Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Indyplus updates: Match reports from the FA Cup

 

Saturday 15 February 2014 19:52 GMT
Comments
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain opens the scoring for Arsenal in their FA Cup tie against Liverpool
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain opens the scoring for Arsenal in their FA Cup tie against Liverpool (GETTY IMAGES)

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1 match report: Gunners hold on after goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski

Arsenal avenged their Anfield aberration with a 2-1 defeat of Liverpool in a pulsating FA Cup fifth-round clash at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners, still reeling from last weekend's 5-1 Premier League loss at Liverpool, twice scored in the opening 50 minutes despite being second best before surviving a second-half onslaught to set up a home quarter-final with Everton.

Arsene Wenger was described as "a specialist in failure" by Chelsea's Jose Mourinho on Friday after last leading Arsenal to a trophy almost nine years ago, in the 2005 FA Cup, but now his side are in the last eight. The Blues are out.

Arsenal conceded four times in the opening 20 minutes at Anfield and might have gone behind twice in the opening five minutes on Sunday.

Both chances fell to Daniel Sturridge, who was unable to add to his nine goals in the previous eight games, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put Arsenal in front.

Lukasz Fabianski was alert to deny Luis Suarez an equaliser and Arsenal broke to double their advantage when Oxlade-Chamberlain turned provider for Lukas Podolski.

The Germany forward then tripped Suarez and Steven Gerrard converted the resulting penalty.

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain opens the scoring for Arsenal in their FA Cup tie against Liverpool (GETTY IMAGES)

Howard Webb might have awarded Liverpool another spot-kick when Oxlade-Chamberlain made a late challenge on Suarez, but the Uruguayan's amateur dramatics did him no favours.

Daniel Agger headed wide of an open goal in the 87th minute when Fabianski failed to meet Gerrard's free-kick and Arsenal held on to advance to jubilant scenes in north London.

Wenger's team selection suggested Wednesday's Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich was his priority as he made seven changes from the side which began the dour goalless draw with Manchester United.

Yaya Sanogo made his first start and only Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Mikel Arteta - suspended in Europe - were retained against a Liverpool side unburdened by continental competition this term.

Brendan Rodgers' men showed their Premier League title credentials at Anfield and threatened to tear through the Gunners again.

First Gerrard slid a pass through to Sturridge, who shot into Fabianski's legs when he should have done better.

Then Suarez lofted the ball over a static Arsenal defence and, with angle always becoming more acute, Sturridge fired into the side-netting.

Steve Gerrard scores from the penalty spot for Liverpool (GETTY IMAGES)

The Reds found themselves behind when they cleared a corner only as far as Ozil, who turned the ball back into the area.

Sanogo brought it down on his chest and had a shot blocked by Gerrard, but the ball broke for Oxlade-Chamberlain for a composed finish.

Flamini, back from a three-match ban, was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Gerrard, becoming the fourth player booked in a feisty first half.

The hosts survived after threatening runs from Raheem Sterling and Suarez, who saw a volley across goal saved by Fabianski.

Arsenal had few moments of respite and had a promising counter-attack brought to an abrupt halt when Gerrard was booked for tripping Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was the hosts' most-threatening attacker in the first half.

Luis Suarez pictured during Liverpool's 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Arsenal (GETTY IMAGES)

Suarez, with one goal in his previous six games, was denied by the feet of Fabianski in the opening seconds of the second half and was made to pay.

Carl Jenkinson won the ball on the right win and Arteta fed Oxlade-Chamberlain who broke down the wing and cut the ball back for Podolski to tuck in.

Still Liverpool looked the more dangerous side.

A Suarez shot dipped narrowly over before Ozil forced Jones to save sharply at the other end.

Sturridge was denied by Fabianski before Podolski clumsily tripped Suarez from behind and Webb pointed to the spot.

Gerrard sent Fabianski the wrong way.

The Poland goalkeeper had to get his timing spot on and did when Sturridge attempted to round him moments later following a defence-splitting Philippe Coutinho pass.

Liverpool appealed for another penalty when Oxlade-Chamberlain mis-timed his tackle on Suarez, whose exaggerated tumble meant Webb was unmoved. Replays suggested the official was wrong.

Liverpool introduced Jordan Henderson, who underwent a small operation on a wrist injury on Thursday, and continued to pore forward, with Suarez becoming increasingly influential and twice testing Fabianski.

Arsenal were playing on the counter-attack and substitute Santi Cazorla wasted a good opportunity set up by Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was then tripped by Gerrard.

The Liverpool skipper was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card.

Liverpool should have levelled when Fabianski failed to meet Gerrard's free-kick and Agger headed off target as Arsenal survived again.

Sturridge tied Fabianski's boot laces to ensure the goalkeeper had little time to waste, but that was as close as Liverpool got to Arsenal's goal in stoppage time as the Gunners progressed.

PA

************************************

Sheffield United 3 Nottingham Forest 1: League One side advance to quarter-finals

Substitute Chris Porter struck twice in the dying seconds to down Nottingham Forest and set up a possible Steel City derby in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Although deep in a relegation scrap in the third tier United have been a different creature in the cup, knocking out Aston Villa and Fulham before adding Forest to the list with a remarkable comeback.

The Blades, comfortably the lowest-ranked team left in the draw, trailed to Jamie Paterson's first-half header until the 68th minute when a goalkeeping howler by Dorus De Vries allowed Conor Coady to tap into an open net.

Then Porter arrived as an 87th minute substitute and produced some authentic cup magic as he converted a last-minute penalty before prodding home again in injury-time.

The result raises the tantalising prospect of a clash with Sheffield Wednesday - should the Owls see off Charlton in their own rearranged fifth-round clash.

With almost 26,000 packed into Bramall Lane - the highest gate of the season - the match had an intense atmosphere from the off and that soon translated to the players, who contested a scrappy but high-paced opening.

Forest had chances for Darius Henderson, Paterson and Greg Halford in the opening stages, but Harry Maguire and Neill Collins dealt comfortably with Andy Reid's deep balls over the top.

Maguire found himself on the end of a penalty appeal when Simon Cox tumbled in the six-yard box but the linesman had a perfect view and saw nothing untoward.

The Blades might have had their reward in the 25th minute when Forest committed too many bodies forward and invited a counter-attack.

Jose Baxter collected the ball inside his own half and charged on unchallenged to the edge of the area. He had Stefan Scougall peeling away to the right but instead opted to shoot and left De Vries with an easy save.

It took Forest just three minutes to punish that missed chance.

Reid turned a decent spell of possession into something more, advancing down the right before delivering a pinpoint cross. Paterson, edging out his marker, nodded home.

United had one more chance to get on the scoresheet before the break, Baxter this time choosing the right pass when he reached the box.

Scougall managed a decent connection as he aimed for the bottom corner but De Vries was equal to it.

By half-time the quarter-final draw had been made and United came out like a team intent on setting up a derby date.

Forest were pushed back early in the second half, Gonzalo Jara blocking bravely as Maguire smashed a loose ball goalwards following Baxter's corner.

Scougall went closer, firing through a crowded area from 20 yards only for De Vries to make another calm save.

The visitors, subdued since the interval, clicked into gear as the hour-mark approached, Paterson producing a curling effort that left Mark Howard at full stretch.

United were unperturbed and raced forward once more.

Forest survived a penalty appeal when the ball appeared to strike Fox on the hand but the leveller arrived just a minute later.

De Vries was entirely culpable, somehow losing control of John Brayford's speculative cross and tangling with defender Jamaal Lascelles as Coady swooped to poke into an open net.

Reid almost restored the lead within two minutes but Howard pawed the Irishman's free-kick over the bar.

But United were in no mood to lie down.

With a minute of normal time left Murphy's cross was handled by Lascelles and Porter, despite being on the pitch a matter of seconds, did not hesitate with the spot-kick.

The crowd went wild but there was more yet to celebrate as a rattled Forest defence allowed Porter to steal into the six-yard box and bundle home a second.

PA

************************************

Everton 3 Swansea 1 match report: Lacina Traore scores on debut to help put Toffees 90 minutes from Wembley

There are not many unique records left in football. Seven managers have retained the FA Cup but none has done so with different clubs. Roberto Martinez is on course to be the first.

When Martinez, one of three different men called Roberto to have won the trophy in the last three years, walked into the press room at Goodison Park, he did not know whether he would be facing Liverpool or Arsenal in the quarter-finals. “All I know is that it will be a team in red,” he smiled. He would also have understood instinctively that Everton would have to perform rather better than they did here.

By rights this should have been a straightforward passage into the latter stages of the competition. Not only had Swansea never beaten Everton in 18 previous attempts, their caretaker manager, Garry Monk, facing a Europa League tie against Napoli on Thursday, had made eight changes to the side that had drawn at Stoke in midweek. Some were making their first appearance for the club this season.

Monk, who was Martinez’s first captain when he began building his managerial reputation at Swansea, seemed to have selected a side designed to be beaten. If so, Swansea achieved their aim, although not without something of a struggle.

For half an hour, Everton were as insipid and directionless as they were when Martinez’s Wigan overwhelmed them in the quarter-final at Goodison last year. “We were too anxious,” Martinez said. “We seemed to be suffering from the expectation that we would be going through to the next round.”

The more cynical of Everton’s fans – and after nearly two decades without a trophy there are a few – would have recalled that the last time they were this confident of victory was on Boxing Day against Sunderland, who were not only bottom of the Premier League but had a phobia about playing at Goodison. Gus Poyet’s side duly became the only visiting side to win a league game here last year.

Everton appeared to believe their passage to the quarter-finals had been assured once the team-sheets had been handed in. Some of the passing was almost wilfully casual and among the reserves and recalled loan players Monk had thrown on were some footballers hungry enough to want to take their chance.

It was, however, one of Swansea’s few regulars, Jonathan de Guzman, who scored their equaliser after a quarter of an hour.

It was not as if Everton had not been warned. In the opening minute Alvaro Vazquez had found himself clear on goal before being forced wide by goalkeeper Joel Robles.

Now it was Neil Taylor, driving forward from left back, who put in the cross and De Guzman who finished it. Those few who had journeyed up from Wales began a chorus of: “We love our B team.” Sadly for them, it was not to be the last goal Taylor would lay on. Admittedly, when De Guzman struck, the B team were by then already a goal behind. Kevin Mirallas’s free-kick had been flicked on by Sylvain Distin. Kyle Bartley failed to clear and Distin played the ball back in. Lacina Traoré, 6ft 8in tall, back-heeled the ball home from close range with surprising elegance. This was his first start since arriving on loan from Monaco and the tie was four minutes old.

The Traorés have not exactly shone on Merseyside. The greatest contribution to Liverpool in the FA Cup by Djimi (no relation) was to put through his own net at Burnley for the only goal of the game back in 2005. Lacina last began a game in October, playing for Anzhi Makhachkala against a Spartak Moscow side featuring his new team-mate, Aiden McGeady. Had he been fully fit, Traoré might have headed home the rebound after Steven Pienaar had struck the post, instead of guiding it towards Gerhard Tremmel.

He lasted an hour before being replaced by Steven Naismith, who was to turn the game. Before winning the penalty that Leighton Baines converted without a scintilla of doubt, he had put away the goal that effectively finished Swansea’s FA Cup hopes for this season.

Naismith is often depicted as a makeweight brought in by David Moyes but he is a far better footballer than he is given credit for – this was his fourth goal in half-a-dozen matches. Admittedly, it was presented to him via the slackest of back passes by Taylor although his finish at the Gwladys End was supremely well taken.

It was the signal for Welsh resistance to fizzle away, although Naismith did not finish the match. He collided with Jordi Amat, tried to carry on, suffered delayed concussion and had to be taken off.

Martinez said that his player could not recall scoring or much of the match. The first was a pity, the second was something of a mercy.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in