Chelsea's Grant feeling the heat after cup setbacks

Successive upsets in domestic cup competitions left Chelsea manager Avram Grant in search of answers.

The League Cup final defeat to Tottenham sparked talk by the fans for the way he picked his team while the negative display to lowly Barnsley at the Oakwell Ground in the FA Cup quarter-finals saw the Israeli's critics enjoying another field day last week.

Grant admitted that now he must win either the Premiership or the Champions League to retain his post at Stamford Bridge although some also reckon that he could still be shown the back door whatever happens at the end of the season.

Chelsea won at home to Derby 6-1 on Wednesday with Frank Lampard grabbing four goals. They are third in the standings and still a good bet to regain the Premier League title.

In the Champions League, the Londoners are through to the last eight after a 3-0 aggregate win over Greek side Olympiakos.

Grant is in chase of a first win over one of the 'big four' teams. Chelsea still have to play both Arsenal and Manchester United in the league.

Billionaire owner Roman Abra-movich conducted major inquests in the wake of the setbacks to Tottenham and Barnsley.

Questions about the positions of Grant and right-hand man Henk Ten Cate are being asked after the Israeli coach and the Dutchman also had a bust-up recently.

Today, Chelsea face Sunderland, another relegation-threatened side, at the Stadium of Light.

After the loss to Everton, the Black Cats have now lost four league games at home and are just two places off the relegation zone.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane remarked that there will be six or seven teams fighting it out against demotion. He has high hopes that the spirit that exists within his squad could see them through.

Emirates Stadium. For the first time this season, leaders Arsenal had three straight draws - vs Birmingham (away), Aston Villa (home) and Wigan (away).

That series hindered Arsenal's chances of consolidating their top placing in no small way. After their remarkable performance against Milan in the Champions League, Arsenal were also expected to find a way through past modest Wigan.

The Gunners are still on top of the table, two points ahead of Manchester United, who, however, have a game in hand.

Middlesbrough, Arsenal's opponents today, are in a depressing mood after they went out of the FA Cup at home to Cardiff last week.

Pride Park. Alex Ferguson and his assistant Carlos Queiroz have to respond to the FA commission after their harsh comments on referee Martin Atkinson following Manchester United's FA Cup elimination to Portsmouth at Old Trafford.

United missed a catalogue of chances and, at least, could have forced a replay.

Bottom-placed Derby, having already classified themselves among the relegation contenders, will play for pride as they continue to struggle at the wrong end of the standings.

The Mancunians won twice in their last four league outings.

Anfield. Liverpool showed their true mettle in the Champions League against Inter at the San Siro last Tuesday to complete the double over the Serie A leaders.

At home, Liverpool have shown signs of improvement lately, having won four straight league matches.

Steven Gerrard and Fernardo Torres have bonded a partnership that is delivering the goods and producing goals contrary to what had happened in the early stages of the campaign.

Former Liverpool hero Kenny Dalglish described Rafael Benitez's swoop to sign Torres as 'the best buy anywhere in Europe this season'.

The Reds have more than a score to settle with Reading after the Royals beat them 3-1 in the first round at the Madejski Stadium.

Reading's six-point haul - vs Middlesbrough (away) and vs Manchester City (home) - saw them moving out of the drop zone.

Craven Cottage. Fulham are still anchored a place from rock bottom despite a draw from their last match against Blackburn.

Fulham's poor form at home is letting them down badly and tomorrow they face another uphill struggle to contain in-form Everton.

Injured striker James Vaughan may not play again this season, indeed a big blow for Everton. In midweek, they were eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Fiorentina after a penalty shoot-out.

Since Alan Irvine left for Preston North End at the start of November, Everton boss David Moyes has been without an assistant coach at Goodison Park.

Moyes remarked that he would appoint his no.2 next season to help him share the burden to lift the club to higher echelons.

Fratton Park. The Portsmouth fans are dreaming on FA Cup success after the giant-killing acts that took place in the quarter-finals.

Pompey, who defeated Birmingham 4-2 in the Premier League in midweek, are now billed as favourites to lift the silverware.

Victory over Man. United was Redknapp's third in the FA Cup over the Old Trafford giants, having pulled it off with Bournemouth, in 1984, and West Ham, in 2001.

In the Premiership today, Port-smouth host Aston Villa, a side on the crest of a wave after they lost only once in 13 matches. In midweek, the Villans stretched their run with a draw against Middlesbrough.

City of Manchester Stadium. Sven-Goran Eriksson's City have lost their sparkle and after their cup defeat they gathered only one point from three league outings, in which they failed to score.

League Cup holders Tottenham seem to have have gone berserk after their win at Wembley over Chelsea - they lost 1-4 at Birmingham but then beat West Ham 4-0.

On Wednesday, they bowed out to PSV on penalties in the Uefa Cup.

Record signing Darren Bent has vowed to stay at White Hart Lane and try to force his way into Juande Ramos's future plans.

Upton Park. Alan Curbishley received a vote of confidence from the board despite a series of poor results (three successive 0-4 upsets) that left the West Ham fans disappointed and frustrated.

The Hammers must halt this slide against Blackburn, who have lost only once in 11 league matches.

St Andrews. Birmingham, just one slot outside the relegation trapdoor, face Newcastle who are just two points ahead of them.

In this cut-throat struggle, the home side feel they can put the Toon further down in the mire of relegation, but Kevin Keegan has ordered his players to 'dig deep' to avoid the drop.

When the Magpies went up to the Premiership in 1993, Keegan had led the side as player-manager.

JJB Stadium. Wigan's draw against Arsenal could be the point that will ultimately separate them from the relegation candidates come May.

Steve Bruce's know-how is working wonders lately since Wigan are undefeated in their last three outings without conceding a goal.

This afternoon they face fellow strugglers Bolton, who lost three games on the trot in the league.