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Saints cut down by Blades but Chelsea powers into semifinals
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SOUTHAMPTON suffered an embarrassing 0-1 League Cup quarterfinal defeat at third-tier Sheffield United on Tuesday while Chelsea powered through with a 3-1 win at Derby County.
The sparkling early-season form shown by Southampton now seems but a distant memory after a second-half goal from Mark McNulty inflicted a fifth straight defeat on the Premier League club which was down to 10 men late on as Florin Gardos was sent off.
It was a much more relaxed evening for league leader Chelsea which went 2-0 up with a goal from Eden Hazard and a stunning free kick by Filipe Luis before second-tier Derby pulled one back through Craig Bryson.
A late charge was curtailed, however, when the home side's Jake Buxton was sent off for a professional foul on Loic Remy and Andre Schuerrle ensured there were no late jitters when he slammed home a Chelsea rebound from close range in the 82nd minute.
The confidence seems to have drained from Southampton whose early surge up the league on the back of some favorable fixtures has turned into a widely predicted slump.
United, managed by former Liverpool forward Nigel Clough, was not going to prove accommodating opponents for the Saints to regain some much-needed confidence.
While boasting the usual battling traits of a lower-league side when facing top-flight opposition, the club known as The Blades also came with an impressive cup pedigree.
United had lost only two of its previous 17 cup clashes and had ousted three Premier League teams from knockout competitions in the last two seasons.
It did its best to unsettle Southampton from the start and shaded the first half chances before finding a breakthrough after halftime.
When Southampton keeper Fraser Forster fumbled a free kick, McNulty was there to force the ball over the line.
It is the second season in succession that United has reached the last four of a major tournament, following its run to the FA Cup semifinals last season.
Four-time winner Chelsea has suffered some quarterfinal blues of its own in recent times but fielded a strong side in an effort to avoid a repeat of last year's surprise last-eight defeat at Sunderland.
The manner of its victory was one of ruthless professionalism, typified by Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas who continues to catch his manager’s eye.
“Cesc is playing so well for us,” Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports television. “What I like is as a person he is a professional. He is a world champion, he comes here to play in the Capital One Cup and plays like that. That is the character I like.”
Yesterday’s quarterfinals pit second-tier Bournemouth against eight-time winner Liverpool while Tottenham Hotspur was hosting Newcastle United.
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