1<\/p>\n
Tanaka a fringe benefit for Leeds in classic<\/p>\n
Securing their Premier League status for another year remains a priority for West Ham and Leeds this season, so the eight changes Nuno Esp\u00edrito Santo and Daniel Farke made between them for this tie, which developed into a drama-drenched classic, was understandable to a degree. Still, in Ao Tanaka, Leeds have a gem of a fringe player, who looked eager to make something of his opportunity. The Japanese international has not started in the league since 14 December, but Leeds fans have consistently called for him to have more involvement and he showed why with a tremendous opener at the London Stadium, which was all of his own making. In stark contrast to Tanaka\u2019s performance was that of Max Kilman, who has not been trusted to start for West Ham since 3 January when they were beaten 3-0 by the bottom club, Wolves. The centre-back looked rusty and gave away a clear penalty with a poor challenge on Anton Stach \u2013 he was even booed by his own fans at points in the game. Dominic Booth<\/p>\n
Men\u2019s match report: West Ham 2-2 Leeds (2-4 pens<\/a>)<\/p>\n Ao Tanaka crowns a fine display with Leeds\u2019s first goal at West Ham. Photograph: Peter Cziborra\/Action Images\/Reuters<\/p>\n 2<\/p>\n Maverick Cherki gives City new dimension<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki enhanced his status as Manchester City\u2019s new maverick with two box office moments in Saturday\u2019s 4-0 FA Cup<\/a> quarter-final hammering of Liverpool. First, a sublime trap with his left foot then instant pass with his right to Antoine Sememyo, the winger crossing for Erling Haaland\u2019s headed second goal. Then, when replaced on 71 minutes, he momentarily wore the shirt of his friend and opposition player, Hugo Ekitike. Of Cherki, Semenyo said: \u201cHe\u2019s one of the world\u2019s best. He can do anything with the ball, he makes my life easy. I know he\u2019s going to drop in and find me in behind or drop it into my feet so he makes things easy. When you train with him every day you get a gist of what he is so when he gets on the ball I know where to make my runs. I remember my first day in training; some of the skills he was pulling off I was thinking what kind of player is he?\u201d Jamie Jackson<\/p>\n Men\u2019s match report: Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool<\/a><\/p>\n 3<\/p>\n Kirby intensity inspires Brighton to shock win<\/p>\n Brighton made a terrific start to their Women\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final at Arsenal<\/a>, but when they failed to capitalise on their early dominance, you feared for them. Sure enough, the European champions gradually took over and ought to have taken the lead towards the end of the first half, Chiamaka Nnadozie saving superbly from Smilla Holmberg. After the break, though, Brighton again asserted themselves \u2013 inspired by Fran Kirby, who delivered yet another performance of craft and class, leadership and tenacity. Both goals came from her passes, the first one in behind and the second a corner to the back post, but there was much more to her display than that. She snapped into tackles and passed cunningly, setting a level of intensity that inspired her teammates. At no stage were Brighton hanging on, seeing out a deserved victory with comfort and composure. We can be certain a winner such as Kirby will not be satisfied with a mere semi-final appearance. Daniel Harris<\/p>\n 4<\/p>\n Shaw rewarded for treatment room graft<\/p>\n Getting over one ACL injury is hard enough. Getting over two while you are still a teenager is extremely rare, but that is what the 18-year-old Liverpool midfielder Zara Shaw has managed and she was rewarded for her graft in the treatment room when she scored the winning goal in their Women\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final in extra time at Charlton, shortly after coming on as a substitute for her first competitive football in a year. The Liverpool academy product says it is a moment she \u201cwill never forget\u201d, adding: \u201cI\u2019m all over the place, I\u2019m absolutely buzzing.\u201d The Liverpool head coach, Gareth Taylor, praising the youngster\u2019s resilience, added: \u201cAnyone who has worked with Zara will tell you, she\u2019s an absolute coach\u2019s dream, she\u2019s been a physio\u2019s dream, a [strength and conditioning] coach\u2019s dream, because she literally does what she\u2019s told to do, she works so hard, she gives everything. It was great, today. It was perfect for Zara and really nice when those moments happen.\u201d Tom Garry<\/p>\n Women\u2019s FA Cup: Liverpool edge out Charlton, Brighton stun Arsenal<\/a><\/p>\n Zara Shaw was described as an \u2018absolute coach\u2019s dream\u2019 by Gareth Taylor. Photograph: Nigel French\/PA<\/p>\n 5<\/p>\n Arsenal under pressure as season gets real<\/p>\n From the first whistle at St Mary\u2019s it was abundantly clear Southampton would attack Arsenal. They lived their on-loan goalkeeper Daniel Peretz\u2019s pre-match missive: Saints would respect but not fear the Premier League leaders. Tonda Eckert succeeded where so many have failed, his side becoming only the fifth team in 51 games to beat Arsenal this season. Now Arsenal travel to Lisbon for a quarter-final at Sporting, another team also chasing a domestic title, and perhaps the bad news for Mikel Arteta is their next league opponents, Bournemouth, are famed for taking the game to opponents. For Andoni Iraola, attack is always the best form of defence and the Basque was an interested onlooker in the stands on Saturday, doing his homework on Arteta\u2019s side. Arsenal hoped the international break would provide some respite after losing the Carabao Cup final but now there is unlikely to be any let up. Ben Fisher<\/p>\n Men\u2019s match report: Southampton 2-1 Arsenal<\/a><\/p>\n 6<\/p>\n Palmer takes first leadership step<\/p>\n It is fun to imagine how Cole Palmer reacted when Liam Rosenior told him he would captain Chelsea for the first time in Saturday\u2019s FA Cup quarter-final against Port Vale. What pleased Rosenior the most was how the 23-year-old reacted on the pitch. The manager was without the club captain, Reece James, because of injury, and the vice-captain, Enzo Fern\u00e1ndez, for well-documented reasons<\/a>, also resting Marc Cucurella and Mois\u00e9s Caicedo. He could have given the armband to Tosin Adarabioyo or Jo\u00e3o Pedro but picked Palmer because he saw it as a logical and \u201cnatural step\u201d for the midfielder. Palmer led with his feet rather than his mouth in the 7-0 win, setting an example with his bravery on the ball and his hard running without it. Plenty has been said about the youth and inexperience of this Chelsea squad; Rosenior believes Palmer can develop into one of the solutions. David Hytner<\/p>\n