Chelsea ran out comfortable 5-0 winners over League Two Morecambe to reach the FA Cup Fourth Round.
Braces from Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Felix, as well as a goal from Christopher Nkunku, who also saw a first-half penalty saved, ensured there was to be no cup upset at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Eighty-seven places separate the two sides in the English footballing pyramid and, in the end, the gulf in quality was evident as Enzo Maresca’s team saw off the League Two strugglers in convincing fashion.
The Blues boss made wholesale changes, the most notable being the return of Reece James to the starting line-up.
Morecambe’s keeper Harry Burgoyne produced some inspired saves early on but could do little to prevent the host’s onslaught in the second half.
For Chelsea, the result ended a run of four straight games without a win.
Progressing to the fourth round of the #EmiratesFACup! 🏆#CFC pic.twitter.com/Eqw9mWrJdd
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 11, 2025
How the action unfolded
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the Premier League side who started brightest when Axel Disasi headed the James’ free-kick over the bar inside two minutes.
But the visitors also made a spirited start at Stamford Bridge, with the lively Ben Tollitt forcing a good save from Filip Jorgensen in the Blues goal.
Adarabioyo was then inches away from giving the hosts the lead when his header from a corner hit the post.
It was an eventful first quarter of an hour in London. A handball from Yann Songo’o gave Nkunku the chance to put Maresca’s side ahead but Burgoyne saved brilliantly to keep the tie goalless.
Burgoyne, however, was off his line when the spot kick was taken but, with no VAR in operation until the Fifth Round, there was no retake.
It was proving to be a busy afternoon for the Morecombe keeper, who was again called into action shortly before the half-hour mark when he tipped away Felix’s effort.
The League Two side could be very pleased with their early efforts but, five minutes before the break, they fell behind following a speculative effort from Adarabioyo which took a wicked deflection off Morecambe’s Callum Jones.
Maresca, and indeed the entire home crowd, could breathe a collective sigh of relief as the Blues went into the break with the advantage.
Ahead at the break. ✊#CFC | #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/salt9FY6oI
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 11, 2025
The hosts made three changes at half-time, and it was one of those introduced, Marc Cucurella, who made an immediate impact.
The Spaniard was instrumental in the build-up as Nkunku slammed the ball home from close range to double Chelsea’s lead.
Cucurella then nearly made it three five minutes later when his snap shot fizzed wide with Maresca’s side now in total control.
On 70-minutes, Adarabioyo made the tie safe when another strike from distance from the defender found the top corner.
Felix then added two more as Chelsea put a clinical sheen on what was a commanding home performance.
