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Was it anger, frustration or merely embarrassment that led to Arsene Wenger storming off down the tunnel at Eastlands without shaking Mark Hughes's hand?

Wenger's misplaced belief in his latest crop of youngsters was shown up as Arsenal lost 3-0 to Manchester City in their Carling Cup quarter-final, their third defeat in their last four matches.

The Gunners have now shipped 10 goals in their last three trips to the City of Manchester Stadium, and Wenger left the dugout right on the final whistle, neglecting to congratulate his opposite number.

The beef had been bubbling under nicely throughout the match, and Wenger looked perturbed when Hughes encroached into his side of the technical area to kick a stray ball to one of his players.

Whatever message he was trying to send out, all he achieved was to add a little extra bonus to Sparky's evening. If Hughes is to become a top manager with City, regularly getting under the skin of one of his main rival bosses is a good way to start going about things.

Hughes described Wenger's reaction as "ungracious", barely suppressing a smile as he did so, but Wenger was indignant, sarcastically claiming he had no professional courtesy and reminding everyone just who the Champions League manager was out of the two.

He said, while wrapping Sanchez Watt and Craig Eastmond up in cotton wool for another season: "It is a competition for our younger players. If I don't play them here where would I play them?

"We played in the quarter-final of the Champions League last season against top teams. Playing in those matches is 10 times harder than playing in the Carling Cup."

City now face local rivals United in the last four, which is great news for them now that Alex Ferguson has promised to continue fielding some of his own fringe players.

They are now close to emulating those other nouveau riche gatecrashers, Chelsea, by making the Carling Cup the first reward for their obscene spending.

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For a player of just 18 years of age and two full appearances behind him, Gael Kakuta has already managed to gain extraordinary notoriety.

After the row over whether he was induced into signing for Chelsea led to the club's suspended transfer ban, Kakuta finally made an impressive debut against Wolves, but last night missed the decisive spot-kick as the Blues were knocked out of the Carling Cup at Blackburn.

The good thing about penalty shoot-outs is that you can play it how you want – either the keeper is a hero or the man who misses the deciding kick is the villain. Pillorying a teenager for failing to convert a penalty is a little harsh, but the extra spotlight on him gave his miss plenty of resonance.

All credit to Paul Robinson for his performance, including saving another kick from Michael Ballack (that's right, a German), but Kakuta's shot straight at the keeper led to Chelsea's sixth defeat in their last seven shootouts. In this day and age, however, he is unlikely to find solace in a pizza commercial.

Just as Alberto Aquilani's half-hour of playing time for Liverpool has seen the Reds crash out of the Carling Cup, Champions League and scrape a disappointing draw with Birmingham in the league, Chelsea fans may just be wondering if it's really worth all the bother.

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Everton cruised into the last 128 of the Europa League with a 1-0 win at AEK Athens, but the win came at a cost. The Toffees can now add Jo, Sylvain Distin and Dan Gosling to their ridiculously long injury list.

David Moyes did his best to see the bright side of the dodgy Olimpiako Stadio pitch, saying: "It was like back to the old days. I would have enjoyed it in my playing days but I don't know how some of the players felt about the conditions out there." 

Never mind playing all these extra matches in Europe, at the rate Everton continue to accrue injuries they should think of pulling out of all football for a while, otherwise they'll end up having to field two goalkeepers,  just as Gillingham did on Tuesday night.

As for Celtic, they crashed out of Europe despite a 2-0 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv. Still, as they lie third in Group C they are the best-placed candidates to drop down into the next level of competition, the All-Lanarkshire U12s trophy.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I have nothing to say. I am free to shake hands with whom I want" – Wenger's moody response when asked why he failed to extend Mark Hughes any professional courtesy.

FOREIGN VIEW: "One sees that they do not support that we become leaders and when Barça beat Madrid. Notice that they must take secret, treacherous photos and later publish with the intention of disparaging me. We were within the framework of a private celebration. We celebrated with friends the team's victory over Real Madrid. This is the character of the Spanish media. This harms the right to the privacy, it has no integrity and a lack of professional ethics" – Marca reports Barcelona chief Joan Laporta slamming the press for publishing pictures of his wild post-Clasico celebrations, handily illustrated with a couple of said pictures.  

COMING UP: There is one more bit of Brit-based Europa League action this evening, with Fulham still very much in the Group E mix. Follow LIVE text commentary of the Cottagers' clash with CSKA Sofia from 20:00.

Blackburn dumped Chelsea out of the Carling Cup in a penalty shoot-out to set up a semi-final with Aston Villa.

Nikola Kalinic put Rovers ahead from six yards before a header from substitute Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou's finish sent Chelsea in front.

Hilario failed to deal with a deflected Brett Emerton cross and Benni McCarthy scored a penalty, but Paulo Ferreira levelled at 3-3 deep into extra-time.

Gael Kakuta missed the crucial spot kick as Rovers won the shoot-out 4-3.

The 18-year-old Kakuta, who Chelsea controversially signed from Lens, struck the ball straight at Paul Robinson, who had earlier sensationally tipped Michael Ballack's spot kick on to the post.

Premier League leaders Chelsea went into the tie unbeaten in nine games while Carlo Ancelotti's team had not conceded in their previous four matches.

But the Italian will not be winning the Carling Cup in his first season in English football after his team produced a largely below-par performance at Ewood Park.

After a disjointed first-half, the Londoners did improve, scoring twice in four minutes to take a 2-1 lead.

Ancelotti had made a bold triple substitution at half-time but when Kalou limped off midway through the second half, Chelsea were reduced to 10 men.

By that stage Rovers had levelled and went on to capitalise on their numerical advantage when McCarthy struck, but Chelsea's refusal to throw in the towel ensured the tie went the full distance.

The victory was be sweet revenge for Blackburn, who lost 5-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, and a real tonic for manager Sam Allardyce as he recovers from heart surgery.

There was certainly much to admire in an old-fashioned cup tie that started at a fast and frenetic piece, with both teams showing a willingness to attack from the opening whistle.

The lively Kalinic shot wide under pressure from Ferreira shortly before his ninth-minute opener.

It was a well-constructed goal that saw Morten Gamst Pedersen play in Pascal Chimbonda, who in turn drilled the ball low across the face of goal for Kalinic to slot home.
 

If it was a simple finish in the end by the Croatia international, he did well to get in front of Zhirkov.

Chelsea had been unusually wasteful in possession and struggled to create clear-cut openings. Even so, Kalou, Jon Obi Mikel, Joe Cole, Ballack and Zhirkov all either forced regulation saves from Robinson or missed the target before the break.

Kalou's miss was the most glaring, heading wide from six yards at the far post after an inviting cross from Juliano Belletti.

Ancelotti's thoughts on Chelsea's first-half performance were reflected in his decision to introduce Jeffrey Bruma, Kakuta and Drogba.

Drogba made an immediate impact after coming off the bench

Ivory Coast international Drogba had been spotted with a hot-water bottle as he watched from the dugout during the opening half but it did not take him long to get warmed-up.

On the pitch for just three minutes, Drogba climbed above Ryan Nelsen to head home Malouda's cross.

And after 52 minutes Chelsea took the lead when Zhirkov collected a loose ball and released Kalou, who closed in on goal with his first two touches before slotting the ball beyond Robinson.

There was a lengthy interruption following a nasty collision between Kakuta and Steven N'Zonzi but it did not holt Chelsea's momentum and Kalou should have added a third with a free header.

Rovers levelled when Kalinic attempted to head Emerton's deflected cross at the near post. It was difficult to conclude whether the Croatian actually touched the ball but either way it eluded Hilario.

Chelsea were reduced to 10 men when Kalou limped off and their dominance of the game was considerably reduced.

Rovers thought they had snatched a dramatic victory in injury-time but McCarthy's effort was ruled out for offside.

Kalinic then forced a good save from Hilario but Chelsea survived to take the match into extra-time.

Rovers pressure eventually told when the home team regained the lead from the penalty spot early in extra-time.

Zhirkov, who had a very mixed evening, clearly fouled substitute David Hoilett and McCarthy sent Hilario the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Ferreira equalised with just about the last action of extra time with a neat finish from a tight angle after Robinson had flapped at a cross.

But Rovers held their nerve in the penalty shoot-out to seal a place in the last four.

Darron Gibson scored twice as Manchester United booked their place in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Tottenham.

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The Republic of Ireland international put the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup behind him with two fantastic first-half finishes to end Tottenham's involvement in the competition.

The midfielder fired low past Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes after 16 minutes before doubling their tally with a beautiful curled effort from 25 yards six minutes before the break.

Spurs had chances of their own with Jermain Defoe guilty of wasting a gilt-edged opportunity in the first half.

But despite being second best for much of the encounter United held on comfortably for the win.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, as promised, kept faith with the youngsters who had fallen to defeat in the Champions League just six days earlier against Besiktas and after the early exchanges it looked as if a similar result could be on the cards.

Spurs looked the more composed in possession and threatening on the attack, while United chased shadows in the rain at Old Trafford.

Defoe fired in a rasping drive from outside the area that Tomasz Kuszczak, preferred to Ben Foster, did well to save low to his right, while Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale were causing all sorts of problems for Gary Neville down the Tottenham left.

But while Spurs were unable to deliver the killer blow that their possession merited, United clinically put them to the sword.

Gibson opened the scoring after 16 minutes with a stinging low drive from outside the area that nestled in the bottom left-hand corner with Spurs keeper Gomes well beaten.

At the other end chances came and went. Defoe, the five-goal hero against Wigan in the Premier League, shot straight at United defender Ritchie De Laet from six yards after being picked out by a pin-point cross from Bale, while Robbie Keane was twice tackled by Nemanja Vidic as he looked to pull the trigger.

Park ji-sung failed to connect with a cross from the left when he was unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box before Gibson doubled United's lead with an exquisite curler.

Gibson received the ball from Danny Welbeck 25 yards from goal before bending it into the top corner.

Spurs continued to pile on the pressure after the break as United struggled to maintain possession.

David Bentley had two chances to drag Spurs back into the game after the re-start, drawing a good save from Kuszczak with a side-footed finish after being picked out in the area by Bale before heading another cross from the Welshman wide of target.

But the Spurs threat gradually waned as United got a grip on the ball in midfield and Tottenham's hunger ebbed away.

The visitors brought on Peter Crouch in an effort to add another dimension to their play, but the striker was given little but scraps and long balls into the box to feed on.

Substitute Federico Macheda found the side netting in stoppage time with a low drive from outside the area as United ended the game in the ascendency.

Ferguson's side join Aston Villa in the semi-finals after Martin O'Neill's men beat Portsmouth 4-2 at Fratton Park.

Toby Davis / Eurosport