Manchester United saw off Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup thanks to goals from Wayne Rooney and Fabio.
Fabio put United ahead on 28 minutes after a Rooney shot was spilled and Javier Hernandez and England striker Rooney then made it 2-0 with a flick header four minutes into the second half.
Marouane Chamakh and Tomas Rosicky both forced good saves from Edwin van der Sar but Arsenal could not get themselves back into the game.
"It was a very good performance," said Van der Sar, who was the man of the match. "I had to make some saves but we got our goals at good times and defended well."
Bolton Wanderers also booked their place in the last four with a last-ditch 3-2 win at Birmingham City, with Chung Yong Lee scoring the winner in the last minute of normal time.
Two weeks ago, Arsenal were involved in four competitions but lost the Carling Cup final and then were beaten by Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League.
On Saturday in the clash of the Premier League's top two sides, they were outplayed by United in the first half, with Fabio finishing off with a header after Rooney's shot had only been parried by Almunia.
Arsenal looked strangely flat and four minutes into the second half they were 2-0 down as Hernandez's shot looped off a defender and up into the air before Rooney flicked a clever header into the far corner.
That seemed to spark Arsenal into life and United needed Van der Sar to be at his sharpest as he saved well from Chamakh and Rosicky.
At the other end, Almunia stuck out a hand to stop a deflected shot from Hernandez while Arsenal's woe was compounded by a nasty injury to defender Johan Djourou, who suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder after colliding with team-mate Bacary Sagna.
With Djourou off, Arsenal were down to 10 men having used all their substitutions and United held on easily to take their place in the last four, though Paul Scholes was fortunate not to be punished for a badly mistimed challenge on Samir Nasri in the dying minutes.
Manager Arsene Wenger admitted his side's exit from the Champions League may have affected his players' confidence.
"We have to get over this period," Wenger said. "I believe that subconsciously the disappointment of Tuesday night has played a part today.
"You could see something had gone, not with our attitude or effort but with our confidence. We will find out about our mental strength. We have to answer this kind of question in the next two or three weeks.
"I believe that we can do it, it's a good test for us to regroup and show mental strength. We must respond quickly."
Wenger also expressed his anger at the tackle by Scholes that somehow did not even merit a booking, but which resulted in an injury that will keep Djourou out for the rest of the season.
"I felt the pitch was good, the referee was good and the tackles of Paul Scholes were bad," he said.
At St Andrews, Carling Cup winners Birmingham thought they had forced a replay when Kevin Phillips equalized with 10 minutes to go in their match with Bolton but Lee headed the winner in the 90th minute to win it for the visitors.
Johan Elmander slammed in the opening goal for Bolton on 21 minutes but Cameron Jerome equalized with a low strike seven minutes before half-time.
Kevin Davies restored Bolton's lead on 66 minutes with a penalty after he was fouled by Curtis Davies but Phillips made it 2-2 with 10 minutes to go with a clever lob from the edge of the area.
But as Birmingham began to think they had done enough to force a replay, Bolton won a free kick 30 yards out and Lee headed home a cross from no more than six yards to snatch victory for Bolton.
"We are into the semi-final of the best domestic competition in world football," Bolton manager Owen Coyle said. "It is a terrific achievement.
"(Goalkeeper) Jussi Jaaskelainen said to me, 'gaffer, I've waited 12 years to get to this - Wembley in the FA Cup'. It is nice when you have players of that calibre really cherishing those occasions. But what you want now is to progress to the final."
Birmingham manager Alex Mcleish said he could not have been more proud of his side's efforts.
"Our lads, despite the problems we had with injuries, put in a magnificent effort," he said.
"You couldn't ask for more in terms of commitment and effort. But we were a bit sloppy with the goals. When your back four changes, they may not gel straight away and it was evident with the first and third goals."
In the remaining two quarter-finals on Sunday, Stoke City take on West Ham United and Manchester City host Reading.
Fabio put United ahead on 28 minutes after a Rooney shot was spilled and Javier Hernandez and England striker Rooney then made it 2-0 with a flick header four minutes into the second half.
Marouane Chamakh and Tomas Rosicky both forced good saves from Edwin van der Sar but Arsenal could not get themselves back into the game.
"It was a very good performance," said Van der Sar, who was the man of the match. "I had to make some saves but we got our goals at good times and defended well."
Bolton Wanderers also booked their place in the last four with a last-ditch 3-2 win at Birmingham City, with Chung Yong Lee scoring the winner in the last minute of normal time.
Two weeks ago, Arsenal were involved in four competitions but lost the Carling Cup final and then were beaten by Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League.
On Saturday in the clash of the Premier League's top two sides, they were outplayed by United in the first half, with Fabio finishing off with a header after Rooney's shot had only been parried by Almunia.
Arsenal looked strangely flat and four minutes into the second half they were 2-0 down as Hernandez's shot looped off a defender and up into the air before Rooney flicked a clever header into the far corner.
That seemed to spark Arsenal into life and United needed Van der Sar to be at his sharpest as he saved well from Chamakh and Rosicky.
At the other end, Almunia stuck out a hand to stop a deflected shot from Hernandez while Arsenal's woe was compounded by a nasty injury to defender Johan Djourou, who suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder after colliding with team-mate Bacary Sagna.
With Djourou off, Arsenal were down to 10 men having used all their substitutions and United held on easily to take their place in the last four, though Paul Scholes was fortunate not to be punished for a badly mistimed challenge on Samir Nasri in the dying minutes.
Manager Arsene Wenger admitted his side's exit from the Champions League may have affected his players' confidence.
"We have to get over this period," Wenger said. "I believe that subconsciously the disappointment of Tuesday night has played a part today.
"You could see something had gone, not with our attitude or effort but with our confidence. We will find out about our mental strength. We have to answer this kind of question in the next two or three weeks.
"I believe that we can do it, it's a good test for us to regroup and show mental strength. We must respond quickly."
Wenger also expressed his anger at the tackle by Scholes that somehow did not even merit a booking, but which resulted in an injury that will keep Djourou out for the rest of the season.
"I felt the pitch was good, the referee was good and the tackles of Paul Scholes were bad," he said.
At St Andrews, Carling Cup winners Birmingham thought they had forced a replay when Kevin Phillips equalized with 10 minutes to go in their match with Bolton but Lee headed the winner in the 90th minute to win it for the visitors.
Johan Elmander slammed in the opening goal for Bolton on 21 minutes but Cameron Jerome equalized with a low strike seven minutes before half-time.
Kevin Davies restored Bolton's lead on 66 minutes with a penalty after he was fouled by Curtis Davies but Phillips made it 2-2 with 10 minutes to go with a clever lob from the edge of the area.
But as Birmingham began to think they had done enough to force a replay, Bolton won a free kick 30 yards out and Lee headed home a cross from no more than six yards to snatch victory for Bolton.
"We are into the semi-final of the best domestic competition in world football," Bolton manager Owen Coyle said. "It is a terrific achievement.
"(Goalkeeper) Jussi Jaaskelainen said to me, 'gaffer, I've waited 12 years to get to this - Wembley in the FA Cup'. It is nice when you have players of that calibre really cherishing those occasions. But what you want now is to progress to the final."
Birmingham manager Alex Mcleish said he could not have been more proud of his side's efforts.
"Our lads, despite the problems we had with injuries, put in a magnificent effort," he said.
"You couldn't ask for more in terms of commitment and effort. But we were a bit sloppy with the goals. When your back four changes, they may not gel straight away and it was evident with the first and third goals."
In the remaining two quarter-finals on Sunday, Stoke City take on West Ham United and Manchester City host Reading.
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