Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County and Wrexham could all soon be seeking compensation for changes to the FA Cup that County boss Graham Coughlan has denounced as “disastrous”. The EFL will seek compensation for its clubs over the “frustrating and disappointing” decision to scrap all FA Cup replays from next season.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan has given a scathing assessment of his team – and questioned his own future – after they suffered a sixth successive defeat. The County boss said the club’s fans deserved better after their latest setback – a 2-1 loss at home against Tranmere Rovers. That makes it a miserable round half dozen of losses on the bounce for Newport, who only a month ago looked to have a decent outside chance of making the play-offs before their rotten run.

Wrexham could be hosting a promotion party on Saturday, but manager Phil Parkinson won’t be ordering the beers and champagne just yet. The Dragons manager insists it will be business as usual before their League Two home match against Forest Green Rovers, even though Wrexham may end up celebrating back-to-back promotions for their first time in the club’s history.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan has paid tribute to the club’s fans after his team earned a convincing 4-1 win at Harrogate. The County boss admitted his players had disappointed supporters last weekend when they lost 3-0 away to MK Dons.

Graham Coughlan admitted he was contemplating a major upset after seeing his Newport County team equalise against Manchester United. United survived a massive FA Cup fright at Rodney Parade as the League Two minnows fought back to 2-2 after conceding twice inside the opening 13 minutes.

Everyone knows Sunday’s FA Cup clash between Newport County and Manchester United is one of the classic ‘David v Goliath’ ties of the fourth round. But when you hear former County boss Michael Flynn describe it as “the biggest game in the club’s history” then you realise the enormity of the occasion. Flynn knows all about the romance of the cup having led County to victories over Leeds United, Leicester City and Middlesbrough, earning a draw against Tottenham Hotspur, and facing Manchester City in the fifth round. 

Will Evans will try his utmost to embarrass Eric Ramsay on Sunday – 18 months after the Newport County striker was a guest at the Manchester United assistant manager’s wedding. Evans will be County’s main hope of goals and a creative spark that might ignite one of the great FA Cup shocks of all-time, although perhaps not as big a surprise for those United fans who have long since grown used to seeing their team lose at places they shouldn’t.

Former Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has pinpointed a stable financial position as his top priority at Newport County, having completed a majority takeover of the club. The 60-year-old has purchased 52 per cent of the club from the Supporters’ Trust after a new ownership model was approved in September.

Seb Palmer-Houlden got in the groove as Newport County warmed up for next week’s FA Cup visit of Manchester United with a hard-fought 1-0 win over 10-man Wrexham. In an all-Welsh battle at a packed Rodney Parade, the visitors had defender Will Boyle sent off for a wild challenge on Shane McLoughlin in the 18th minute and County used their numerical advantage to great effect.

Luke Williams used to spend 10 hours a day in the company of Southampton boss Russell Martin and he hopes he can read his friend’s mind when Martin takes his Saints side to old club Swansea City on Saturday. Williams worked with Martin as assistant coach at Swansea before heading to Notts County, and now finds him in the opposite dugout after taking over the managerial reins at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan has described hosting Manchester United in the FA Cup as the biggest game in the club’s history. County booked a money-spinning fourth round date with the 12-time winners at Rodney Parade on January 28 by winning 3-1 at non-league Eastleigh on Tuesday.

Graham Coughlan admitted he can barely believe his Newport County side will host Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round. County set up the spectacular tie by beating Eastleigh 3-1 at the Silverlake Stadium on Tuesday evening.