United v Reds among Sky games

Sky Sports has confirmed a batch of new live games - including some potential top-of-the-table clashes - as the season starts to heat up in early 2013.

United's trip to Anfield will be followed by Arsenal's clash with Manchester City on a Super Sunday double-header on January 13.

The following weekend sees another attractive Super Sunday double bill featuring Chelsea's Stamford Bridge clash with Arsenal and Tottenham's home game with Manchester United.

Other confirmed clashes include a London derby between QPR and Tottenham on January 14 and Liverpool's trip to Arsenal on January 30.

Eight new live Premier League games confirmed for January:

Sunday Jan 13: Man Utd v Liverpool (1.30pm)

Sunday Jan 13: Arsenal v Man City (4pm)

Monday Jan 14: QPR v Tottenham (8pm)

Sunday Jan 20: Chelsea v Arsenal (1.30pm)

Sunday Jan 20: Tottenham v Man Utd (4pm)

Monday Jan 21: Southampton v Everton (8pm)

Tuesday Jan 29: Sunderland v Swansea (7.45pm)

Wednesday Jan 30: Arsenal v Liverpool (7.45pm).

Saints second string fall flat

Nigel Adkins made 11 changes to his side for the Capital One Cup clash with Leeds, but was given very little food for thought as the Championship side secured a quarter-final berth with a 3-0 victory.

It was hard to list one Saints player who started the game and emerged with credit, with debutant substitute Lloyd Isgrove the only player to draw praise from his manager.

And, despite shouldering the blame for the loss on the basis of his decision to field a new side, Adkins did concede that those who played will have to carry the consequences as well.

"It was a poor result for us," he said.

"It was a very attacking formation on paper, but on the pitch you have got to go and produce it.

"You're playing for Southampton Football Club, so every game matters. We've got supporters who have travelled, and we've put a team out that I expected to win this game.

"I expect the players to go and perform, so there's obviously going to be c onsequences of the result and performance for many people.

"We've come out to win a game of football. On paper and in theory that was possible, but we haven't produced."

The Saints were hardly allowed to perform by an on-song Leeds, who followed up their third-round defeat of Everton with another top-flight scalp.

Michael Tonge got the ball rolling with a deserved first-half opener, before El-Hadji Diouf and Luciano Becchio's penalty wrapped things up inside the last three minutes.

Having sat on a one-goal lead for the best part of an hour, United should have been looking over their shoulders. It was anything but.

It took Saints until the 70th minute to register a shot at goal - even then it was well wide - as Leeds put their patchy league form behind them in a competition manager Neil Warnock is desperate to win.

"We have talked about getting as far as we can and if we get beat, we get beat," he said.

"I haven't really tried in the cup for a few years."

Warnock was referring to his Sheffield United side's run to the last four of both the FA and League Cups in 2003.

Since then he has shared Adkins' views on rotation, and had sympathy with his opposite number on Tuesday night.

"I've been in Nigel's position at QPR, where you wonder about your team and your Premier League position is more important financially," he said.

"It is a conundrum, but we can only beat who is put in front of us."

Leeds have been drawn at home in all four rounds so far and have a 12-1 aggregate score in their favour.

They are now just a win away from the semi-finals and Warnock is hoping for a meeting with local rivals Bradford.

"That would be nice," he said. "It's great that Bradford have got through, and what about Arsenal coming back like that (beating Reading 7-5, having been 4-0 down)? We have got to be fortunate with the draw."

Nigel Adkins has taken the blame for Southampton's Capital One Cup exit

Goals from Michael Tonge and El-Hadji Diouf and a Luciano Becchio penalty helped the Championship side to their second successive top-flight scalp, with their 3-0 victory earning them a first quarter-final berth since 1996.

Neil Warnock's men had the run of the park against a below-par Saints side, with Adkins' much-changed line-up unable to find sanctuary from their dismal Premier League form.

But having lost to Tottenham just over 48 hours ago, Adkins was of the opinion that he could not have put his first-team players through another tough workout and accepted the responsibility for the collapse.

"We didn't perform anywhere near what's expected of a Southampton Football Club team," he said.

"Forty-eight hours ago we had a high-intensity game and I made the relevant changes. I take full responsibility. We wanted to play tomorrow, but the powers that be wanted it to be tonight.

"But we gave the players who have not been in the team the chance to show what they could do, and they did not take it."

The players Adkins refers to are the likes of veteran goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, defender Jos Hooiveld, midfielder Richard Chaplow and forward Guly Do Prado.

None of them were able to have an impact on the game, though, with only debutant substitute Lloyd Isgrove emerging with any real credit.

"It will be good experience for the young players," Adkins added. "We have tried to blood them in the past and utilised them in the cup competitions but tonight, on the whole, we haven't performed."

Southampton are investigating an incident involving Artur Boruc

The goalkeeper is alleged to have thrown a water bottle into the crowd at St Mary's as well as swearing at supporters after he conceded a second goal.

It had been reported that Saints had already looked at the video evidence and decided that the former Poland international had no case to answer.

However, a club statement read: "Southampton Football Club can confirm that it is investigating allegations of an incident involving Artur Boruc that occurred towards the end of the first half during Sunday's match against Tottenham Hotspur.

"The club takes such allegations extremely seriously and will deal with the matter in the appropriate manner."

Leeds v Southampton preview

Southampton's Tadanari Lee could return to action as manager Nigel Adkins rotates his squad for the tie.

Japan international Lee is set to feature against the Championship outfit after sustaining an arm injury last month, while Frazer Richardson could also be involved against his former club after a thigh injury.

Richard Chaplow, Jos Hooiveld and James Ward-Prowse were unused substitutes in the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham and may start, while Jack Cork is close to full fitness after a knee injury.

Leeds will assess the condition of three of their key players ahead of the game.

Captain Lee Peltier and midfielders Rodolph Austin (both ankle) and Michael Tonge (shoulder) only just made the weekend loss to Birmingham, and the trio will be checked to see if they can face Saints.

Manager Neil Warnock has options if they do not make it, with veteran enforcer Michael Brown, full-back Aidy White and winger Luke Varney all standing by.

Str iker Andy Gray is also an option to Warnock should he decide to rest the out-of-form Luciano Becchio, but on-loan forward Ryan Hall is cup-tied.

Reserve goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown was given a chance against Everton in the previous round, as well as facing Oxford in the one before that, but Paddy Kenny is likely to start.

Striker Ross McCormack remains on the sidelines with an ankle injury but is closing in on a return, potentially within the next fortnight.

Southampton (from): Gazzaniga, Boruc, Davis, Richardson, Butterfield, Stephens, Shaw, Fox, Dickson, Reeves, Yoshida, Fonte, Hooiveld, Seaborne, Cork, Chaplow, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado, Robinson, Puncheon, De Ridder, Chambers, Lallana, Gape, Lee, Lambert, Sinclair, Rodriguez, Hoskins.

Manager Nigel Adkins expects to be given more time by Southampton's board

Adkins has done a tremendous job at St Mary's since taking charge in 2010, guiding the club to back-to-back promotions to lead them from League One to the Premier League.

Saints have had a difficult start to the new season, though, and Sunday's defeat at home to Tottenham left them in the relegation zone with just four points from nine games.

However, Adkins does not believe chairman Nicola Cortese will be looking for a replacement in the near future.

"I'll get time from the board," he said. "You need to be confident and positive.

"We're all working hard for each other. We have regular meetings for all employees and I told them that we've had plain sailing in recent years with back-to-back promotions. But this season it is going to be a bit choppy.

"But you have to stick together and come through the storm. Then you say, 'Well done'. It's a great challenge and one we are enjoying.

"No-one said it was going to be easy. This is the hardest league in the world and we are giving a good account of ourselves."

Nigel Adkins felt Southampton ran out of time against Tottenham

First-half goals from Gareth Bale and Clint Dempsey proved the difference as Southampton only had a Jay Rodriguez goal to show for an impressive second-half display.

"The second half was what we wanted in the first half," Adkins told Sky Sports. "Credit to Spurs, they slowed the game right down.

"We had the sucker punch of the two goals we conceded, which were poor ones from our point of view. In the second half we had them on the rack but ran out of time.

"We totally dominated the second half and pinned Tottenham back. It was more of a cup tie and we had a high energy."

Adkins also praised Rodriguez, who scored his first Premier League goal for Southampton since his big-money move from Burnley in the summer.

The Saints boss added: "He works ever so hard and I think he's a special talent. He's got a great future in the game.

"His movement is exceptional. He got the goal he deserved today and had one or two other opportunities as well that didn't go into the back of the net."

Another signing Emmanuel Mayuka caught the eye and Adkins said of the substitute: "Mayuka coming on the pitch gave us a big impetus.

"He's a young man who has come in and wants to play down the middle. We introduced him down the right-hand side and he made the impact required, and did that very well."