Carney Chukwuemeka rescued Chelsea with a stoppage-time strike that impressed a 4-2 win over 10-man Leicester in an FA Cup quarter-final thriller on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino’s facet have been lucky to outlive a stirring fightback from Championship promotion chasers Leicester amid a mutinous environment at Stamford Bridge.
Chukwuemeka netted within the closing minutes to save lots of Chelsea from the embarrassment of being compelled into extra-time.
Noni Madueke added Chelsea’s fourth to make sure the offended followers who booed Pochettino within the second half have been silenced, at the very least for now.
For the sixth time within the final eight years, the Blues have superior to the final 4 within the FA Cup.
However this was hardly a triumphant afternoon for Blues boss Pochettino, whose inconsistent workforce blew the two-goal half-time lead given to them by Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer.
In between these strikes, Raheem Sterling missed a penalty and Axel Disasi gave Leicester hope with a farcical personal aim early within the second half.
When Stephy Mavididi scored an attention grabbing equaliser, Chelsea have been in turmoil as soon as once more because the hapless Sterling earned the wrath of the house assist.
However Leicester’s Callum Doyle was despatched off for knowledgeable foul on Nicolas Jackson, setting the stage for the Blues’ late revival.
Chelsea have didn’t win a single home trophy since their most up-to-date FA Cup triumph six years in the past.
The west Londoners are languishing in eleventh place within the Premier League and former Tottenham and Southampton boss Pochettino is but to win silverware in England.
Underneath mounting stress amid a troubled first season in cost, Pochettino revealed this week that a few of Chelsea’s younger gamers endured a sleepless night time earlier than their League Cup ultimate defeat in opposition to Liverpool in February.
Making amends by profitable the FA Cup would purchase Pochettino some much-needed respiratory house.
– Chelsea jeers –
Chelsea had taken the lead within the thirteenth minute when Nicolas Jackson accelerated previous Jannik Vestergaard into the Leicester space earlier than whipping over a low cross that Cucurella transformed from close-range.
It was the Spanish defender’s first aim since becoming a member of Chelsea from Brighton in August 2022.
Within the twenty fifth minute, Cole Palmer surged down the fitting flank and crossed to the sting of space, the place Sterling was clattered by Abdul Fatawu as he ready to shoot.
Palmer has been taking Chelsea’s penalties this season and Sterling’s determination to seize the ball proved misguided.
A irritating season for the 29-year-old, who was unnoticed of the England squad once more this week, confirmed no indicators of abating as he fluffed his strains with a weak penalty that was simply saved by Jakub Stolarczyk.
To his credit score, Sterling did not disguise and he arrange Palmer’s aim on the stroke of half-time.
Sterling raced into the realm and delivered a low cross that Palmer deftly slotted house from close-range.
Disasi gave Leicester a lifeline within the 51st minute because the centre-back panicked underneath stress from Daka and hacked a misjudged backpass previous shocked keeper Robert Sanchez into his personal internet from 30 yards.
Weaving into the Chelsea space because the anxious Blues defence backed off, Mavididi curled a blistering end into the highest nook within the 62nd minute.
Chelsea thought they’d been given a penalty within the 73rd minute when Doyle tripped Jackson.
VAR dominated the offense was simply outdoors the realm, however that did not save Doyle from a crimson card.
Sterling was booed by Chelsea followers after a woeful free-kick, whereas Pochettino additionally copped it with chants of “you do not know what you are doing” when he substituted Mudryk.
Sterling was jeered once more when he was taken off, so it was no shock to see Pochettino punching the air in aid in stoppage-time.
Chukwuemeka produced a cool end after Palmer’s elegant back-heel teed up the younger midfielder.
Madueke put a flattering gloss on the scoreline when his deflected strike dipped underneath the bar within the ultimate seconds.
smg/ea