Reuters
London, Feb 22: Chelsea exploited Manchester City’s decision to field a weakened team by romping to a 5-1 win in the FA Cup fifth round here Sunday as they joined London rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace in the quarterfinals.
Second half goals by Willian, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and Bertrand Traore, after the teams went into the break level at 1-1, underlined Chelsea’s dominance over a side keeping their powder dry for Wednesday’s Champions League tie at Dinamo Kiev.
City, who play Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley next Sunday, have now lost three matches in a row. Chelsea face a stiffer task in the next round away to Everton who they beat in the 2009 FA Cup final.
Crystal Palace’s reward for a 1-0 win at Premier League title-chasers Tottenham Hotspur was a plumb away tie with second-tier Reading who shocked top flight visitors West Bromwich Albion 3-1 Saturday. West Ham United will next visit Manchester United or third-tier Shrewsbury Town after crushing Championship side Blackburn Rovers 5-1 away.
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini had threatened to sacrifice the FA Cup by making multiple changes, even saying in midweek he would not buy a ticket if he was City fan. He was as good as his word with six teenagers starting against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Faupala cancelled out Diego Costa’s headed opener before halftime but the visitors could not hold out after the break. Pellegrini had criticised the Cup schedule, which gave City less recovery time for their last 16 first-leg clash in Kiev.
Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink is eyeing a repeat of his feat in 2009 when they won the trophy by beating Everton in the Dutchman’s last game in charge in his first caretaker spell. With the much-maligned Hazard returning to form — crossing for Costa’s opener, assisting in Willian’s effort and curling in a free kick — Chelsea could even afford a missed Oscar penalty.
“Manchester City made changes but that doesn’t make it easy because the youngsters that came in were dangerous,” Hiddink said. One week after Tottenham won at Manchester City to move up to second in the Premier League, they suffered their first defeat in nine matches to a goal by Palace defender Martin Kelly’s on the stroke of halftime at White Hart Lane.
Kelly beat Spurs keeper Michel Vorm with a powerful near-post shot to put Palace in the last eight for the first time since 1995. West Ham are sniffing a first major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 1980 after recovering from an early jolt when Ben Marshall’s low shot put Rovers ahead.
Victor Moses equalised and Payet’s delightful free kick put the Hammers ahead at the interval before they raced away. Payet completed the rout with a fine solo goal after on-loan Nigerian Emenike grabbed a brace.
