries young managers Ian Holloway of Championship side Plymouth and Aidy Boothroyd of Premiership strugglers Watford.

Sixth round draw in full:
Middlesbrough or West Brom v Manchester United or Reading
Arsenal or Blackburn v Manchester City
Chelsea v Tottenham
Plymouth v Watford

In Steve McClaren’s first squad of 2007 there are a number of surprise inclusions in comparison to his last gathering. He has named twenty-eight players in the squad for the midweek friendly against Spain, expecting that some players will drop out with knocks from games over the weekend.

There are a number of players that will be doing their best to ensure that they are not injured Barton, Barry, Dyer and a Woodgate; Barton because it is his first call up to the full squad, Barry, Dyer and Woodgate will hope to shine in their first call up under McClaren having endured a while in international exile.

Johnson, Terry and Owen Hargreaves are all just back from injuries and straight in to international duty.

Full squad:

Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur), Chris Kirkland (Wigan Athletic), Ben Foster (Manchester United).

Defenders:
Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Gary Neville (Manchester United), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Neville (Everton), Jonathan Woodgate (Real Madrid).

Midfielders:
Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Scott Parker (Newcastle United), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United), Joey Barton (Manchester City).

Forwards:
Andy Johnson (Everton), Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur).

Glen Roeder has bolstered his injury-ravaged defence by adding American World Cup star known as Gooch. Onyewu will be looking to impress during his spell at the Toon in the hope of securing a permanent deal in summer.

Having put in a solid display at last year’s World Cup in Germany he attracted admirers from all over Europe; Chelsea and Real Madrid to name a few. He almost moved to the Magpies nearest premiership rivals Middlesbrough in the summer but the deal fell through. Fulham manager Chris Coleman had also expressed an interest and with the US contingent at the club the move looked to be a done deal but it never came to fruition.

The draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup takes Blackpool or Norwich to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea, there is an all Championship tie between Plymouth and Derby ensuring a lower league team will be in the quarter finals. There is a London derby where Fulham play Spurs at craven cottage.

Bristol City or Middlesbrough will host West Bromwich Albion, while Arsenal or Bolton face another tough tie after their replay when they will be at home to Blackburn Rovers.

 The complete draw is below: 

Chelsea v Blackpool or Norwich
Watford v Ipswich Town
Preston v Manchester City
Plymouth v Derby County
Manchester United v Reading
Arsenal or Bolton v Blackburn
Middlesbrough or Bristol City v West Brom
Fulham v Tottenham

The Korean has joined Boro on an eighteen month contract. The deal involves no payment of an initial fee to Pohang Steelers by Boro, unless the player remains at the Riverside after the initial deal.

However should he move to a club in another league then both clubs will split the fee equally. This is the 27 year old’s second stint at a European club having spent time at Werder Bremen.

Les Reed left his post as Charlton manager by mutual agreement, giving him a place in the premiership history books as the manager with the shortest tenure so far, just 41 days and eight games.

Reed has been immediately replaced by Alan Pardew, who was a recent casualty of the Icelandic take over at West Ham United, Pardew has a mountain to climb if he is to save the club from relegtion. He is rumoured to have a bonus of a million pounds if he can save the club from the clutches of the Championship.

Pardew had expected a quiet Christmas in front of the television, but after receiving a call from the chairman. Pardew admits it was an easy decision to make as the valley is a home from home with friendly faces from his days there as a player.

He has the January transfer window to equip himself with the personnel needed to fight for survival. He also believes that former Addicks manager Alan Curbishley has what is needed to guide his old club to safety. Which must mean that two of Wigan, Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United will join bottom club in the drop to the Championship.