Arsenal set up cup tie with Everton

Gunners’ 2-1 win over Liverpool puts them into an FA Cup quarter-final against Everton while Sheffield Utd beat Forest.

Podolski scored what proved to be Arsenal's winner after Oxlade-Chamberlain had opened the scoring [AP]

Arsenal took revenge against Liverpool while Everton kept a dream alive for their manager and Sheffield United caused a dramatic upset as all three teams reached the English FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

The Gunners, who lost 5-1 at Anfield in the Premier League last week, beat Liverpool 2-1 with a 16th-minute goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a 47th-minute strike from Lukas Podolski.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard had halved the deficit for Liverpool with a penalty after an hour.

Everton were by far the better team in another all-Premier League clash, seeing off Swansea City 3-1 with goals from debutant Lacinda Traore, Steven Naismith and a Leighton Baines penalty. Swansea replied through Jonathan de Guzman.

FA Cup draw

March 8 and 9

undefined Arsenal v Everton
undefined Brighton/Hull v Sunderland
undefined Sheffield Utd v Sheff Wed/Charlton
undefined Man City v Wigan Athletic

Everton’s win keeps Roberto Martinez on course to become the first manager to lift the FA Cup trophy with different clubs in successive seasons after he led Wigan Athletic to victory in last season’s final against Manchester City.

Once-powerful Sheffield United, league champions in 1898 and FA Cup winners in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925 but now battling to avoid relegation to League Two, came from behind to beat second-tier promotion hopefuls Nottingham Forest 3-1 with two goals in the last two minutes.

Forest, who reached the FA Cup final in 1991 when they were managed by the late Brian Clough, the father of Sheffield United manager Nigel, came to Bramall Lane protecting a 16-match unbeaten run and took the lead with a Jamie Paterson header after 28 minutes.

But United, who have knocked out Premier League sides Aston Villa and Fulham this season, evoked the ghosts of their past to record an unlikely win.

On-loan Liverpool forward Connor Coady equalised after a goalkeeping error in the 68th minute before substitute Chris Porter struck twice, once from the penalty spot, in the dying minutes.

Meeting the neighbours

Sunday’s FA Cup draw gave United the chance of meeting neighbours Sheffield Wednesday in a ‘Steel City derby’ in the quarter-finals, provided the latter win their postponed tie against Charlton Athletic.

Wigan, who beat Cardiff City 2-1 on Saturday, will face Manchester City in a rematch of last season’s final while Arsenal host Everton at the Emirates Stadium.

The other last-eight tie will be between Sunderland, who beat Southampton 1-0 on Saturday, and Brighton and Hove Albion or Hull City who meet on Monday.

While it was all sweetness and light for Arsenal, Everton and Sheffield United, Liverpool were furious with 2010 World Cup final referee Howard Webb after their defeat at Arsenal.

Webb awarded the visitors a penalty that Gerrard converted but soon after the official turned down what appeared a much stronger claim following a challenge by Oxlade-Chamberlain on Luis Suarez.

“I thought it was a blatant penalty,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers told BT Sport television.

“Luis got a touch on the ball and young Alex has just taken him out.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would only say of the penalty claim: “Maybe, maybe not”. He added: “I’m very proud of the way we responded to the huge defeat last week.”

Everton, chasing Liverpool in the race for a top-four league finish, brushed aside the challenge of Swansea to the delight of Spaniard Martinez.

“They gave us some trouble in the first half but we were more composed in the second. We pressed them and got the rewards and overall we were very professional again,” he said.

The quarter-finals will take place the weekend of March 8.

Source: Reuters