More motivation for Everton than bruised Blues
A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE exit for Chelsea was made worse by the injuries picked up by Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.
Both may still play against Everton in Saturday’s late kick-off though the focus will be on whether Guus Hiddink can erase the midweek funk and get his weary side challenging for a trophy this season.
The clash with PSG was strange – the French outfit bossing the early stages before Costa’s equaliser gave the Londoners renewed hope. But, outside of the energetic Willian, Chelsea really lacked purpose and though their form under Hiddink hasn’t been too bad, it hasn’t been great either.
For their opponents this weekend, they’re still fielding questions after the collapse against West Ham – a two-goal lead (and a penalty) was squandered as the Hammers managed a dramatic 3-2 win.
Incredibly, Martinez is under pressure – perhaps suffering the consequences of sides like Leicester and West Ham over-performing, just like Everton themselves did in 2014 when finishing fifth. But, in modern football, two weeks is an eternity – nevermind two years.
With the Goodison Park crowd behind them, a date with Wembley should they conjure a win and the fact that the last time they hosted Chelsea at home they managed a 3-1 victory, there’s plenty of motivation for Everton.
This time, the Cup isn’t a distraction for Arsenal but a reminder of failure
Over the last two years, the Arsenal story has had the same ending: Champions League qualification and FA Cup win.
The club, bitter about the way in which each league season went, still had their big day out at least and in 2014, they had their first trophy in nine years.
The silverware felt good. It was a relief. It was a monkey off their backs.
But that’s changed now. This term, at various times, they found themselves right in the middle of the championship race. But with nine fixtures left and eight points behind Leicester, the league is almost certainly gone for another season.
What would a third-straight Cup victory do for morale? Not much, even with no side ever having won it three times in a row before. This season, it pales in significance to what genuinely might have been and that’s hard to shake.
Watford should be dispatched with minimum fuss on Sunday lunchtime though, as they’ve shown so often, you can’t really take much for granted with this Arsenal side.
Hammers will have no fear as weak United limp towards finish line
The deal was that as much as Manchester United’s league season was poor, they still had two trophies to challenge for. A derby clash in the Europa League and a traditionally-handy quarter-final tie with West Ham.
Well, the derby was an unmitigated disaster – one of the worst displays of Louis van Gaal’s time in charge. It was meek and timid and lacked any sign of aggression or intensity.
2-0 down against Liverpool, will the second-leg deliver an Old Trafford miracle? Will the side enjoy one of those spirited European nights that they’ve gone so long without?
Even the most optimistic of United fans would have their reservations. And so, they’re left with the FA Cup – a competition they haven’t won since 2004.
Logic would hint at there being a reaction on Sunday afternoon. Logic would hint at the United players currently feeling hurt after such a comprehensive and irritating loss. But, nothing has made much sense regarding the team this term.
And they’re facing a West Ham team buoyed by that remarkable comeback performance against Everton last weekend and their win over Liverpool in the Fourth Round replay.
They will have no fear heading to Old Trafford. The United players, on the other hand, just might.
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