With Hull also going to penalties to knock out Leicester, it means two Championship teams and two Premier League sides will go into the draw for the Capital One Cup fifth round along with the winners from Wednesday’s games.
Advertisement
The Blues went on to suffer their fifth Premier League defeat in 10 matches this season at the Boleyn Ground.
Stoke took the lead in the 52nd minute through a superb Jonathan Walters strike but saw Chelsea level just as the game seemed safe, with substitute Loic Remy converting an equaliser in stoppage time.
Chelsea might have to rethink their stance on Jose Mourinho as the club will end up losing £30 million if they kick him out now, according to Mirror. “For me it would be a fantastic situation if the players are against me, I can say, you don’t have results because the players are against me…my players tried everything”. The Portuguese manager has the Chelsea team on a leash for the way they have to play and there are more players than one who are finding it hard to cope with the requirements year on year.
“More chances followed in extra-time but we couldn’t find a way past Stoke keeper Jack Butland, who then saved from Eden Hazard in the penalty shoot-out to send the holders out”.
‘Firstly I don’t think that it is true.
Asked how his young fringe players had handled the occasion, Wenger delivered a scathing assessment, telling Sky Sports: “It was too high for them”.
“To see the lads in front of me putting in such a shift raised me and if I could get them out of trouble by making the odd save here and there, then that’s brilliant”, he said. “We can still be in the top four if we win games”.
The speculation surrounding Mourinho’s future has escalated with each fresh setback and, despite the club issuing a public backing of the manager a few weeks ago, rumours that the hierarchy’s patience is running out have refused to die down.
“It is more hard when you play very bad and lose than when you play well and lose”.
Advertisement
They doubled their advantage when Wallace turned provider, curling the ball into the area for Joao to head home after 40 minutes and six minutes after the break Hutchinson converted from close range as Arsenal went to sleep from a set piece.
