As further testimony to Chelsea manager Guss Hiddink’s positive vibes, the Blues prevailed in a 2-1 victory and kept on track for the Treble. Arsenal were no pushovers though. The Gunners started the match brightly and their movement and passing were eye candy to football fans.

In the 18th minute, Theo Walcott put the Gunners ahead. Emmanuel Adebayor started the move on the left and passed to Kieran Gibbs who crossed for an unmarked Walcott at the far post. The latter hit a soft volley which took a deflection off Ashley Cole and left Petr Cech stranded.

However, Arsenal’s happiness was short-lived as Florent Malouda drew level in the 32nd minute. Frank Lampard delivered a superb pass to Malouda who trapped the ball nicely and fired accurately into the net. Arsenal had narrowly escaped earlier when Malouda blasted a shot that skimmed under goalkeeper Lukazs Fabianski before flashing across goal.

Having equalized, Chelsea grew in confidence. Nicolas Anelka struck the far post with a fine left-footed shot. Abou Diaby was to blame for the slack defending when he gave the ball away on the edge of the box and could only appeal vainly for a foul.

Arsenal’s front line was not pulling their weight either. Robin van Persie, one of the crown jewels in Wenger’s ensemble, failed to turn up any magic. He wasted a crucial opportunity when an acrobatic clearance by Alex denied Walcott, but the ball fell nicely for him… only to be blasted disappointingly into no man’s land.

Though Arsenal outplayed Chelsea with a more fluid game in midfield, they presented little threat in the opponent’s goal box due to the tight marking and poor link-up to Adebayor, who holds the key in Wenger’s 4-2-3-1 formation. While Chelsea’s backline was at least functioning, Arsenal’s incompetent defense made Chelsea appear menacing and likely to score whenever they pressed forward.

Indeed, Fabianski was kept extremely busy by the relentless Chelsea bombardment. Anelka missed a header narrowly, before Lampard volleyed an excellent chance wide from Drogba’s cross. Drogba then screamed for a penalty when Mikaël Silvestre held him and handled the ball. It is a wonder the scoreline was kept respectable for so long.

With the match drawing to a close, the epic battle was still locked in a stalemate. However, Didier Drogba changed the script single-handedly in the final six minutes. Frank Lampard lobbed the ball from deep in his own half and Drogba latched on quickly by shrugging off Mikael Silvestre. The Ivorian exemplified exquisite balance and control by skipping past the on-rushing Fabianski before steering the ball into the empty net.

Arsene Wenger factored in a sub-standard Wembley pitch for a defeat which destroyed their most realistic hope of a trophy. “Building a stadium with that kind of money and having no pitch is laughable,” he said. But that is no excuse as the pitch affect both teams equally.

And Arsenal had no reason for feeling jaded as Chelsea had eliminated Liverpool 4-4 in a gruelling Champions League quarter-finals (7-5 agg) while the Gunners cruised past Villarreal in a 3-0 victory (4-1 agg).

Keeper Fabianski did not have a memorable birthday as nobody were in the mood for celebrations after he gift-wrapped presents for his opponents. He was a constant bundle of nerves, yet he shows a propensity for charging out of the box when the danger should normally be cleared by defenders. While I don’t think he is engaged in showboating, I am still perplexed by his heroics.

If Fabianski wants to take on the striker, he has to win the ball in a strong and decisive manner, instead of attempting half-hearted challenges, else it will be a safer bet to just defend his line. To be fair to the shaken Fabianski, Manuel Almunia did not perform any better in dealing with Didier Drogba, though the Spaniard has shown better judgment and composure in big games.

Fabianski was unable to settle down even when Arsenal went ahead. I don’t blame him as the defense often left him exposed. The main culprits were Emmanuel Eboue and Michel Sivestre who felt like strangers and and were too slow to react.

Due to injuries to William Gallas and Johan Djourou, Wenger took a risk by placing Silvestre in the center of defence but it didn’t pay off as Silvestre’s best days are clearly behind him. The lack of first choice full backs will persist for a while and Wenger has to solve this porous defense soon, else there will be more “cheap goals” to come.

Mindful of the defensive malaise, Wenger said: “It was a game where any mistake in the end could be costly. It is disappointing because we had a good start and after we dropped off. The game looked as through it would finish as a draw – I felt we gave two cheap goals away.”

Arsene Wenger have also tweaked the side which demolished Villlarreal, dropping Alex Song and Samir Nasri to the bench and playing Denilson and Abou Diaby alongside Casc Fabregas in the centre of midfield, with Robin van Persie moving out to the left flank.

It may be wise to field fresh legs in the face of a hectic schedule but one cannot afford to take chances against a rejuventated Drogba and the best team must play. I believe Wenger erred by leaving Arshavin out of the starting XI. By the time Arshavin came on for van Persie, he could not influence the outcome, though his late effort which was deflected to safety by Alex was commendable.

This FA Cup defeat may have far-reaching implications for Arsenal in terms of filling the cabinet with silverware this season. Arsenal’s winning streak has ended and it usually takes time for Wenger to nurse the team’s fragile confidence and steer the ship back on course.

This disruption in momentum could be a boon for Manchester United in the Champions League. Already, wresting the Premier League title is highly unlikely unless all three top teams collapse in unison, and given Arsenal’s dismal track record in the European competition, the Gunners have lost their most realistic chance of a trophy.

The bright spark for Arsenal was Theo Walcott. He was the live-wire in this match and Arsenal looked dangerous whenever he charged down the flanks with the ball. The England winger has been excellent since his return from his latest injury and enjoyed a compelling duel with Cole all game. His goal was well deserved.

As for Guss Hiddink, it is no surprise he is a happy and contented man these days. He said: “It’s very nice to work with these guys. They always deliver.” Hiddink has repeatedly stressed that he is in charge until the end of the season, after which he remains as full-time coach of Russia’s national team.

Nevertheless, if he achieves the Treble, I believe Abramovich will impose his will and sign him on a long term contract. It will be a great folly to release a manger who can win trophies and more importantly, galvanize the players into a solid team which respond and execute his strategies.

Player politics is a major distraction in Chelsea’s dressing room and if Didier Drogba, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to leave Chelsea, is now rallying the troops forward, you know the manager has ironed out major differences, injected faith and gained mutual respect with his footballing philosophy.

In this match, I will say Frank Lampard was not at his dominant best in midfield. But once again, he proved his worth by supplying two crucial long range passes which led to the goals. I prefer to rate Droga and Essien highly for Chelsea’s revival.

Much has been made about the battle of midfield between Essien and Fabregas. Both are midfield inspirations and have returned from long injuries but they possess different characteristics. Essien is more physical and powerful than Fabregas but the latter has greater technique, wider range of passes and is tactically better.

Fabregas only come into the Arsenal side on April 4 after three and a half months out. But his match fitness was not compromised – setting up a string of goals for his resurgent side. Similarly, Essien has been Chelsea’s driving force since returning from a cruciate injury.

However, with Cesc Fabregas failing to stamp his class, it was Essien whose effervescent energy and brutal power shone brightest. Fabregas can seek solace that Steven Gerrard also lost the midfield battle to Essien. That is the danger of teams which rely heavily on a single playmaker, who no matter how talented, can be a burden to the team when their creative spark fizzles out.

Up front, there is also a determined hunter in Didier Drogba who steps up a gear whenever he is pitted against the Gunners. Drogba loves to score against Arsenal and his brace in the bad-tempered Carling Cup 2007 final must still be fresh in Arsenal fans’ memories.

Before the match, Wenger highlighted that the key to stopping Chelsea was preventing Drogba getting up a full head of steam. He is right on the money by pinpointing Arsenal’s Achilles heel as the powerful Ivorian is on song since Guus Hiddink’s arrival. For the record, Drogba has now racked up his eighth goal in nine games against Arsenal.

Already a nightmare for the first choice Arsenal defence, the makeshift defense clearly has no chance against Drogba’s potent strength and pace. Wenger said: “We made it a little bit too easy for him at times, and that was true of the winning goal.”

Chelsea are on a roll after eliminating Liverpool and Arsenal. Hiddink has applied the right strategy in a physical and intimidating play – Branislav Ivanovic and Michael Ballack were both cautioned for aggressive tackles, the first on Van Persie, the second on Fabregas. Arsenal were lulled into complacency with uninterrupted quick passes while the Blues search, destroy and strike where it matters.

I believe Hiddink will continue with the midfield triumvirate of Lampard-Essien-Ballack which has been in slumber at times but effective when given a jolt in the dressing room. His biggest worry must be Petr Cech. Having conceded seven goals in its last two games, Cech’s blunders have contributed to the team’s struggle to beat Bolton 4-3 and the pulsating 4-4 draw with Liverpool.

Without fail, Petr Cech conceded yet another goal, though in dubious circumstances. Deflections are always tricky and Ashely Cole could have done a better job of shackling Walcott and preventing the shot. The Cech of three years ago might have coped adequately, but when confidence is low, schoolboy errors start to crop up.

Chelsea are looking stable in a 4-3-3 formation but in the Champions League, they may find Barcelona to be a different proposition. Theo Walcott has pace and but not much creativity, yet Ashley Cole struggled to contain the youngster. The intelligent and technically gifted Lionel Messi who has been terrorizing defenses in La Liga for fun will relish giving Ashley Cole a few more footballing lessons.

Chelsea are now into the final, where they will meet either Manchester United or Everton on May 30. This may turn out to be a grand showdown for the Treble which features two of the most successful Premier League teams in recent years. Stay tuned.

At the start of the season, Manchester United’s fortunes were draped in a fog as they dropped points carelessly and their star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, seems half-hearted in repeating last season’s glory. Speculation abounds that he prefers the white jerseys of Real Madrid after achieving all possible honors in England and his August public statement of “staying at United for the time being” left the door open for future suitors.

However, their shaky campaign was righted after picking up the Club World Cup last month. The players returned from Japan in ominous form. Their back line was not breached in the Premier League since that defeat at the Emirates, 11 games ago. Slowly but surely, Manchester United’s Quadruple dreams is taking shape and to the consternation of their rivals, this era of absolute dominance may continue for years.

I believe the immediate and realistic goal for Manchester United is to win a third consecutive Premier League title. It is an ultimate test of consistency to finish top after 38 games and they are now in a strong position to do so.

There is an added prestige to maintaining domestic superiority for Manchester United. Winning an 11th crown in 17 seasons would bring them level with Liverpool’s record 18 league titles, and rub shoulders with the all-conquering Anfield sides of the ’70s and ’80s. Fergie’s babes would be well and truly be legends.

The implosion of their closest rivals has also made the work easier for Alex Ferguson. Liverpool ended their short reign at the top of the Premier League on an unhappy note. Successive draws against Stoke, Everton and Wigan compounded Benitez’s misery and sent Liverpool sliding to to third in the Premier League table.

Defeat at home to Chelsea on Sunday could leave Liverpool five points adrift of Manchester United after holding a 10-point advantage over his rival Sir Alex Ferguson in December. The dip in form has coincided with some unexpected outbursts from Beni­tez, who has made public his contract dispute with the club while launching conspiracy theories about Sir Alex Ferguson’s influence over match officials.

Football pundits are now questioning the state of Rafael Benitez’s mind, especially after his “crazy” rant about “uncontrollable events” in the second half against Wigan. Some choice words from Benitz: €œWhat you can’t control, you can’t change and maybe you have to understand it has to be like this for years.”

I don’t blame the players for feeling clueless when the manager is talking in such cryptic terms and being resigned to his fate. The heat of the championship race and Alex Ferguson’ mind games have really affected Benitez badly. When the boss loses the plot, the battle is lost.

As for Arsenal, the players have continued their tradition of being soft in the face of physical challenges, despite Arsene Wenger’s insistence on his team’s resilient character. This season, the Gunners got worse by failing to dish out their fluid passing game consistently and missing crucial chances. These days, it is common to read post match descriptions of Arsenal’s performances like “lack of quality,” “lucky,” “living dangerously,” and “finishing not up to scratch.”

Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Everton was lackluster. Against Cardiff, they only manage to eke out a goalless draw and hence, another meaningless FA Cup replay. Clearly, this batch of Gunners lacked the killer instinct nor the sense of urgency to clinch titles. Wenger has failed to boost Arsenal’s squad sufficiently which left them extremely vulnerable to injuries.

Meanwhile, the same elements causing discontent within the ranks have not been eliminated. Top of the list is William Gallas and there are those who want away because of unhappiness over their wages and contract terms. It is up to Arsene Wenger to stop the rot; if Alex Ferguson can show Roy Keane to the door, I don’t see why Wenger is hesitant in exercising his authority.

Chelsea is another inexplicable disappointment. Scolari coached Brazil to the World Cup crown and also brought Portugal to the threshold of similar glories. Why isn’t he able to achieve the same success at Stamford Bridge, and also failing to outperform Avram Grant, an unqualified manager to boot? I suspect a combination of cultural clash, players politics, technical abilities, language barrier in motivating the players, as well as maladjustment to the attacking strategy/formation and training methods.

In any case, Scolari deserves respect for accepting blame for the poor run of results. After the 3-0 drubbing by Manchester United, Chelsea won unconvincingly against Southend (4-1) and Stoke City (2-1). I don’t care much about the scoreline; against these two clubs, nothing short of clean sheets will suffice.

That used to be something which can be taken for granted during Mourinho’s era, especially at Stamford Bridge. But the home ground is no longer a fortress. Will Chelsea regain their aura of invincibility and threaten Manchester United? From what I have seen so far, the squad is not fully united behind Scolari nor committed to implementing his ideas. Getting rid of Drogba and securing capable replacements will take time, thus, the fans have to be patient with Scolari this season.

In the Carling Cup, Manchester United booked a place in the finals after a taxing tug-of-war against Derby County. United will clash next with Tottenham Hotspur, led by Harry Redknapp (winner of last year’s Carling Cup at Portsmouth). Based on Spurs’s current state of affairs, they are a long way off from getting their house in order.

Harry Redknapp has started on the umpteen Tottenham’s rejuvenation process by calling his old boys up for a gathering. I don’t know how effective that will be because Spurs have been rebuilding for the last ten years and since the buck always stops with the manager prematurely, we may not even see Redknapp next season, whether Tottenham are relegated or not.

By the way, unless Redknapp considers himself master of reverse psychology, he will do well to motivate his team without going to the press and lamenting about individual performances.

The FA Cup is a similar story for Manchester United. They are three matches away from wresting the title. United have enough experience and intelligent players to turn around the games when the chips are down. Their greatest enemy remains themselves, complacency and tired legs notwithstanding, there are few defenses in England which can withstand the firepower of the Red Devils.

Turning to the European scene, the Champions League will present a tougher challenge. In the forthcoming last-16 tie of the Champions League on 25 February, Manchester United will face Inter Milan. Actually, the prospect of clashing with the Italian team is less daunting than confronting the manager, Jose Mourinho.

Alex Ferguson has never got the better of Mourinho, be it psychologically or on the pitch. Porto eliminated Manchester United 3-2 over two encounters and they went on to clinch the Champions League in 2005. In Mourinho’s two seasons at Chelsea, they accumulated 86 unbeaten games at home and Manchester United were not able to hurt Chelsea even when they were struggling with injuries, suspensions and international commitment.

Jose Mourinho is an astute tactician and he knows how to play the intelligent, or rather boring game of football to counter superior opponents despite scarce resources. However, Alex Ferguson can take heart from the way Inter-Milan fell to Atlanta 3-1. It was a disgraceful performance which left Mourinho visibly upset. We shall not revisit his harsh criticisms of the squad here.

Given that Mourinho is not omnipotent in the Champions League (he has never won it with Chelsea), the odds are good that Manchester United can scrape through if Inter Milan perform below par.

Another factor which made Manchester United’s Quadruple dreams not only a distinct possibility but also replicable in the coming years is their strength in depth. United’s squad is now bursting with young talents after a series of shrewd acquisitions. Save for Barcelona, few clubs in Europe pursue youth development with such vigor and patience.

That is not to say that “old men” like Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Edwin van der Sar are about to become dispensable. They are crucial in imparting their experience and technical skills to the youngsters; more importantly, there is a continuity of the special bonding and Manchester United identity with these veterans around.

The days of Ryan Giggs blazing down the left flank, evading defenders and crossing the ball into the box may be over. In fact, the last couple of seasons, he has been fading into the background, so much that a lot of fans are questioning his value and contribution to the team.

Surprisingly, he is now enjoying a new lease of life with Alex Ferguson placing him in central midfield. He created three assists against West Brom and was devastating against Chelsea. Giggs has been rewarded with a new contract, a rare privilege of eventually retiring with Manchester United as his only club. In fact, he could even win the Footballer of the Year award this season.

Edwin van der Sar is also getting better with age. He has eclipsed Petr Cech’s four-year-old top-flight record by stretching his personal unbeaten run to 1,031 minutes at West Bromwich Albion and the Dutchman could yet approach the Football League milestone of 1,103 minutes, set by Steve Death for Reading during the 1978-79 season.

Even if these veterans were to retire tomorrow, Alex Ferguson need not fret. Rising stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Nani, Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves, Anderson, Carlos Tevez are now holding the fort and have nearly a decade of service left in them… but Alex Ferguson is not contented.

Brazilians Rafael da Silva and his twin brother, Fabio, were spotted during a youth tournament and a deal was tabled immediately. Rafael, only 18-year-old, has such sublime skills that he has kept club captain, Gary Neville, and his understudy, Wes Brown, an England international, in reserve, until his untimely injury.

Alex Ferguson said during his trip to Japan last month: “This boy has come in from Brazil, doesn’t even speak the language that well, but understands the football very well. Gary and Wes Brown are England’s best right backs but they have a little problem because the boy, da Silva, has just taken off.”

Fabio, a talent of even brighter proportions, captained Brazil to the Under-17 World Cup title in 2007. He has not yet featured until the impressive match against Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round. It is incredible to note that he has not played a competitive match over the past year, yet he is as sure-footed as his team mates. Great ball control, defensive ability and attacking instincts seem to be the trademark of the twins, little wonder that they are slated to be the bedrocks of Manchester United’s defense.

The da Silva brothers are not the sum of United’s youth squad though. Rodrigo Possebon, half a year older than the da Silva twins, is another maturing midfield prospect. And the Serbian revolution is on with the latest acquisitions in January (Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajicwere) to add to the already established Nemanja Vidic. The strategic purchase of Zoran Tosic provides yet another replacement for the aging Ryan Giggs.

Ferguson has built winning teams around youth before in his 22 seasons in Manchester. He gave youngsters like Neville, Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham their chance at the start of the 1990s and began an era of dominance in the ’90s. The core of these players remain almost two decades on. Given Ferguson’s track record, I will not bet against him starting another renaissance at Old Trafford.

Pre-season, Manchester United were 1000-1 to win all six competitions they entered. That looks like a great investment already since the Red Devils had put two prizes in the cabinet – the Community Shield and the Club World Cup crown. They may well perform an unprecedented clean sweep, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The slender 1-0 victory averted the possibility of this year’s final being an all-Championship showpiece. Absence of the Big Four in the FA Cup may have taken away the shine and some international audience but there is no worry about declining gate receipts – 83000 fans (a record for a FA Cup Semi-Final) were there to create a vibrant atmosphere.

Portsmouth heroics also salvaged some Premier League pride. The FA Cup has never been contested by two teams from outside the top flight since professional football started in England in 1888-89. That record was in danger of falling but Portsmouth, as the sole representative of the Premier League, put paid to the notion.

Understandably, the stakes are high as both teams rarely ventured so far in the FA Cup. The tension was palpable and neither team was cool enough to take their chances and posed any real threat in attack. It was only in the second half that the match came to life.

In the first half, five time FA Cup winner West Brom looked more lively. The partnership of Morrison and Gera along the flanks and Kevin Phillips in a deep central position caused turmoil in Portsmouth defense. A quick, inter-passing strategy gave West Brom better shape moving forward while Portsmouth were content only to absorb pressure.

Kevin Phillips’s first attempt at goal from the edge of the box drifted past keeper David James but the latter had to be alert when Zoltan Gera fired from a central position. James had only time to parry but Sol Campbell dispatched the ball to safety.

David James nearly fumbled again when he presented Phillips with a chance when preventing the ball from going out for a corner. Phillips was a shade too slow and James managed to extinguish the danger in the nick of time. If the goal has been scored first, West Brom will get the chance to add to their last FA Cup in 1968.

Portsmouth, going strong in the top half of the Premier League, didn’t have a shot at goal until Sulley Muntari’s 35-meter free kick in the 29th minute and the midfielder fired a dipping shot just too high just before halftime. They began to impose themselves early in the second half, and dominated the midfield to stop West Brom’s attacks.

Within ten minutes of the restart, they had taken the lead. Glen Johnson delivered a long ball towards Baros and his chested control was excellent before firing across keeper Dean Kiely. The keeper could only push the ball along the goal line and in the scramble, former Baggies hero, Kanu, was on hand to roll the ball into the unguarded net in front of the ecstatic Pompey faithful.

Portsmouth could have killed the game ten minutes later. A threaded ball from Niko Kranjcar split the Baggies defence. But Baros took one touch too many and Kiely smothered. It wasn’t a surprise when Baros was replaced by David Nugent shortly after.

West Brom also made a couple of changes, bringing Ishmael Miller and Chris Brunt into the action as they sought an equaliser. Gera did well to carve an opening from from 20-yards, only for it to go over the bar, and Koren had a fine shot from a similar distance which struck the bar.

Miller also came close, connecting well with a low cross, but the man whose hat-trick in the last round helped West Brom reached the semi-final was unlucky to see his effort, the Baggies’ last of the afternoon, skid wide of the post.

Harry Redknapp said: “It’s great for Portsmouth to be getting to a cup final. Where we were two years ago and five years ago it’s amazing,” referring to the club’s annual struggles to avoid relegation. “Now we’re sixth in the league and in a cup final.

“We are rightly favorites but we all know that on the day anything can happen. We will be favorites and, if we play as we can play, we have got a fantastic chance of winning it.”

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray now has the task of recharging his team for the challenge of gaining promotion. Going into this game, the Baggies were fourth in the League Championship and only the top two are guaranteed promotion.

“The message coming out of the dressing room is, let’s go and earn the right to go and play teams like Portsmouth week in and week out,” Mowbray said.

West Brom striker Kevin Phillips said Baros used his arm to control the ball and the referee should have ruled the goal out. He said: “You know what these officials are like, they tend to bottle it a little bit in these big games. Portsmouth have been very lucky today. If (only) we found that goal when we dominated in the first half. I don’t think we deserved to lose.”

I feel it is sour grapes to pin the blame on the referee. West Brom displayed some classy touches but they let themselves down with a lack of killer instinct. The consolation is they can now focus all their attention on promotion hopes and on the back of this performance, they deserve it.

Portsmouth are thriving under the stewardship of Harry Redknapp and his bunch of ex Arsenal players Lauren, Diarra, Campbell and Kanu. I don’t know what Wenger is thinking when he sees all his former charges doing well at other clubs. David Bentley at Blackburn is another case in point. Will Wenger feel the pinch or he believes he has done the right thing?

His policy on youngsters is right for the long-term benefit of the club but when push comes to shove, the youth can be unpredictable and inconsistent. A good mix of seniors, with their experience, is needed to helm the squad to provide stability and consistency.

Cardiff City will meet up with Portsmouth in the FA Cup final after a stunning goal from midfielder Joe Ledley gave them a 1-0 win over Barnsley in the other semi-final, ending the latter’s giant-killing run. In such a match-up, the smart money is on Portsmouth to stand up on the podium, unless Cardiff City can prove us wrong.

The 1-0 scoreline between Manchester United and Portsmouth tells part of the story. The minnows were not on the ropes but instead stunned their classy counterparts with purposeful, resilient football and an immense desire to win.

In the case of Manchester United, the referee is to blame, according to Alex Ferguson. He said: “The game was decided by the decision not to give us a penalty. Pompey had great confidence to hang on knowing the referee was on their side.”

United deserved to get at least a draw for their enterprising play. They were off the blocks in a flash and they laid siege on the visitors for long periods. For all the chances they created, unfortunately, the players provided a variety of lessons on how not to score.

In the first half, Portsmouth held firm as Carlos Tevez and Rooney tested the reflexes of the keeper. Manchester United rue an unheeded penalty appeal as Sylvain Distin barged into Cristiano Ronaldo. After the interval, Portsmouth continued their frantic defense, with Sol Campbell outstanding at the heart of their resistance. However, a 78th minute penalty by Ghanaian Sulley Muntari, after United keeper Tomasz Kuszczak had been sent off for fouling Milan Baros, settled the match.

Certainly, it was a jubilant night for Portsmouth as they have not won at Old Trafford for 51 years and their last semi-final in the FA Cup dated back to the loss against Liverpool in 1992. Portsmounth manager Harry Redknappp said: “It was the worst draw we could have got but it was a great performance and a great result. We deserved our luck.”

Redknapp enjoyed a personal triumph as he never got past the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, even as he amassed a remarkable record against Manchester United, knocking them out thrice in this competition, with three different clubs – Bournemouth in 1984, West Ham seven years later, and now at Portsmouth.

However, the hard-fought victory was marred by questions on fairness and competence of the referee. Alex Ferguson’s anger extended beyond the abysmal decisions of the referee, Martin Atkinson; referees’ chief Keith Hackett was also accused of not doing his job.

He said: “Diarra had eight fouls in the match, it is incredible. Someone is going to get a serious injury in our game. I agree with Sepp Blatter, the standards in our game as opposed to the Continent – the tolerance level – is behind Europe.”

But was the penalty appeal as decisive a factor as what Ferguson claimed? The replays show that Diarra’s shoulder charge was a tactical foul, intended to destroy and not to win the ball. In a 1-to-1 situation, he did the best thing he could by sending Ronaldo sprawling to the floor, knowing well that he is no match for the trickery and pace of the Portuguese. Letting him through to face the keeper, having already scored 30 goals, is tantamount to disaster.

I am sure it is a yellow card offense, even if it happened in the first minute and the referee was not in the mood to reach into his shirt pocket. Of course, Ronaldo’s reputation for playacting doesn’t help and it was regrettable that payback has come at this inopportune time.

Cristiano Ronaldo expressed concern about the lack of protection from referees. He said: “Refs don’t protect skilful players. I think about Eduardo and I am scared sometimes to do skills because some players do unbelievable fouls.”

“It is very disappointing and I am thinking a lot about changing my game. When referees don’t give penalties, yellow or red cards, it is difficult to play.”

I don’t think Cristiano Ronaldo will be changing his game much, the fear factor is being overplayed. Scoring 30 goals for a midfielder is sure to attract attention of defenders who has to stop him at all cost. Ronaldo should already be accustomed to the English game after a few years in the Premier League and the tackles he has experienced are heavy, even bone-crunching in extreme cases. When a defender is constantly embarrassed, the only way to prevent further humiliation is to go for the tormentor himself and turn the tackles malicious.

It is not acceptable but the English game is deep-rooted in its acceptance of physicality and such behavior has some way to go before it is eradicated. The faster route is of course to leave England if he fears for his legs, but the fact remains that injury is part and parcel of the game, in any league, and whether you are skillful or not.

Ronaldo can choose to go to Italy where the game is more tactical and defense-minded. After given a license to roam for the Red Devils, he will find the efficient Italian system too restrictive for his talents. The Italians also do not take too kindly to showmanship and losing face, considering where Marco van Basten ended his career prematurely, it is not a wise career move. In Spain, the tackles may not be less intimidating than the Premier League too but it is a likely destination in future.

Currently, Manchester United is the best club for him. It is lucrative (many foreign players see it as their retirement nest), there are lots of local and international media attention, and Alex Ferguson is like a father figure to him (a unique quality which not every club can furnish).

Ronaldo’s comments are intended to create more protection for himself in later matches. He is frustrated that his usual flowing game is interrupted unfairly. I can’t see the midfield wizard making his game staid, it will be unbearable for him, but some change like passing the ball quickly, instead of dribbling all the way to the heart of the opponent’s defense, may happen.

The Big Four cannot survive the FA Cup, I believe it is not a drop in standard, but more that they are jaded and distracted by the European competition, and of course, luck. If Manchester United want to take a positive from this match, they can now focus more on the Premier League and Champions League, eking out a draw may make them suffer even more with their jammed schedule.

Grant rubbished talks of Frank Lampard being placed on the transfer list and he is confident a new deal will be tabled in the summer. “I want him in the club, and I think he will stay at Chelsea,” Grant said. “I don’t see any other idea.”

Lampard’s contract expires in summer 2009 and he can buy out the final two years of the deal, at around £8 million, under Fifa’s transfer regulations. Critics have questioned his importance to the club with age and injury concerns, as well as a trying relationship with Michael Ballack in midfield. His response to these doubts was exemplary.

In only his second appearance since returning from injury, Lampard inspired Chelsea to a 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town by scoring twice to take his tally past the 100 mark and created a fabulous assist for Salomon Kalou as his team booked a place in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Even though Grant viewed the FA Cup as “a competition with fantastic history and importance to the supporters”, the players he fielded suggested that his thoughts are on this week’s Champions League fixture against Olympiakos. He made significant changes against Huddersfield, with Frank Lampard remaining from the team that played Liverpool.

As a result, Chelsea may have lost a bit of shape and rhythm but their performance was smoothed out by Huddersfield’s inability to impose themselves. Chelsea scored the opener in the 18th minute when Scott Sinclair blazed down the flanks and his cross fell perfectly for Frank Lampard, who swept low into the net.

That threatened to open the floodgates but Huddersfield held firm and instead snatched a dramatic equalizer just before the half-time whistle. Michael Collins stole in behind Paulo Ferreira, gathered James Berrett’s diagonal ball and clipped a neat finish past Carlo Cudicini.

Grant must have given his squad a dressing down as they stepped back on the pitch re-energized. In the 60th-minute, a slick move involving John Mikel Obi and Kalou ended with the Ivorian setting up Lampard who bundled in the rebound from close range.

Chelsea continued to dominate and Kalou finally etched his name on the score sheet, after collecting Frank Lampard’s well-crafted pass and slipping the ball through goalkeeper Glennon’s legs. Huddersfield’s fairy tale was well and truly over.

The odds were stacked heavily against Huddersfield as Chelsea have gone 58 competitive matches at home without defeat. But in their last encounter, back in 2006, Huddersfield did not fare too badly, losing 2-1 at Stamford Bridge with Eidur Gudjohnsen’s late winner saving the blushes for Chelsea.

For this match, aside from an equalizer at the end of first half and the first 15 minutes into the second half, it was a routine victory for the Blues, even with a weakened team. Huddersfield were too cautious in their approach and packed men behind the ball while Chelsea played a patient passing game (as if in a training session) looking for gaps in the defenses, without feeling threatened.

The FA Cup victory was the perfect boost to their confidence after a lackluster draw with Liverpool. John Terry’s return to form is also good news for their Champions League campaign. It was a mini-miracle as he was not expected to return for another fortnight after fracturing three bones in his foot against Arsenal in December.

Chelsea are now on course for an unprecedented quadruple. Grant said: “We are in all the competitions. We won today and we are in the last eight of the FA Cup. We missed so many players but we stayed in all competitions.”

The reserve players have managed to gel together as a team to produce consistent results. No matter how disjointed the squad Grant send out, there is always someone who rose to the occasion and drove the team on. Even the deplorable Shevchenko who has not only lost his fitness but totally forgot how to play football, has contributed with goals on a few occasions.

For me, this is the main reason for their success so far and Avram Grant deserves a great deal of credit; he has certainly achieved more than what many fans had expected him to do.

Is Avram Grant a world-class manager yet? Suffice to say, if we put Mourinho and Grant in a club like Derby, my feeling is Mourinho will outdo him by a mile. So yes, Grant has won nothing yet and he inherited a championship team with solid foundations but if he does accomplish the quadruple this season – a mission impossible even for Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho – then to h*ll with the Uefa coaching license, a new messiah has arrived.

A lot of Liverpool fans did not see this coming, even as they expected Rafael Benitez to field his second-stringers with the impending clash against Inter Milan at the back of his mind. In spite of this, a defeat was inconceivable in this mismatch – a seven time FA Cup champions and five time European champions facing off against a mid-table, second-tier team. Barnsley’s only claim to fame was in the FA Cup way back in 1912.

True to form, Benitez left captain Steven Gerrard on the bench and rested Javier Mascherano, Jose Reina and Fernando Torres. French goalkeeper Charles Itandje and stand-in captain Jamie Carragher got a run-out. In the 32nd minute, Liverpool pulled ahead when striker Dirk Kuyt poked in a cross from Ryan Babel. But Barnsley equalized before the hour mark when Stephen Foster headed in a cross from Martin Devaney.

Harry Kewell, replacing Babel, nearly wrapped up the tie for Liverpool when his shot hit the crossbar. The Reds brought on Steven Gerrard for Lucas in the 75th minute, but he was ineffective in providing the penetration through a stubborn Barnsley defense.

To add to Liverpool’s woes, Carragher was booked three minutes from time – a caution which will see him banned against Middlesbrough next week. Worse was to come deep in injury time, when Howard found space on the edge of the box to drill home the winner.

His goal, moments after Barnsley had a penalty appeal turned down, sealed a memorable victory for the Championship side and added more pressure on Benitez. “We are throwing away games because we cannot take our chances and finish matches,” said a frustrated Benitez.

“I’m really disappointed. They scored in the last minute. Sometimes this is football, this is the Cup. The only thing we can do now is prepare for the next game.”

Barnsley boss Simon Davey was delighted by his team’s attitude. He said: “The players have been fantastic. I always felt we were in the game. We kept going right until the end and scored two great goals.”

With the best bet for a trophy dashed, Benitez is living on borrowed time and it is difficult to envisage him staying at Liverpool for another season. This season is already marked by plenty of off-pitch troubles – mounting debts, lack of mutual respect, abortive transfers, worries of club ownerships and managerial changes, etc.

The conflicts doesn’t help the performances on the pitch. Even if the American owners decide to keep Rafael Benitez’s service (to prevent a hefty severance payout), it will be to humiliate him further as they are not likely to apportion more cash in the kitty to fund his transfers, unless some players are offloaded. Under such circumstances, I will not be surprised if Benitez decides to move on to another club where he will be better appreciated.

After surviving a scare in the last round by coming back from behind to non-league Havant and Waterlooville, Liverpool should have learned their lesson, that the FA Cup can throw up unpleasant surprises, if you underestimate your opponents.

But I do not blame Benitez as Liverpool enjoy the better of exchanges for long stretches of the game. Sufficient chances were created and it is up to the players to finish them off. Riise, Lucas, Crouch, Harry and Kuyt were guilty of being wasteful in front of goal by firing/heading wide or failing to connect with the crosses.

Another factor for the downfall was the magnificent form of goalkeeper Luke Steele. It was a memorable night for him as he made excellent saves to prevent a humiliating lop-sided result. Considering he has just moved into a new environment (his loan from West Brom was confirmed last week) and to be thrown into the fray against a prestigious opponent in his debut, I have to pay him kudos.

Compared to his steady counterpart, Itandje should be kept away from Liverpool’s goalposts in the near future. He looked anything but comfortable against Barnsley, and against sturdier opponents, especially in the Champions League, that is tantamount to a suicidal act. Rafael Benitez deserves to be lambasted for persevering with Itandje at this critical stage.

At this point of time, Liverpool can only look to the Champions League to revive their flagging morale. After coming back from a near impossible situation to qualify for the next stage, they may just progress from strength to strength. The Inter-Milan match is crucial and the Reds just have to keep their head up and grind out a result.

Arsenal are peaking at the right time but an Achilles’ heel which can derail hopes of a bountiful season is their wafer-thin squad. Arsene Wenger admitted as much ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Manchester United.

Looking at the current Arsenal squad, I have to marvel at the courage of Wenger in sticking to his philosophy of remaining a spectator in the January transfer window. There are only 14 fit outfield players for the Old Trafford visit. Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie, Bacary Sagna and Denilson are out through injury or unavailability.

Jens Lehmann would still continue as goalkeeper in place of Alumnia. Another four players (Gael Clichy, Philippe Senderos, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini) are rated doubtful and will undergo fitness tests this morning.

They may not see action as Wenger does not want any complications at this stage of the season. He said: “It’s a period when you don’t want to lose players because these are decisive months. They could be out for the rest of the season.”

In view of this, the B-team will feature Hoyte and Traore while the return of players from the African Cup Nations including Toure, Eboue and Song add some beef to the makeshift squad. The timing is perfect but whether there are any residual effects from the tiring campaign is unclear.

I believe Arsene Wenger’s competitive streak will see him assemble a team capable of winning. His team had lost just once (Carling Cup defeat to Tottenham) in their last 16 outings, and they are unbeaten in three previous meetings against Manchester United. This is a record worth preserving but it is not beyond him to endure some gloating and let Alex Ferguson triumph this round.

If truth be told, the Champions League is the one major regret in his life, and he will not rest till he clinches that crown. The AC Milan match looms in the middle of next week, allocation of resources is crucial and risking half-fit players to secure the “less glamorous” FA Cup is not appealing to Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal have always been second best in Europe while Milan enjoy an impeccable pedigree. To clear this hurdle, Arsenal have to field their strongest team to stand a chance. The Milanese are fit and ready, notable absentees being Ronaldo and Seedorf, but Kaka and Pato are believed to be in the first XI.

Arsene Wenger claimed he does not “favor any competition over another,” but there is no doubt where his priorities lie. If three Premier League points are at stake or the Champions League Finals beckons, I suspect a lot of the “unavailable” players will have miraculously recovered.

As for Manchester United, while not really down to the bare bones, they are in the same boat as Arsenal with their own Champions League campaign to consider. United will travel to France to face Lyon next week.

Ferguson believes both teams will make changes, saying, “It’s impossible to play the same team all the time with so many fixtures. That’s why we have squads of 22 players. You can’t go back to the days when Liverpool fielded 14 players in a season.”

Manchester United are boosted by the return to fitness of forward Louis Saha, who has recovered from a cartilage problem. Ferguson insisted Saha could be useful as United challenge for honors on all fronts, provided he stays away from the treatment room. While Saha’s return is welcome, Fergie will prefer Adebayor to sit on the bench. The Togolese’s exploits for Arsenal, scoring 12 goals in his last nine appearances is a cause of concern for his defense.

I am sure Manchester United will give Arsenal a hard time as they are raring to recover their bearings after the recent disappointing results. It can be a blessing in disguise as the players tasted defeat and realize they cannot be complacent. To secure the titles, they have to commit every ounce of energy and be focused.

Ferguson believes his players would pick themselves up. According to him, the abject display is due to the somber atmosphere, along with a minute’s silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster. He said: “That is the only thing I can offer. The training ground has been quiet this week. There has been a deep impact on the team. They are genuine players and they have a genuine desire to do better.”

The FA Cup is Alex Ferguson’s favorite hunting ground as he has won the competition five times. While both clubs have not met in the FA Cup since Arsenal won on penalties in the 2005 final, Fergie will certainly attempt his 12th victory in 36 encounters with Arsene Wenger.

“My favorite tie was the semi-final in 1999 at Villa Park against Arsenal,” said Ferguson. “It had everything. I’m sure this tie will be a typical United versus Arsenal game. It’ll be very competitive. Fasten your seat belts!”

Indeed, United-Arsenal clashes have a history of being tempestuous affairs. I expect United to sacrifice their exciting football and play ugly to progress to the next round. Psychologically, a victory will deal a huge blow to Arsenal while giving them the confidence to charge all the way and repeat the 1999 treble dream.

There is no better time to gather momentum and it is up to Arsene Wenger and his young Turks to stop them in their tracks.

The game was open and freedom of expression was encouraged for both teams. As early as the 4th minute, Ryan Giggs provided an excellent pass to Rooney who hit the side-netting. With a quarter of an hour gone, Tottenham replied and Rooney had to clear off the line after Aaron Lennon’s corner picked out an unmarked Berbatov on the edge of the box.

Tottenham, without a win at Old Trafford since 1989, surprised Manchester United in the 24th minute when winger Aaron Lennon’s low cross was turned in from point-blank range by Keane. That is Keane’s 18th goal of the season and his fourth in four matches.

Despite their possession, Man United’s forward game was until then best described as toothless but they persisted in piling more pressure on Spurs defense. It was frustrating for the Red Devils when Cerny did well to tip a fierce Giggs strike over the bar from Michael Carrick’s clever pass. They finally broke the duck in the 38th minute through Carlos Tevez.

However, Tottenham were in an adventurous mood and not playing for a draw. Jermaine Jenas could have restored Tottenham’s advantage in added time at the end of the first-half after a sublime through ball by Steed Malbranque. Spurs had another great chance just after the restart but Lennon’s cross flew onto the roof of the net with Keane unmarked at the far post. Manchester United were again spared the blushes when Jamie O’Hara bent a free-kick inches wide of the post.

Paul Scholes was then brought on for his first appearance since suffering a knee injury in October. The turning point for Man United came in the 70th minute. A free kick by goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was handled by Michael Dawson when Rooney was about to shoot. Dawson was immediately handed a red card and Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot.

Tottenham nearly leveled the score with six minutes left but Berbatov saw his shot come back off the post. Cristiano Ronaldo put the game beyond Spurs two minutes from time, with a low shot that deflected in off Malbranque.

“It was a fantastic Cup tie, end to end and open,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports. “I think we edged it in possession but Tottenham had the best chances but didn’t take them and I’m pleased to be in the next round, it’s a relief.”

Assistant Spurs manager Gus Poyet also rued the missed opportunities. “We had to score the second and not try to hold on,” he said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t and they equalized but even then we had a great chance before they scored the second.”

Man United, FA Cup winners for a record 11 times, are in the fifth round and on course to re-live their treble dream. This is a glowing testament to Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable season. I have to say that his achievement today is more than just aptitude alone. Ferguson has revealed publicly that the Portuguese spent hours after training to hone his skills. Practice makes perfect – for professionals and amateurs alike.

The efforts have paid off with his improved range of passing, timing, positioning and accuracy. The lad has now scored 25 goals and it is only January. His transformation from a dazzling dribbler to a devastating finisher is frightening and more than justifies the 100 million pounds price tag Real Madrid has targeted to lure him over.

At the moment, I doubt if he is in a hurry to move to Spain because of a previous feud with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Real Madrid’s current style of play does not suit him but there is an outside chance if the top honors at the major awards still elude him.

As for Tottenham, their defensive frailties let them down once again. They will enjoy a more respectable position in the Premier League if it is decided by goals scored alone. Spurs have the third best scoring record in the league; in 23 matches, they have notched 44 goals, just two behind free-scoring Manchester United and Arsenal.

Against Spurs deadly front line and creative midfield, lesser opponents will struggle to stop their march to the FA Cup Finals, but this is after all Manchester United, a team featuring Scholes, Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo who are masters at unpicking the tightest of defenses.

Yes, the defense, if only the same praise can be heaped on the jokers. Spurs have conceded 40 goals in the Premier League, marginally better than Reading, Fulham, Sunderland and Derby County. This leaky defense is certainly not championship quality but to be fair, injuries and suspensions have taken their toil.

Huddlestone was the weakest link but Ramos should take part of the blame as the player is a midfielder who was converted into a makeshift center-back after Ledley King was sidelined. Dawson was another culprit as his misreading of the game and subsequent dismissal turned the tide in favor of the Red Devils.

Overall, it was a good fight, Manchester United could have slipped on a banana skin and it will have capped a wonderful week for Ramos as he defeated two of the best teams in the Premier League in quick succession.

I do hope that Tottenham retain the partnership of Berbatov and Keane. Especially the latter as he can conjure goals from half-chances and his scintillating form has shown no signs of waning. Let’s see if Ramos can work some magic at the back and establish a pair of defensive bedrocks too.

The impending arrival of injury-prone Johnathan Woodgate is interesting, a blessing or a curse, I can’t say for now but with the current lot, it will be hard to do much worse.