FA Cup

MAURICIO POCHETTINO booked Chelsea a dramatic return trip to Wembley exactly three weeks after the last one in a thrilling battle.But forget the magic of the FA Cup – the smell of bitterness and frustration overpowered any scent of romance.Chelsea booked passage into the FA Cup semi-final with a late flourish against LeicesterCredit: GettyChelsea had most of the match possession and shotsChelsea dominated much of the gamePochettino’s team finally overcame a ten man team from the Championship thanks to a stylish winner from sub Carney Chukwuemeka two minutes into added time and a stunner from Noni Madueke in the dying seconds to wrap it up.But the booing and cries of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ during a tortuous tie tainted the feeling of triumph.Chelsea blew a 2-0 lead which was bad enough. But Rahem Sterling was subjected to jeering and chants of ‘get him off’ as the winger endured a nightmare game which spilled over into resentment aimed at boss Pochettino.Sterling missed a penalty after relieving regular spot kick taker Cole Palmer in the first half following deep discussions.He had earlier missed a cracking chance to score. And when he put a free kick on the edge of the box high into the top tier of Stamford Bridge’s Matthew Harding Stand, enough was enough.The fans turned and booed him and the manager as the last chance of a trophy this season and qualifying for Europe under their own steam seemed to be disappearing fast.When Sterling was finally taken off to be replaced by goalscorer Madueke, there was even more negativity aimed at one of Chelsea’s most senior players.Ultimately, Pochettino’s team is now into the FA Cup semi finals and the last Championship team is out in game Leicester.Cole Palmer was a star of the show with a goal and assistCredit: ReutersCole Palmer put in a Man of the Match displayBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThey are two wins from silverware and the Europa League next season instead of relying on coefficients through the Premier League’s European teams this term.Marc Cucurella gave them the perfect start with a goal after 13 minutes. It was his first for the club and it should have been the platform for the Premier League side to settle.Chelsea’s plans for £1bn new stadiumWhen Sterling was brutally upended in the box by clumsy Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu 12 minutes later the chance was there to put the tie to bed long from the penalty spot before half time.But Sterling’s determination to prove himself was his undoing and the lame shot at Jakub Stolarczyk gave City and their noisy 5,000 fans belief.At two up, Disasi struck six minutes into the second halfUnder pressure from Patson Daka but seemingly out of harm’s way on Chelsea’s right flank, centre half Axel Disasi turned to hit a pass back to keeper Robert Sanchez.The chip was overhit and miscued while Sanchez was a long way off his line and watched helplessly as the punt intended for him sailed into his empty net for a cracking own goal.Neither Chelsea player coated themselves in glory and of course it rattled the nerves. And as Sterling’s day deteriorated, so did Chelsea’s.Raheem Sterling did not have his finest day in front of goal for Chelsea as he missed a pen, a glaring one-on-one and ballooned a free-kick miles wideCredit: APSterling was wasteful in front of goalAt least this time it was a moment of magic that ignited this Cup tie.Stephy Mavididi shimmied into the box with a double stepover to bamboozle Malo Gusto before curling a delightful curling shot into the far corner to equalise.Chelsea were on the ropes and flung everything forwards and Nicolas Jackson was tripped running into the box by Callum Doyle. VAR spotted it outside of the box – just but Doyle’s booking was upgraded to a red card.City hung on as best they could but eventually the numerical advantage and fresh legs made the difference.Chukwuemeka’s one two with Palmer put Chelsea ahead two minutes into added time. And fellow Chelsea sub Noni Madueke chipped a spectacular shot over keeper Stolaczyk with seconds remaining.Remind yourself how the game went with our live blog below.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER More

BERNARDO SILVA’S double kept them dreaming of the treble…even if Pep Guardiola refuses to entertain the idea for another few weeks.The Manchester City gaffer insists he won’t even consider the prospect of repeating last term’s triple triumph until the last fortnight or so of the season.Man City booked their place in the FA Cup semis with a 2-0 win against NewcastleCredit: APBernardo Silva bagged both goals at the EtihadCredit: GettyWell, if all City’s opponents between now and then roll over as meekly as the Toon did here, it’s going to be another finale to remember for the Spaniard.Let’s face it, it’s hard enough to get a result at this place at the best of times. When you’re dangling a leg, nodding a head and sticking the ball in the net for them, it becomes impossible.That’s what happened last night, though, as twice Bernardo took aim with first half strikes, and twice his efforts were heading for goal.Whether either would have ended up there? You’d have to say that was highly debatable. Let’s just say they weren’t exactly palm-stingers.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLYet on both occasions they found a way past keeper Martin Dubravka thanks to a lazy leg, and a craned, ill-placed flick of the neck muscles.First up it was Dan Burn on 13 minutes, turning his body sideways and stretching his right leg backwards in an almost languid attempt to block as Silva cut inside and shot.The ball flicked the back of his leg, looped over Dubravka in an agonising, almost apologetic arc, and City were a goal up.Given the lack of anything but the faintest flicker of a Geordie threat, essentially we could have all packed up and gone home there and then.Most read in FA CupBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERThere was never any serious danger of anything other than a sky blue stroll into the last eight.But if there were any doubters, even they were convinced 13 minutes before the break when Bernardo cocked the trigger once again….and Newcastle pulled it for him.The Premier League’s Top 10 sexiest managers according to AIIn many ways it was a replica of the first, save for Ruben Dias shuffling the ball right to his Portuguese pal, rather than Rodri.Once more Bernardo stepped back inside, once more he left rip with a shot that was directed, rather than dynamic.And once more a Toon defender – this time Sven Bottman, craning his neck to make contact – changed its goalbound course.It was hardly a deflection which left Dubravjka flat-footed, given the ball ended up going beneath the flying keeper’s legs.If you were being cruel – okay, let’s be cruel – there was a decent case for thinking the Slovakian stopper could have made a better fist of keeping it out.Silva opened the scoring after 13 minutesCredit: GettyThe Portuguese added his second in the 31st minuteCredit: GettyNo matter, it was two down, and too big a mountain. Mind you, one goal had looked like Everest.And in truth, Newcastle never really came close to even reaching base camp, let alone anywhere near the summit.Let’s not forget, by the way, that losing here effectively brought the curtain down on their season.One which began with hopes of a Champions League adventure and is stumbling towards a conclusion with them in tenth place and heading for the Europa Conference at best.Not exactly what they had in mind when those Sheikh, rattle and rollers turned the place into Geordie Arabia, eh?City were all smiles at the final whistleCredit: ReutersPep Guardiola has edged a step closer to retaining the TrebleCredit: APAnd the worrying thing for boss Eddie Howe is the way they bid such a limp and lame farewell to the FA Cup here.Okay, City had 80 per cent of possession, yet there was just a lack of intensity and jeopardy. Magic of the Cup? In the main this was about as high octane as a pre-season game.Occasionally City would inject a bit of energy and electricity into it. Like Jeremy Doku’s run and sidefoot which had Dubravka leaping to push his shot behind.To be honest, there were times when the lightning Doku was racing at Jamal Lascelles when it was almost cruel.Although the centre back’s hook-around-the-neck to stop him on one occasion was worthy of a Six Nations sin binning, rather than the yellow card it brought.It was another miserable night for Toon and Eddie HoweCredit: EPAAnthony Gordon was unable to impact the game after his England nodCredit: AFPBut back to the sights of goal, and Erling Haaland had another, whipping an effort a coat of paint wide, while a Josko Gvardiol rocket was deflected and this one went in Newcastle’s favour.There was even, believe it or not, a moment of raised pulses in the sky blue backline when Alexandar Isak fired in a point blank snapshot that surely had to give them hope.Well no, actually, because Stefan Ortega – deputising for Ederson after his self-inflicted Anfield injury a week ago – got down with an impressively strong left hand to beat it away.Howe finally made  a mass four-strong substitution in an effort to inject some life into his battered battalion. It brought a little more energy, but no nearer to an end product.READ MORE SUN STORIESIndeed, the closest we got to another goal came when Haaland bulldozed his way into the box, but this time Bottman deflected his shot over the bar.All pretty routine, all pretty humdrum and – worryingly for Newcastle this season – all too familiar. More