Aston Villa 1-3 Chelsea: Fernandez scores stunning free-kick as Blues emphatically win FA Cup replay

Enzo Fernandez tinkered the faultless arcade of his Chelsea career to advise assuage the duress on Mauricio Pochettino through a 3-0 win at Aston Villae in their FA Cup fourth-round replay.

Fernandez’s superb unshackle-kick added to first-fifty percent objectives from Conor Gallagher as well as Nicolas Jackson.

Moussa Diaby’s injury-time strike dropped short to destroy Chelsea’s night as well as the Doldrums now host Leeds in the fifth round.

Having been humbled 4-2 by Wolves as well as thumped 4-1 by Liverpool in their 2 previous galleries there was an guess Chelsea would stumble further proper into predicament in their fourth-round replay at Villae Park.

Instead, while disciples sung for previous owner Roman Abramovic, their side rolled earlier the years through a pioneering productivity similar to those throughout the Russian’s power.

With evolve in the FA Cup as well as the Carabao Cup final versus Liverpool to come at the run out of the month, regardless of a despondent Premier League campaign Chelsea might still salvage victories.

For Villae, Unai Emery had already recognised this week – through Manchester Joined visiting on Sunday – as critical to their hopes as they inconvenience for the optimal 4.

Yet through a 2nd proper home loss – foreseen after inconsistent home display displays versus Sheffield Joined as well as Burnley – there will be rightful misgivings over Villae’s proceeding to be power.

Initially, the hosts listened to the employer’s words as well as there were perturb bells for Chelsea in the opening 3 minutes once John McGinn roughed upwards Axel Disasi in yesteryear Alex Moreno fluffed his pitches.

Half chances for Cole Palmer as well as Fernandez hardly hinted at what was to come as well as it took merely 10 minutes for the Chelsea disciples to incantation Abramovich’s tag – yet a minute after that the readers struck.

Jackson taunted his means proper into the locality to spot Noni Madueke, a perpetual tough ignite for the readers, as well as the forward had enough conduct of subconscious to grasp the round upwards for Gallagher.

There was still plenty for the midfielder to do but he scoffed the massed ranks to accord out the optimal alcove from 16 backyards.

Villae sought an quickly reply as well as Leon Bailey inoculation at Djordje Petrovic, through the goalkeeper also revolving Ollie Watkins’ drive over.

The hosts’ 11-month unbeaten home league run finished last week, a 3-1 loss to Newcastle, but they would have supposed much more detailed versus a fractured Chelsea that had bygone 6 of their last 7 away vacations.

Yet, through the lead, Pochettino’s side came to exuberance as well as increased their benefit through an tasty, coursing, move after 21 minutes.

It was constructed down proper through Disasi as well as Madueke entailed in yesteryear Malo Gusto was launched to vibrantly cross for Jackson, that channelled a meticulous header proper into the alcove.

As versus Newcastle, Villae were collapsing through Chelsea exploiting the flanks. Madueke continued to taunt the hosts as well as his durable run finished through Emi Martinez importuning away Palmer’s physical effort.

Petrovic tipped McGinn’s drive over in reduction time after Ben Chilwell’s foul throw saw Villae go versus but it was a uncommon moment of top priority for the readers.

The hosts obligatory a answers but – merely prefer versus Newcastle – they conceded a 3rd shortly after the go versus.

Fernandez might have been privileged to gain a unshackle kick while being tailed by Youri Tielemans but there was wholeheartedly nothing privileged about his 25-backyard strike which shouldered proper into the optimal alcove.

With a cushion Chelsea governed which offered Villae momentary validation for conducive guess but they never introduced a healing, regardless of Diaby’s reduction time alleviation.