Dan Critchlow

Job done, quarter-finals up next. Passed up far too many chances to settle it, but ultimately we’re through and I won’t complain.

The ball is actually in play with the game going on and we’re looking at Arteta and Clough and hearing about their dogs. I hate TV coverage.

Now an actual yellow for simulation. Pathetic stuff.

Honestly that should be a yellow for simulation. When did the lower-league teams get so soft, appealing for that?

Why is Matterface so keen to write the story of the game while it’s still happening?

Talking about Mansfield being proud of giving a good account of themselves overall, while there’s only 1 goal in it with 20 minutes or more remaining.

Excellent from Eze. Feel like we should always be starting him in these lower-league ties, when there’s a big gap in quality (Preston, Wigan, Spurs, today) he’s so good.

All that good work by Dowman and Madueke and all Jesus has to do is not dive in for the ball so Martinelli can tap it home.

Felt a bit sorry for Salmon at one point when he put in an excellent challenge on Mansfield’s experienced striker but the commentators didn’t hype it up because they presumably wanted a Mansfield attack.

Very funny handball there, wonder if he thought it would be subtle.

Great finish from Madueke, and decent effort from him in the first phase as well. Good stuff.

What was that camera behind the goal? Is someone streaming to TNT from their phone?

Jesus attempting two backheels in the first 10 minutes and giving possession away both times. Can you please be serious until we’re ahead?

Assume Norgaard is in the back four, but no idea what order they’re playing in. Salmon could be at CB or at full-back, same for Calafiori, same for Mosquera.

That’s some serious rotation. Great to see Salmon getting a chance to start, and Dowman back too. Three academy youngsters and Setford on the bench too, big opportunities for all involved.

Arne Slot, Unai Emery, Liam Rosenior, I’ve always liked you guys, don’t let anyone say differently. Fabian Hurzeler, I didn’t mean all that stuff I said yesterday. Granit Xhaka, I need one last favour.

After last night, Timber now has 10 g/a this season. 8 in the PL, 2 in the CL against Bayern and Inter.

Up until last night I was really looking forward to the break from PL football for a couple of cup/CL games.

Then we won and City drew and suddenly I’m like “can we play the rest of the season this week?”

I think it was just the classic fans angry at a defeat looking for ways to rain on the winning team’s parade.

But they can cheer if they want, they’ve already played City home and away and got results in both games, so they’ve done their job.

Brighton fans were fuming leaving the ground. Overheard a few of them running through the permutations for how City could retake top spot.

Absolutely the funniest possible way we could have won that game after Hurzeler’s pre-match whining.

HUGE!! Finally a strong defensive display. Massive cheer at the final whistle, another one as the City news filtered through. Let’s go, Arsenal!

With one obvious exception, this is one of our toughest remaining fixtures, and we’re winning it.

Unfortunately that’s about the only positive thing I can say about that half, which was largely very bad. Gabriel was good I guess.

🔴⚪️ #AFC

Mostly good and what we expected, with the exception of Saliba’s absence. Just hope he’s back in time for Leverkusen. Good to have Dowman back in the squad.

Don’t know why anyone expected Zubimendi to be rested with Mansfield at the weekend.

The 2 routines we scored from yesterday should have been on Chelsea’s radar.

The first was the one we did against Spurs last week (Saka deep, header back across, Saliba shot). The second was the same corner we scored vs Chelsea in Jan (Rice, Saliba screen by GK, RB free header).

Cole Palmer’s only goal contribution for Chelsea against Arsenal remains the penalty he scored in 2023.

In Chelsea’s last five visits to the Emirates Stadium their only two goals were scored by Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié and Arsenal’s Noni Madueke.

Declan Rice has now faced Chelsea three times in 2026 and assisted a goal on all three occasions.

Need the same enthusiasm to talk about Raya’s height today, when his agility from being a little smaller saved us multiple times.

Big result. 11 unbeaten against Chelsea, 8 wins in that run. Pressure back on City again.