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| McDonald leaves Fabianski stranded to stroke home his second at Turf Moor [GALLO/GETTY] |
Second-tier Burnley claimed another Premier League scalp with a 2-0 defeat of Arsenal to reach the semi-finals of the English League Cup.
Kevin McDonald scored twice for the Championship side to see off a young Arsenal team that had nevertheless thrashed fellow EPL side Wigan Athletic in the previous round.
The win for the North West team ends a 25-year wait to reach the semi-finals of a major competition.
Fine Claret
The Clarets had beaten European Champions League runners-up Chelsea in the previous round.
Stoke City were another Premier League casualty on Tuesday night when they lost 1-0 to Derby County of the Championship, for whom Nathan Ellington converted a last-gasp penalty.
In the remaining quarter-finals, holders Tottenham Hotspur are at Watford on Wednesday while Manchester United take on Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford.
Burnley stunned Chelsea with a penalty shootout victory at Stamford Bridge in the previous round and also accounted for Premier League Fulham in this season's competition.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger stuck rigidly to his policy of fielding the reserves who hammered Wigan and Sheffield United in earlier rounds.
Bendt off target
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| Moor pain: Wenger [GALLO/GETTY] |
But this time the policy backfired with Nicklas Bendtner, one of only three regular first-team players in the side, guilty of some terrible finishing at Turf Moor.
"We had six one-on-one's with the keeper and did not score," Wenger told Sky Sports.
"If you have that many you have to question whether you can qualify for the next round.
"This team has a lot to learn. You have to be efficient from start to finish against a side like Burnley who were the best team we have come against in the cup this season."
Fab feeling blue
McDonald opened the scoring after six minutes when he fired past Lukasz Fabianski after the keeper failed to hold a shot.
Arsenal replied with some great approach play and should have levelled when Bendtner was released on goal but dithered and shot straight at Burnley keeper Brian Jensen.
Bendtner wasted a similar opportunity before teenager Mark Randall was also denied by the inspired Jensen.
Fran Merida, a former Barcelona youth player, slalomed through the Burnley defence early in the second half but shaved the outside of the post with his shot.
Burnley doubled their lead after 56 minutes when Randall failed to clear the ball and McDonald pounced to poke a shot past Fabianski.
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