CRUNCH ... Steven Gerrard is booked for this challenge on Wigan's James McCarthy

Nick has critics Bendt double

NICKLAS BENDTNER scored a terrific Champions League hat-trick to silence the doubters.

Having been much maligned for his misses at the weekend, his timely triple blast paved the way for Arsenal to stroll into the quarter-finals at the expense of Porto.

An outstanding solo strike from Star Man Samir Nasri and a counter-attack goal from Emmanuel Eboue completed the rout.

In the Premier League, Birmingham jumped up to eighth with a 2-1 success at Portsmouth, thanks to Cameron Jerome's first-half double.

Nwankwo Kanu got a late consolation as Avram Grant's sid…