VIDEO: Sheffield Wednesday 3 Arsenal 0: Bannan pulls the strings as Owls see off Gunners for last-eight spot

Carlos Carvalhal, a total unknown in this country when appointed by Sheffield Wednesday last summer, last night masterminded one of the League Cup’s more remarkable upsets.

Goals from Ross Wallace, Lucas Joao and Sam Hutchinson sent the Owls through to the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years.

It was a deserved passage to the last eight, too, on a night that offered a tantalising reminder of the days when Hillsborough was a place where top-flight sides feared to tread.

There were so many heroes for Wednesday, ranging from the three goalscorers through to Glenn Loovens and Tom Lees for the manner in which the defensive pair restricted a Premier League attack to foraging on scraps.

Perhaps, though, the biggest influence on a victory that will live long in the memory came from Barry Bannan.

Not only did the Scottish midfielder run tirelessly for the cause before being substituted to a deserved standing ovation 15 minutes from time.

But he also had the vision and ability to deliver a pass capable of opening up the Gunners at key moments – in the process making light of playmaker Fernando Forestieri’s absence due to having already played in this season’s Capital One Cup for Watford.

Bannan, signed from Crystal Palace shortly before the end of the transfer window, had a hand in all three goals and would have helped create a couple more but for profligate finishing on the part of his team-mates.

Wednesday’s long-suffering fans understandably lapped it all up, a mischievous chant of ‘Are you Chelsea in disguise?’ being aimed at the visitors in between ‘Que sera, sera’ booming out.

Carvalhal, as had been the case at Newcastle United in the previous round, deserves huge credit for how his side rose to the occasion in front of Hillsborough’s first capacity crowd since promotion was clinched against Wycombe Wanderers in 2012.

His players were well-drilled and organised. And, when the opportunity arose, they broke swiftly and with numbers.

It was a tactic that worked perfectly to ensure he got the better of Wenger, whose feud with English football’s ‘other’ Portuguese has moved from simmering to toxic since the latter’s return to Stamford Bridge.

There was none of that animosity in S6 last night but the 
Arsenal manager’s face at the final whistle told its own story.

On his first visit to Yorkshire for a cup tie since being humbled by Bradford City, then of League Two, in the quarter-finals of this competition in 2012, Wenger’s unease must have grown inside an opening 18 minutes that saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and replacement Theo Walcott limp out of the action.

Any sense of foreboding would have been justified, too, as by half-time Arsenal were trailing by two goals.

A sublime pass from Bannan was the catalyst for the opener on 27 minutes, his vision allowing Daniel Pudil to gallop beyond Mathieu Debuchy down the left flank.

The Czech Republic international then showed equally impressive awareness to pick out Wallace, who hit a first-time shot that flew beyond the helpless Petr Cech and into the corner of the net.

Arsenal may have felt hard done by to fall behind considering it had come via the game’s first genuine opening.

However, they could have no complaints about Joao doubling the hosts’ advantage five minutes before the break after a spell that had seen the hosts exert more and more control.

Moments before that second goal, Jeremy Helan, after being released by a clever pass on halfway from Joao, had brought a fine save from Cech after barging his way through two challenges.

The resulting corner saw Bannan roll the ball back to Wallace 30 yards from goal. It was a move that caught Arsenal unawares, as the former Burnley wideman whipped in a wonderful cross that Joao rose highest to meet to power a header beyond Cech.

Wednesday extended their lead six minutes after the restart. Again, Bannan was involved with a deep free-kick that an unmarked Lees cushioned back across goal for Hutchinson to bundle in from close range.

Joao then flashed a header wide from another pinpoint delivery by Bannan before Arsenal finally mustered a chance worthy of the name.

Even then, Per Mertesacker’s header was kept out by a reflex save from Joe Wildsmith to ensure all eyes in the blue and white half of Sheffield will be on tonight’s quarter-final draw.

No one will fancy taking on the Owls after the contemptuous manner in which Newcastle and Arsenal have been seen off.

Sheffield Wednesday: Wildsmith; Hunt, Lees, Loovens, Pudil; Hutchinson (McGugan 80); Wallace, Lee, Bannan (Semedo 75), Helan; Joao (Nuhiu 85). Unused substitutes: Price, Palmer, Semedo, Bus, Sasso.

Arsenal: Cech; Debuchy, Chambers, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Flamini, Kamara (Bielik 60); Oxlade-Chamberlain (Walcott 5, Bennacer 19), Campbell, Iwobi; Giroud. Unused substitutes: Macey, Gabriel, Monreal, Sheaf.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).