It means the north London club, who won the FA Cup three times in four years from 2001, will have gone seven years without a trophy.

Martin O’Neill’s delight contrasted sharply with Wenger’s woe. The remarkable renaissance since he took over as Sunderland manager
has produced 10 wins in 15 games
and their first quarter-final since
2004.

‘Obviously, I am delighted for everyone connected with the club but I’m particularly pleased for the players,’ said O’Neill. ‘It wasn’t only that they worked hard tonight but the way they used the ball. We had a confidence and self-belief throughout the team and this got stronger as the game wore on.’

There was little sign of any Champions League hangover in the confident manner the Gunners began the game, hardly allowing Sunderland to cross the halfway line.

Mikel Arteta was inches wide with a 25-yard free-kick after Craig Gardner was ruled to have fouled Robin van Persie but, for all the hustle and bustle, it was almost half an hour before either keeper was brought into significant action.

Horror show: Kieran Richardson fires Sunderland ahead against Arsenal at the Stadium of Light

On their way: Sunderland celebrate Richardson’s opener against Arsenal

Then it took a terrific save from Simon Mignolet to deny Gervinho as he pushed the Ivorian’s powerful
right-foot shot around for a corner after he was put through by Van Persie.

Wenger was appealing for a penalty in the 32nd minute when Van Persie went down under a challenge by John O’Shea, but a television replay quickly backed up Howard Webb’s decision that the Irishman took the ball cleanly before the Dutchman went down.

The Arsenal boss disagreed. ‘There was a 100 per cent penalty for us that Mr Webb missed,’ he insisted.

 

Sealed: Sunderland’s Sebastien Larsson’s shot was turned into his own net by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

 

Gutted: Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored an own goal to seal Arsenal’s fate

‘Their first shot was a goal and then we had to chase the game and we were caught on the break for the second. We had a lot of possession but we didn’t create a lot, which was down to terrific defending.’

Richardson put Sunderland ahead in spectacular fashion. Johan Djourou’s unnecessarily dragged
back Gardner 10 yards outside the penalty area. The Swiss defender, switched to left-back after Francis Coquelin’s substitution, was shown a yellow card but that was nothing compared with the punishment meted out by the Sunderland defender.

 

Blow: Arsenal lost Francis Coquelin to injury in the first half at the Stadium of Light

 

Sebastian Larsson’s outswinging free-kick was headed clear by Thomas Vermaelen but Richardson’s
25-yard left-foot shot took a deflection off Sebastien Squillaci and flashed low into the bottom of
the net.

It could have been worse for the visitors. A minute before the interval, Larsson hooked a ball back into Arsenal’s crowded goalmouth and James McClean shot into the sidenetting.

But Arsenal were caught on the break 12 minutes from the end.

 

Bad night: Not even Robin van Persie could inspire Arsenal to victory against Sunderland

Sloppy defending allowed Stephane Sessegnon to break clear before his crossfield ball was met by Larsson at the far post. The Swede’s effort hit the foot of a post before the onrushing Oxlade-Chamberlain sent the ball over his own goalline.

Wenger looked bereft, slumping back into his seat in the Arsenal dugout.

O’Neill added: ‘We knew the first goal was going to be of major importance, and this gave us an extra belief. We took this into the second half when we put in a big effort.’

On the brink? Arsene Wenger is under serious pressure at Arsenal after another poor season

Chelsea 1 Birmingham 1: Sturridge saves AVB’s blushes after another woeful show

By Mark Ryan

Last updated at 8:36 PM on 18th February 2012

If he cannot beat depleted Birmingham, then what chance does Andre Villas-Boas have against brilliant Napoli in Italy on Tuesday?

The under-fire Chelsea manager was asked the question on Saturday night, yet remained defiant about his troubled side’s hopes of pulling off what would now be seen as a major Champions League shock.

‘Because it’s football, sometimes it can happen like that,’ said the Portuguese, rather optimistically.

 

Head boy: Daniel Sturridge saved Chelsea’s blushes with a second half header

 

Head boy: Daniel Sturridge saved Chelsea’s blushes with a second half header

MATCH FACTS

CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand, Ramires, Mikel (Kalou 57), Meireles, Torres (Drogba 46), Mata (Lampard 83), Sturridge. Subs not used: Hilario, Bosingwa, Essien, Malouda.

Goals: Sturridge 62

Booked: David Luiz, Cahill

BIRMINGHAM: Doyle, Carr (Spector 12), Murphy, Pablo, Davies, Mutch, Gomis, Elliott (Burke 83), Fahey, Redmond, Rooney (Jervis 71). Subs not used: Butland, Caldwell, Reilly, Asante.

Goals: Murphy 20

Booked: Mutch

Ref: Martin Atkinson

Att: 36,870

It is 30 years since the Rolling Stones took the Stadio San Paolo in Naples by storm, sending 80,000 fans into raptures with a song called Start Me Up, after maintaining an electric pace for three hours.

Chelsea are due to enter the same cauldron on Tuesday for the most important match of their season. They need to perform for only half the time Mick Jagger and Co did all those years ago. But just who is going to start Chelsea up remains to be seen.

Villas-Boas may not be capable, and his team’s performance on Saturday was almost enough to make a grown man cry if you were a home supporter.

Saturday, however, saw a wonderful display from the other Blues, a team full of players who look up to their manager rather than down on him, a real team from front to back. Birmingham were missing five normal starters, either by choice or through injury, but it did not seem to matter.

No wonder Chris Hughton’s battlers were able to hold their own and more, despite losing their captain Stephen Carr to a niggling knee problem inside 13 minutes.

When Jordon Mutch swung in a corner just seven minutes later, his straightforward delivery exposed Chelsea’s defensive frailty vividly.

‘Birmingham have done well from set-pieces this season and we knew that,’ said Villas-Boas. ‘But we left a man free at the far post.’ What the Chelsea boss neglected to mention was that three of his players – Raul Meireles, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic – were quite useless as they allowed the ball to drift across the face of goal.

 

 

 

Pounced: David Murphy stunned the home fans when he blasted home from a corner

 

 

David Murphy could hardly believe his luck as he had time to set himself and smack his half-volley past Petr Cech for his fourth goal of the season.

Chelsea responded swiftly and Ramires was tripped in the area by Wade Elliott. Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle said later that he could tell from Juan Mata’s run-up which way he was going to hit the spot-kick. Even so, Doyle’s save was spectacular, as he tipped the ball on to the post and away to safety.

 

 

Spot of bother: Juan Mata passed up the opportunity to equalise when his penalty was saved

 

‘We weren’t good enough today, for sure,’ said Villas-Boas, ‘though we were better in the second half.’

With the ineffectual Fernando Torres substituted at half-time and Didier Drogba providing some much-needed inspiration, Chelsea came out fighting after the break.

Mata swung a superb pass to Ivanovic, who made up for his earlier error by finding Daniel Sturridge with his cross. The restless striker’s header was perfection and the favourites were back in the game.

 

 

Feeling the heat: Andre Villas-Boas was subjected to taunts from sections of the crowd

But they failed to press home what should have been a clear superiority and it was Birmingham who had the opportunity to progress first time.

Nathan Redmond was through on goal in the dying seconds but tried to place his finish with his instep. The end product lacked power and Chelsea lived to fight another day.

 

 

Crowded out: Fernando Torres was hooked at half-time after another poor showing

‘Nathan had the best chance of the game, but we will hope to give them another tough game,’ said Hughton. ‘As for Andre, he is in a transitional phase but you don’t get that job without being an exceptional manager.’

Exceptional or not, the Chelsea boss cannot afford to limp along like a lame duck while subversive elements continue to undermine him. He has to axe those who do not support him, surround himself with those who do and educate the newlook line-up on precisely what his long and short-term targets are.

 

 

This ain’t working: David Luiz should really give up on his good luck charm

To do nothing would leave his superiors with no option but to sack him and hope the team respect the replacement more. But it must be doubtful whether even owner Roman Abramovich would wish to sack Villas-Boas just a few days before the game in Naples.

Whatever happens, something has to change quickly, otherwise not even the consolation of Champions League qualification will be a realistic season-saver.

Soon after the Stones played that gig in Napoli, they hit the charts with a live version of their Sixties classic Time Is On My Side. In the case of Villas-Boas, it clearly is not.

 

 

Welcome back: Didier Drogba was a second half substitute to make his first appearance since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations

 

THIS IS NO WAY TO WORK OUT SQUAT’S WRONG

AVB went into overdrive with his demented squatting routine as the pressure told on the touchlines.

The Chelsea boss looked a tortured soul when he was standing but struck a bizarre figure when crouched down on his haunches in front of the dug-out.

He did so no fewer than 27 times and the habit is becoming the talk of football. Used by the Portuguese almost once every three minutes, he often adopted this position to issue instructions.

Wearing an inconspicuous black Mackintosh and with crowd noise to contend with, it is odd for AVB to try to grab his players’ attention by making his body shape as small as possible.

 

 

(daily mail )

Battle to control Rangers rages as 50,000 fans pledge: We won’t let this club die

By Nick Harris

Last updated at 8:37 PM on 18th February 2012

A bitter battle for control of Glasgow giants Rangers looms as up to four separate investigations try to determine how the club have plunged into crisis since Craig Whyte’s takeover last May – and whether any criminal activity has occurred.

Administration led to Rangers instantly being docked 10 points in midweek and their on-pitch fortunes went from bad to worse as Ally McCoist’s side crashed to an embarrassing 1-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock.

Whyte, who called in the administrators, believes he will regain control but serious doubts over his stewardship make it unlikely he will be allowed to take the reins again.

Making their point: Rangers fans hold up a message at Ibrox

Administrators Duff & Phelps have already had six expressions of interests from unnamed parties in Britain and abroad, it can be revealed, but a deal could depend on Whyte’s approval if he can prove he is a major creditor.

Months of acrimony and controversy lie ahead.

The case is made more complex by confusion over how Whyte’s takeover was funded and structured, and how he ran the club during his nine-month reign.

Rangers’ defeat leaves them second in the SPL, 14 points behind Celtic with 11 games to play. Celtic could extend that lead to 17 points on Sunday.

Strong feelings: Rangers fans protest after a terrible week for the club

The Kilmarnock match was played in front of a capacity crowd of 50,000 at Ibrox.

Fans’ banners and chants echoed McCoist’s defiant pledge of Friday: ‘We don’t do walking away.’

But Rangers are in turmoil.

Yet their finishing position is the least of their worries as the Scottish FA, Duff & Phelps, the police and the Crown Office – Scotland’s public prosecution service – consider what action to take next.

Whyte, 40, was absent from the match, saying he had ‘decided to take a step back from events’ so he did not become a ‘distraction’ to the football.

Thumbs up: But it’s been a week of misery for Rangers

He insists he has done nothing wrong but the investigations will consider three crucial issues.

First, whether Whyte misled the SFA last year when he took control, hiding the fact that he had been banned for seven years in 2000 as a company director.

This would have barred him from office as someone who is not a ‘fit and proper person’ under the SFA’s articles of association.

Secondly, how Whyte paid £18million to Lloyds bank to clear Rangers’ overdraft, which was a key condition of his taking ownership from Sir David Murray for a nominal £1.

They’re not happy: And it’s probably fair to overlook the grammar

Whyte sold the rights for the next four years of Rangers’ ticket sales to a London firm, Ticketus, for £24.4m, and it is believed this money was used to pay Lloyds, thereby seeing Whyte take control with Rangers’ own resources.

Duff & Phelps are trying to confirm what happened to the £24.4m and said yesterday they had received new but unspecified information about the club’s finances.

The third key issue is why Whyte’s Rangers regime has failed to pay an estimated £9m in tax on Rangers’ employees earnings and VAT, since taking over last May.

Ibrox: Thousands gathered early at the ground to make their feelings known

This appears to have been a deliberate act, with a future administration always possible.

Completely separately, Rangers are awaiting the outcome of legal case over whether they owe HMRC £49m-plus as a result of the alleged maladministration of a tax-saving scheme between 2001 and 2010.

Whyte’s spokesman said he will co-operate with all investigations and is confident he will be cleared of any wrong-doing.

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