Chelsea ended another difficult week in their turbulent season on a high by reaching the FA Cup semi-finals with a 7-0 win over Port Vale that eased the pressure on Liam Rosenior.
The head coach sent out a near full-strength XI against the League One strugglers with the notable exception of Enzo Fernandez, suspended internally over his flirtations with Real Madrid but present at Stamford Bridge to see his team book their place at Wembley.
After back to back Premier League defeats and a Champions League humbling by Paris St Germain, this was further humiliation avoided and with room to spare.
Jorrel Hato and Joao Pedro scored in the first half while Cole Palmer forced an own goal from Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel to make it three by the break.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Estevao added three more in the second half before Alejandro Garnacho converted a stoppage-time penalty, ensuring a path to silverware remained open amidst all the lingering doubts about the club’s present direction.
Marc Cucurella, who like Fernandez had irked his manager by publicly challenging the Blues’ transfer policy, was left on the bench.
Rosenior said before kick-off he would not sanction the defender for airing his discontent in the media and, unlike Fernandez, he will likely return when Manchester City visit west London in a week. That could yet prove a warm-up for a cup semi-final meeting later in April.
For Jon Brady’s Valiants though, all that remains in a bitter-sweet season is for near-certain relegation to League Two to be rubber-stamped.
Chelsea got their nerve-settling goal after 64 seconds. Goalkeeper Joe Gauci had two failed goes at clearing a corner, punching only as far as Hato who whacked it on the volley through a crowd and in.
Vale’s cup dream then looked as good as over midway through the first half. Pedro Neto battled with Liam Gordon for possession on the right of the penalty area and emerged victorious. The winger sent over a cross that was controlled beautifully six yards out by Pedro, who swivelled on the spot to make space from Kyle John before finding the corner.
The tie was finished before half-time. Pedro dashed into space through the middle but slowed up to wait for support. It arrived to his right in the form of Malo Gusto whose low shot was saved by Gauci, only for Lawrence-Gabriel to prod the rebound past him under pressure from Palmer.
Estevao, back in the starting XI after injury, should have marked his return with a goal at the start of the second half but struck the outside of the post with a free effort from 18 yards.
It was four before the hour mark. Gusto glided into space in the box with a clever run and hung the ball up for Tosin, who rose high above his marker to send a header arcing into the corner.
Estevao then hit the base of the post before his corner was headed into the net by Santos.
However, Chelsea’s teenage wonder would have his moment too, squeezing the ball inside the post after Garnacho had struck the woodwork.
The Argentinian then won and converted a late penalty to make it seven as Chelsea’s woes eased.
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