Good afternoon and welcome to our FA Cup liveblog as we follow all the action between Chelsea and Manchester City from Stamford Bridge.
Kick-off is at 4pm and we’ll have all the team news imminently.
City have five debutants in their starting line-up as Pellegrini sticks to his word to field several academy graduates.
Could it also be that he’s hitting back at the FA for its insistence that this game goes ahead just 24 hours before City travel to Kiev for their Champions League clash.
There you have it. Is Pellegrini disrespecting the competition with his team selection?
There are two other ties down for decision today. At Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers got off to the perfect start against West Ham but have been pegged back. Meanwhile, it’s scoreless at White Hart Lane where Tottenham are hosting Crystal Palace.
- Blackburn 1-3 West Ham (65 minutes)
- Tottenham 0-0 Crystal Palace (25 minutes)
Pellegrini is aggrieved by his side’s congested fixture list. They remain in contention in all four competitions and the City manager wasn’t shy of publicly criticising the FA during his pre-game press conference.
“I think it’s not a real game, of course. I would not pay for the ticket,” he said.
“We told [the fans] one week ago that we are going to play with a young team. If the people want to continue going to the stadium, or Chelsea fans will enjoy that game, I don’t know.”
He risks the wrath of the FA and seeing his side being dumped out of the Cup with a whimper.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Aleix García, Manu Garcia, Bersant Celina and David Faupala all make their senior debuts against Chelsea’s strongest XI.
West Ham have scored a fourth at Ewood Park through Emmanuel Emenike while there’s also been a goal at White Hart Lane, where Martin Kelly has fired Palace into the lead.
Vincent Kompany is back on the City bench this afternoon.
Kick-off! We’re underway.
The teams are out under the lights in west London. Full house at the Bridge for this one.
Chelsea have started to take control of proceedings now with plenty of possession for the hosts in the middle of the park. City, however, look bright and full of energy.
Faupala goes on a mazy run, beating three Chelsea defenders and forces Courtois into an early save. Bright start from the visitors.
Gary Cahill temporarily leaves the field to receive some treatment. He looks set to continue after a quick rub of his right calf. Chelsea retain possession from the restart.
Off the post! Game springs into live as Pedro bursts through after linking up with Fabregas. His left-foot effort flicks the post after he’d done all the hard work.
City have been pegged back inside their own half for the last few minutes but they’re standing firm so far. Hazard looks in the mood and he cuts inside onto his right foot but his effort is blocked.
City’s young guns are holding their own at Stamford Bridge. It’s a rigid 4-4-2 formation for Pellegrini’s men and they’re looking comfortable so far.
Chelsea enjoying plenty of possession but there’s not much happening for the seven-time winners. The build-up is slow and the crowd have been very quiet so far.
Still goalless at Stamford Bridge and the visitors will be pleased with their first half’s work so far.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Manchester City (Faupala)
What a response from the visitors! Cesar Azpilicueta’s attempted clearance comes back off Faupala and into the empty net after the initial cross came from the right.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester City (Diego Costa)
The hosts break the deadlock! Hazard gets in behind and plays a delightful ball into the box for Costa to head home from a couple of yards out. A goal of the highest quality.
Great save! Fine stop from Willy Caballero as he parries Pedro’s close-range effort to safety, although the former Barcelona man should have scored. This game has come to life all of a sudden.
Two minutes added on at the end of the first-half.
Half-time! And the referee brings the first period to an end.
In the end, that turned out to be a decent half of football. It was a slow start but the game ignited when Costa headed the hosts into a deserved lead. But City hit back straight away and they go in at the break on level terms.
Nearly time for the second-half at Stamford Bridge. Across London, Palace have dumped Tottenham out thanks to Martin Kelly’s goal just before the break.
Back underway. No changes for either side.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Manchester City (Willian)
That didn’t take long! Willian moves into double figures for goals for the season as Chelsea break quickly and catch City cold. The Brazilian plays the ball out to Hazard initially and then picks it up again to fire low past the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-1 Manchester City (Cahill)
The Blues have taken control of this game now as Cahill fires home from 12 yards out, although the ‘keeper should do much better. Not looking too pretty for City now.
Chelsea in complete control of this tie. City are on the back foot and can’t get hold of the ball to find a way back into this contest. All one-way traffic at the moment.
GOAL! Chelsea 4-1 Manchester City (Hazard)
Another moment Willy Caballero won’t want to see again. The goalkeeper guessed where Hazard was going to put his free-kick and the Belgian went the other side and it was all too easy.
And it’s saved! Willy Caballero sprawls to his right and denies Oscar from the spot. It was a poor penalty.
Penalty! It’s all going horribly wrong for City. Martin Demichelis is penalised for bundling over Bertrand Traoré in the box. It was very harsh.
Chelsea going for the jugular. Traore slides in to divert Oscar’s low cross goalwards but it comes back off the post.
It’s been an easy afternoon in the end for Chelsea.
GOAL! Chelsea 5-1 Manchester City (Traore)
For the second weekend in a row at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have scored five. Oscar’s cross is flicked up and over the goalkeeper by Traore. Unorthodox header but they all count.
Full-time! Chelsea go into the quarter-finals as City suffer their third successive defeat.
It was all too easy for Chelsea as they had too much for the youthful City side. Thanks for joining us this afternoon.
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