Chelsea ensured they wouldn’t add their names to the list of shock FA Cup exits as they made light work of non-league Chesterfield, winning 5-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Timo Werner broke the deadlock on six minutes as he slotted home from close range before a fine curling effort from Callum Hudson-Odoi put them 2-0 up.
Thomas Tuchel was very respectful of Chesterfield pre-match despite the gulf in class and his players went into the tie with the correct attitudeGetty
Romelu Lukaku then got on the scoresheet as he got on the end of Lewis Hall’s cross, the Belgian scoring for the first time since his explosive interview where he said he was unhappy with his situation at Chelsea was published in December.
Last season’s FA Cup runners-up extended their lead to four goals just before half time as Andreas Christensen headed in on the rebound.
Hakim Ziyech made it 5-0 with a powerful penalty after Christian Pulisic was felled in the box.
The National League side did have something to show for their efforts as Akwasi Asante grabbed a consolation goal late in the contest.
Lukaku is back among the goals, scoring Chelsea’s thirdGetty
Chesterfield did have something to reward their travelling fans with towards the end of the tieGetty
The tie also saw Lewis Baker, who’s been on loan eight times since signing a professional deal with the Blues, make his second appearance for the club EIGHT years and three days after his debut.
Baker, a fully fledged member of the fictional Chelsea ‘Loan Army’, made his second senior appearance for Chelsea aged 26AFP
Chelsea would have been frustrated to surrender their clean sheet at the death, especially with Marcus Bettinelli making his debut in goal. But this encounter was only ever one to negotiate safely for boss Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea.
From the moment Lukaku whipped a first-time effort from a corner over the bar, Chelsea’s dominance was rubber-stamped.
Werner tapped the Blues into a fifth-minute lead, teenager Hall the catalyst for a fast break where Ziyech’s half-saved shot fell straight to Chelsea’s German forward with an open goal ahead.
Werner set Chelsea on their way with an effort he couldn’t missAFP
Werner could have doubled his tally had he been able to react quick enough to another Ziyech shot parried that flashed across goal.
Hudson-Odoi’s 20-yard strike under no pressure quickly put Chelsea 2-0 up however, with the left wing-back taking aim and hitting his desired spot in relaxed fashion.
Lukaku tapped in Hall’s smart cross to put the Blues 3-0 up inside 20 minutes, with the young defender losing then regaining the ball before laying on an astute assist.
Another deep Ziyech corner begged for a Lukaku howitzer, but this time on the volley the Belgium hitman fired another first-time effort wide.
This superb effort from Hudson-Odoi put Chelsea 2-0 up on 18 minutesGetty
And Lukaku extended their lead two minutes laterGetty
Werner’s low cutback teed up Lukaku for a third time, and again he pulled his effort wide of a post.
Christensen’s deft, looped header pushed Chelsea into a 4-0 half-time lead, the savvy Dane nodding home after Scott Loach parried Hall’s 20-yard strike.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaced Kovacic at the break, with Havertz coming on for Lukaku.
Ziyech’s jinking run deserved a better finish than his low effort that allowed Loach a routine enough stop.
The Morocco forward made no mistake from the spot however, blasting home a penalty for the Blues’ fifth.
Ziyech then got his goal with a penalty ten minutes into the second halfGetty
But Asante got Chesterfield a consolation goal with a similarly easy finish to Werner’sAFP
Calvin Miller’s rustic challenge on Pulisic could only end one way, and Ziyech opted for power to fire Chelsea further ahead.
Youngster Harvey Vale and squad man Baker replaced Pulisic and Christensen inside the hour.
By the time Ross Barkley replaced Hudson-Odoi, Malang Sarr was effectively Chelsea’s sole regular defender left on the field.
Havertz thought he had slid home a sixth, only to be pulled back for offside.
Asante ensured Chesterfield had the last word however, tapping in after Kabongo Tshimanga had driven in on goal with Bettinelli parrying his shot.
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