Karma For Rafa Benitez As Everton Beat Liverpool

Everton knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup on Wednesday 1-0 as midfielder Dan Gosling produced something special late into extra time. The 19-year-old from Plymouth, in only his fifth appearance for the club, scored in the 118th minute to finally break the spirit of 10-man Liverpool.

On Monday, Liverpool sold forward Robbie Keane back to Spurs, basically because Benitez had not wanted him in the first place. The move left Liverpool short of goal- scorers, and the karma gods must have been smiling when Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard limped off after only 16 minutes holding his hamstring.

We will not know until the morning how serious Gerrard’s injury is, but Wayne Rooney recently missed three weeks with a hamstring injury of his own.

In three weeks Liverpool play Real Madrid in the Champions League, and not having Gerrard available for the first leg will hurt Liverpool’s chances of progressing.

Elsewhere, John Carew scored on his first start in three months as Aston Villa reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in nine years by beating Doncaster 3-1. The Norway international struck for the eighth time this season, proving his fitness after a lengthy lay-off with a back problem.

Benni McCarthy stepped off the bench to steer Blackburn into the fifth round of the FA Cup and set up a home tie with Coventry. The South African striker got the vital goal in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland with three minutes of extra-time remaining when he headed home a free-kick from Carlos Villanueva.

Kris Commons’ goal settled an enthralling FA Cup fourth-round replay between east midlands rivals Nottingham Forest and Derby to ensure a winning return to the City Ground for Nigel Clough. Former Forest winger Commons sent the Rams through to a last-16 tie at home to Manchester United later this month with a deflected second-half effort in a sensational 3-2 victory.

Updated Fifth Round Draw

Sheffield United v Hull City
Watford v Chelsea
West Ham v Middlesbrough
Blackburn v Coventry
Derby v Manchester United
Swansea v Fulham
Everton v Aston Villa
Cardiff/Arsenal v Burnley