FOOTBALL: Keegan sets up dream clash; Ipswich Town 1 Manchester City 4.
Byline: RICHARD GIBSONMANCHESTER CITY will get at least one more dress rehearsal for the Premiership following their FA Cup drubbing of Ipswich last night.
Kevin Keegan's side displayed their clinical edge to dump this season's UEFA Cup challengers and set up another contest with top-flight opposition; for Keegan an emotional return to Newcastle in the fifth round.
City, who made it all the way to the final the last time they knocked Ipswich out of the competition in 1981, looked to have Premier League credentials at Portman Road.
The First Division leaders have the passing, attacking style so inherent in Keegan's sides and exposed a side just four places above them in the English football pyramid.
In truth, Ipswich could have buried them in the opening half-hour but missed their chances with Martijn Reuser the main culprit.
After the visitors took full advantage, Keegan said: "If you have got a football you don't have to work too hard at defence. That's my style, I believe in passing win, lose or draw."
Keegan now yearns for the winners of the clash between his City side and Newcastle go on to triumph in the final at Cardiff this season.
Keegan, who led Newcastle to runners-up in the Premiership on two occasions, faces an emotional reunion in three weeks' time with the north-east club he holds close to his heart.
"These things happen in the cup," said Keegan, after two goals from the leading scorer in England, 26-goal Shaun Goater, capped the win.
"I'm not sure if it's a good draw or not - I love Newcastle United Football Club and I'm getting to love Manchester City.
"We will go there and if their players get a video of us playing here they will know we have earned the right to play them.
"I will enjoy the day, win, lose or draw, and if we lose to them I want them to go on and win the cup.
"I think their fans deserve it more than any other supporters in the country."
Keegan's visitors were handed a slice of luck to get the scoring underway in Suffolk, when referee Graham Poll wrongly awarded a corner just before the interval.
Eyal Berkovic volleyed in a spectacular opener direct from Ali Benarbia's flag-kick and City never looked back.
"I thought we were poor in the first half, to be honest, and we were fortunate to be 1-0 up," said Keegan.
"But in the second half I couldn't complain and I think we showed there's one or two teams in the First Division that are worth watching.
"Players like Ali and Eyal can do those kind of things and we've scored a few goals like that this season."
City have plundered an incredible 84 goals in all - they are the country's top scorers - and in Goater, they have the leading marksman.
The much-maligned striker, in the absence of Paulo Wanchope, forged a menacing partnership with Darren Huckerby, who completed the scoring in the final moments.
"I was pleased with everybody all over the park. I honestly thought we could come here and get something but we would have to play well as we were the away side."
Keegan, whose side are clear at the top of the First Division, is hoping his midfield duo can help the club towards promotion and then unfurl their talents upon the Premiership.
"I hope to give them the chance to play together. I think a lot of people have said they can't play together but I think they can."
Ipswich manager George Burley, whose side had won six of their previous seven matches, admitted: "It was disappointing - but all credit to Manchester City.
"On the day they deserved to win the game even if in the first half we had the better of things, in terms of chances and play."
Burley suggested Poll's decision had contributed to their downfall and added: "Maybe it summed up our night."
But he also cited a poor team effort against a side Ipswich defeated three times last season.
"For their first goal we should have had someone on the fringe of the box, so that was disappointing.
"And there were a lot of poor individual performances; we had too many players on off days and you can't afford to have that."
The defeat will also affect the fight against the drop as Town will now go three weeks without a game in February - their fixture at Blackburn has been scrubbed due to Rovers participation in the Worthington Cup final.
CAPTION(S):
BARE-FACED CHEEK: Darren Huckery celebrates his goal with the help of Kevin Horlock and two-goal hero Shaun Goater
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
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| Publication: | Coventry Evening Telegraph (England) |
| Date: | Jan 28, 2002 |
| Words: | 775 |
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