Lampard defends Crouch

Frank Lampard has defended England team-mate Peter Crouch after the Liverpool striker was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Mikel John Obi during their Carling Cup quarter-final tie.

Chelsea earned a place in the semi-finals thanks to second-half goals from Lampard and Andriy Shevchenko but the victory was overshadowed by Crouch’s moment of madness just seconds after the Blues had opened the scoring in the 59th minute.