Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was left looking forward to a third FA Cup match at Wembley in five years after his side beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 to set up an all-London semi-final with Chelsea.
Redknapp took Tottenham to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2010 and, two years earlier, won the competition when in charge of Portsmouth.
Ryan Nelsen, Gareth Bale and Louis Saha scored second-half goals at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane ground late Tuesday to down Premier League rivals Bolton, who managed a late consolation through Kevin Davies.
It was Tottenham’s first win in any competition since their 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round victory over Stevenage.
Redknapp said he was relishing a weekend of FA Cup derby action at Wembley on April 14-15, with Mer-seyside duo Liverpool and Everton meeting in the other semi-final.
“I am looking forward to it, it will be a great weekend,” said Redknapp, the favourite to succeed Fabio Capello as the next permanent manager of England.
“I wouldn’t like to pick a winner from either tie, Liverpool and Everton are both capable of winning the cup.
“It is an even game, you couldn’t pick a winner between us and Chelsea,” he added.
“Chelsea have beaten Benfica in the Champions League which was a fantastic result, so it is wide open.
“I was pleased with us again, but I have not been displeased with how we have been playing recently. Sometimes you get the breaks and sometimes you don’t,” said Redknapp.
Tottenham, who were scintillating earlier in the season, have seen their grip on a place in next season’s Champions League loosen in recent weeks, with both Chelsea and Newcastle threatening their top-four spot.
Hungarian keeper Adam Bogdan kept Bolton in the match for most of the game with saves to deny Em-manuel Adebayor, Gareth Bale, Jake Livemore, including some excellent double stops.
Tottenham’s Rafael van der Vaart hit the bar just after half-time, before Nelsen broke the deadlock minutes with a powerful header from a corner in the 74th minute.
Bale added the second three minutes later but Davies pulled one back with a minute to go, before Saha, a late substitute, restored Spurs’ two-goal cushion with the last kick of the game.
Redknapp hailed New Zealand international Nelsen’s contribution since the former Blackburn defender signed a six-month contract and indicated he was ready to extend the deal.
“He has a six-month contract, but at the end of the season I have got to keep him here, because he is worth his weight in gold,” Redknapp said.