Chelsea, Others Advance In FA Cup

City, who play Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley next Sunday, have now lost three matches in a row. Other teams have played young players in the Capital One Cup and nobody said anything. “I think we did the correct thing and made the right decision”. Also we couldn’t risk any more injuries.

“Maybe it’s not the best thing to do all of them together but we had no choice as we had just 13 [fit] players”.

City’s goal was marred by coins thrown from the lower section of the Matthew Harding Stand. Chelsea vowed to ban anyone found responsible from Stamford Bridge. “I think it’s 50-50 still”.

The grand irony, of course, is that the FA Cup means more for the Premier League champions than nearly anyone else.

When Chelsea took the lead after 35 minutes, it was two of Pellegrini’s senior players – rather than the youngsters – who were at fault. We have a chance to get to the quarter finals of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. He also reminded everyone he only had 13 main squad players fit, so was forced to arrange his team to fit the circumstances.

Pellegrini was adamant the decision was his after City, who fly to Ukraine on Monday bidding to bounce back from three straight losses, explored every avenue to have the date of the game changed.

“I like to always face the facts”.

As he celebrated with teammates in the corner of the pitch, coins were thrown at the City players from the stand housing Chelsea fans.

The visiting goalkeeper regained some credit by keeping out a poor penalty from Chelsea substitute Oscar, Demichelis having bundled Traore to ground.

Shearer told BBC Sport: “I don’t get the talk of resting players”.

Losing a man in the 55 minute for a second bookable offence after a trip on Victor Moses surely did not help the home side’s cause, notwithstanding, West Ham were home and dry with a two-goal lead and playing the better football. At 3-1 it was very hard. 5-1, min. 89, Traore. I was not happy about the score.

The FA Cup has come under scrutiny which will only continue after Pellegrini’s selection.

“Putting one of the youngsters in depends on the demands of the FA Cup, but I don’t hesitate putting them in if needed”, Hiddink said.

Remember, the Emirates are sponsoring the FA Cup from this season until 2018, but the Gunners could just have the luck of the draw and the rest of us could all just be really bitter. “There were coins thrown to the Man City players in their celebration”, Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink said.

“I have good memories of the Cup but that is the past”. Some might be still in that team and they go for their revenge. We hope to maintain our FA flow a bit when we play them. The fifth-round victory, given a final fourish by a late goal from Bertrand Traore, keeps Chelsea very much in the hunt for a trophy to salvage their disastrous season.

Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink says doing well in the early stages of the second half was the key to his side’s 5-1 win over Manchester City.