Football Shorts

Bradford City face their date with destiny this evening as they take on three-time Premier League champions Arsenal in tonight’s David-V-Goliath cup clash.

Phil Parkinson is unlikely to make too many changes to the side which played against Torquay at the weekend, with wingers Kyel Reid and Zavon Hines not yet ready for first team action.

A crowd of 23,500 is expected at Valley Parade to witness the club’s biggest match in more than a decade, and Parkinson is urging the players to enjoy themselves against the premier league’s big guns.

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He said: “This game is a reward for everyone at the club who has worked hard to get to this stage. We had been waiting for the glamour draw to come out and it finally did.

Arsenal are a great club and while predicting who will be in their team is difficult, what we definitely know is that they are a good football team with very 
attack minded full-backs.

“We have to make sure we are very disciplined. We spoke to the lads in training and said we have to pass the ball like we did on Saturday (against Torquay).

“We can’t be in a scenario where we go forward too early and give the ball away, as that would mean us having to chase it again.

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THE CLOCK is ticking regarding the future of El-Hadji Diouf – with his representative still awaiting contact from Leeds United regarding their next move.

United are keen for the 31-year-old, who has proved a huge success at Elland Road, to agree fresh terms at the club, with his current short-term deal expiring next month.

But a deal is yet to be agreed with the ball firmly in the court of United, who saw an initial offer to the former Senegalese international rebuffed at the end of October, according to his agent, Willie McKay.

Diouf, who is currently earning £5,000 a week, having linked up with the club on a half-season deal in September, wants to extend his stint with the club.

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He is understood to be seeking a deal in line with United’s higher earners, with McKay confirming there remains plenty of rival interest in the former Liverpool forward, with two Premier League clubs still keen on taking him in the January window – along with several Championship clubs.