LONDON, Nov 7: Premier league strugglers West Ham United suffered a humiliating home defeat in the third round of the English League Cup Wednesday when they were beaten 1-0 at home by second division Oldham Athletic.
It was also a bad night for Arsenal, who, fielding a virtual reserve side, led Sunderland 2-0 at Highbury but lost 3-2 while first division Sheffield United scored twice in the last two minutes to beat Yorkshire rivals Leeds United 2-1.
Last season’s runners-up Tottenham Hotspur also went out, 2-1 at Burnley with fellow-first division side Ipswich Town claiming a Premier League scalp with a 3-1 home win over Middlesbrough.
The dream ended for the two remaining third division clubs as Oxford lost 3-0 at home to Aston Villa and Bury lost 3-1 at Fulham.
The woe continued for West Ham manager Glenn Roeder at Upton Park, whose team have won just three games in the Premier League and none at home.
Roeder put out a full-strength side but they created very little in another disappointing display.
Oldham, flying high in second place in division two and unbeaten away in the league, got the only goal three minutes before halftime when Canada striker Carlo Corazzin powered a header from a corner past England goalkeeper David James.
The game ended with a mass shoving match on the pitch as West Ham’s frustrations boiled over.
Two players coming back from cruciate ligament injuries combined to put Arsenal ahead at Highbury.
Dutch midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst, making his first appearance since February, crossed for Robert Pires, feeling his way back after surgery, to touch home the opener on 12 minutes.
Striker Francis Jeffers made the most of a rare start with a close-range effort after 32 minutes.
Sunderland, also playing an unfamiliar line-up, pulled one back through Kevin Kyle in the 56th minute and Marcus Stewart levelled with a 70th-minute header.
Two minutes later defender Darren Williams scored with a bullet header to hand Arsenal their fifth defeat in six games.
A Steve Yates own goal gave Leeds the lead after 24 minutes at Bramall Lane but Phil Jagielka equalised for Sheffield United with a spectacular 30 metre effort in the 90th minute.
Peter Ndlovu stunned under-pressure Leeds boss Terry Venables by pinching victory 60 seconds later.
Gus Poyet headed Spurs into a 17th minute lead from a corner but Burnley gradually grew in confidence at Turf Moor and Robbie Blake got a deserved equaliser in the 57th minute.
Steve Davis then headed Burnley ahead three minutes later from a corner and Blake blasted a shot against a post.
Ireland striker Robbie Keane missed a hat-trick of great chances when clean through then crashed a spectacular volley from 25 metres against the bar in injury time.
But Burnley held out to collect a famous victory in the 100th meeting of the clubs.
Carlton Cole, Chelsea’s 18-year-old striker, made the most of his first start of the season by scoring both goals in their 2-1 home win over Gillingham.
Third round results:
Arsenal 2 Sunderland 3
Blackburn Rovers 5 Walsall 4
Burnley 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Chelsea 2 Gillingham 1
Crystal Palace 3 Coventry 0
Fulham 3 Bury 1
Ipswich Town 3 Middlesbrough 1
Liverpool 3 Southampton 1
Newcastle United 6 Everton 5
Oxford 0 Aston Villa 3
Sheffield United 2 Leeds United 1
West Ham United 0 Oldham 1
—Reuters