A weekend packed full of drama wherever you looked, but who makes our list of victors and victims?

WINNERS

Chelsea: Somehow the side with a supposed bottler for a manager have closed the gap on leaders Manchester United to just three points. Chelsea have the marginally easier run-in of the two, while the defending champions still have to host Arsenal and travel to West London, and will do so without Nemanja Vidic and perhaps Rio Ferdinand too. Expect plenty of manic hyperbole in the build-up to the 'Battle of Stamford Bridge', as it will inevitably be dubbed.

Bosses overcoming adversity: Two other managers who have been offered the chance to set the record straight thanks to this year's mental FA Cup are Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp and his opposite number for Cardiff, Dave Jones.

Anyone familiar with the Springfield/Shelbyville-style rivalry of Portsmouth and Southampton will know that Redknapp's move to Saints after falling out with Pompey owner Milan Mandaric was without precedent. The fact that he returned to Pompey after getting the St Mary's side relegated, and then helped them beat the drop already secured his hero status in the city even before his amazing reinvention of the team led them to the brink of European football on two counts.

Jones was a promising young manager, ironically enough at Southampton, when he was forced to resign his post to concentrate on clearing his name of fabricated charges of the worst kind. A lesser man would have shrunk from the challenge of re-entering an environment as cruel as football again, and Jones's recent success has proved that sometimes there is a justice that can't be found inside a courtroom.

Kanu: When the big Nigerian was shipped out of Arsenal to the Hawthorns in 2004, what odds would you have got on him winning any more silverware? His winner against former club West Brom means he will be the lead striker for the favourites in the FA Cup final, giving him every chance of adding an improbable third winner's medal to the ones he has in the Champions League, UEFA Cup and the Olympics, not to mention multiple league titles.

Peter Crouch: A cult hero almost without peer in the modern game. His well-taken goal at the Emirates spoiled Arsenal's party for the second time in a week, and reminded Rafa Benitez that El Nino isn't the only one who can produce the goods when called upon. With negotiations over a new contract coming up, Crouch couldn't have picked a more opportune moment. Will still be dropped for Tuesday's game though.

Michael Chopra: The five goals that the much-maligned 'Chops' has scored since joining Sunderland each equate to a £1 million slice of his transfer fee. Rubbish, we hear you cry. When you consider that Roy Keane's side are ten points better off because of his strikes, and then see that they are clear of the relegation zone by that same amount, suddenly he looks like a bargain.

LOSERS

Barnsley: A weekend that looked like fulfilling the hopes and dreams of Tykes fans as far afield as Cudworth and Wombwell ended in tears, as elimination from the Cup came just over 24 hours after dropping into the relegation zone of the Championship.

Middlesbrough: An exciting 2-2 draw with the champions for sure, so why are they losers? Boro's record against the top sides over recent years has been exceptional, almost to the point where it's not a shock when they claim a big scalp anymore. At times, they have played some wonderful football this season (no, really) through the trio of Tuncay, Jeremie Aliadiere and Stewart Downing, (no, really). So why on earth can't Gareth Southgate get them to do it every week? The Riverside was almost full for the visit of Manchester United, maybe if they had that support every week then the players would lift their game. There can't be many better things to do on Teesside, can there?

Kevin Phillips: At 34, Phillips has been the focal point of a rejuvenated West Brom side that plays the game better than many in the division they hope to return to next season. Despite a long career in which he has consistently scored a goal every other game, the semi-final defeat at Wembley dashed his hopes of finishing his career with a major trophy.

Everton: The 1-0 win over Derby keeps them in the hunt for that lucrative fourth spot. However, they won't be playing the Rams every week, and with no Tim Cahill, awful misses like Yakubu's will not go unpunished in the upcoming matches against Aston Villa, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Fans of 'Blood and Thunder': The lacklustre showing at Ewood Park between Blackburn and Tottenham heralded the dawn of that time in a season when the teams with nothing to play for start to phone in performances. Just don't go to Tottenham v Middlesbrough, Sunderland v Manchester City or West Ham v Aston Villa and expect miracles.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport