Sunderland stun Arsenal

Arsenal's miserable week got worse on Saturday when they were knocked out of the FA Cup in a 2-0 fifth round defeat at Sunderland.

Three days after a 4-0 Champions League defeat at AC Milan that manager Arsene Wenger branded their ‘worst performance in Europe’, Arsenal's sloppiness was back as Kieran Richardson's strike and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's own goal sealed their fate.

Sunderland were joined in the quarterfinals by Everton and Bolton Wanderers.

Arsenal's day at the Stadium of Light started badly when they lost Francis Coquelin to a hamstring injury with less than 10 minutes gone. Arsenal went behind five minutes before half time after giving away a free-kick. Djourou had pulled back Craig Gardner needlessly to concede the kick, which Seb Larsson delivered only for Arsenal to half-clear straight into the path of Richardson, who blasted the ball into the back of the net thanks to a deflection off Squillaci.

Wenger's side allowed their hosts to go further ahead in the 78th minute when Oxlade-Chamberlain sent the ball into his own net after Larsson had hit the post.

On Sunday, favourites Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw at third tier Stevenage but Liverpool laid their claim to be the real frontrunners with a 6-1 fifth-round thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Liverpool, whose win came thanks to an early Martin Skrtel goal, a neat Andy Carroll finish, three own goals and a late Luis Suarez header, next host last term's runners-up Stoke City in the quarterfinals after they prevailed 2-0 at Crawley Town.

Spurs, third in the Premier League and with coach Harry Redknapp tipped to take over England, produced a lethargic display with three centre backs and had to settle for a replay at White Hart Lane next month.