Norwich City 1-0

Guardian:

Chelsea's Juan Mata makes winning difference against Norwich City
Richard Rae at Carrow Road

There may have been only one goal in it instead of eight, but in many respects this was a win which should please and encourage Chelsea supporters almost as much as the drubbing of a callow Aston Villa side a few days earlier. For the interim manager Rafael Benítez, the manner in which his players comfortably contained Chris Hughton's determined, organised Norwich side, while always carrying the greater threat going forward, was a continued demonstration of their all-round improvement in recent matches.
"It is important to see the team working hard and defending well," said Benítez, after watching the outstanding Juan Mata win the game with a 20-yard shot seven minutes before half-time. "Against Villa we were playing very offensive football, today we could manage and could control against a good team. They were quite dangerous on the counter-attack, but we were doing our job as a team."
That that team did not include Frank Lampard, left out for Mikel John Obi, will probably be seized on by those who believe the England midfielder may leave Stamford Bridge next month. On the other hand Lampard came on for the final 15 minutes or so, and while Benítez declined to be drawn on the midfielder's immediate future, or indeed that of Ashley Cole – like Lampard out of contract at the end of the season – he did point out that Mikel, along with the impressive Victor Moses, will be heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations before long.
"From my position [Lampard's situation] is very easy – it is a private conversation between Frank and the club," said Benítez. "That's it. He is a player who is under contract, he is a good player and I will try to bring the best from him. That is my position."
He was more forthcoming when it came to Mata, whose goal was his 13th in the Premier League and 15th of a wonderfully productive season. The former Valencia midfielder, said Benítez, is one of those players who can "make a difference".
"Mata is a player who is very dangerous getting into the box and also outside the box, he is clever and has clever movements. He can play deeper, can go to the right into spaces, and that is hard for the midfielders and the defenders to manage."
Hard though Norwich worked to contain Mata, it was disingenuous of Hughton to maintain they had done so successfully for the most part. Playing behind Fernando Torres, Mata saw an awful lot of the ball and was influential throughout, working particularly well in tandem with David Luiz, once again pushed forward into midfield.
While not as effective as he had been against Villa, the Brazilian revelled in the freedom afforded him. As is sometimes the case, the discipline that saw David Luiz maintain station in a holding role alongside Mikel in the first half began to slip as the second half went on, however, and his shooting was woeful. But there were times when his passing threatened to peel the Norwich defence apart.
As importantly, the Chelsea defence looks infinitely more solid without him in it. Grant Holt got little change out of Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill, and the nearest Norwich came to pinching an equaliser came very late, when Sébastien Bassong's header bounced over the bar and on to the roof of the Chelsea net.
Hughton was disappointed Mata had been allowed to get his shot away, but acknowledged the quality of the goal. "You had to admire it, and that's why clubs like Chelsea pay the amounts they do for the offensive players they have – if there's any difference [in Chelsea] to last season, it's the quality of those players – they're a real quality outfit," said the City manager, whose side have now lost their last two games after a run of 10 without defeat. "We made those two games real tight, and possibly could have got something out of both, so we still have a bit of momentum."
While Lampard is entitled to open talks with clubs abroad in January, and may well do so, it is almost certain he will not be going anywhere until the end of the season. The Norwich fans gave him some ritual abuse while he warmed up on the touchline, followed up with a chant of "sign him up".
Asked if he could continue to improve his team, Benítez insisted he could. "It's a question of keep coaching, keep training – the commitment of the players is there, after the game I was talking with one or two senior players and the attitude was really positive – if they want to improve things, that is the way to move forward."
And by buying? The Spaniard smiled. "There are a lot of ways to improve the team."


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Independent:
David Luiz carries off Frank Lampard impression with aplom

Norwich City 0 Chelsea 1
By AIDAN SEMMENS

The conversion of David Luiz from an error-prone central defender to a free-running midfielder capable of causing, and preying on, others’ errors may prove as valuable a part of Rafael Benitez’s achievement for Chelsea as the much-vaunted restoration of Fernando Torres’s powers as a striker.
It may also be a crucial factor in a change less to the taste of Chelsea’s fans, namely the ending of Frank Lampard’s days in their colours.
Torres, perhaps cowed by suggestions of David Villa’s possible arrival as competition for his place, was so ineffective at Norwich yesterday that one had to check the team sheet at half-time to confirm that he was indeed on it. His strike partner and fellow Spaniard Juan Mata, meanwhile, scored a splendid winning goal, while Luiz, doing much vital ball-winning in advanced areas, ran the show – though his shooting needs a lot of work before it comes near the Lampard class.
Interim manager Benitez is not ready to write off Lampard just yet, despite the midfielder seeming to be on his way in the January transfer window. “He’s under contract, he’s a good player; his future is a matter between him and the club. I will use him [and Ashley Cole, whose contract is also up in the summer] as I see fit as long as they are available,” Benitez said. “It’s important to have different players, different types of player, to give us different options.”
If one of those options proves to be a move to bring in Villa from Barcelona, then Benitez is not letting on. “We don’t talk about these things,” he said. “It’s important for any team to do these things in private.” Asked whether he was confident of improving the Chelsea team, he replied: “Yes. There are a lot of ways to improve a team [other than signing new players].”
Chelsea emerged to chants from their followers of “Super Frankie Lampard” – the 34-year-old, reduced to bench duty, did not appear in person until the 73rd minute – and it was not long before they were regaled with a lengthy chorus of “There’s only one Di Matteo” in reference to their former manager. Benitez has more to do yet to win the fans’ favour even after the eight-goal show against Aston Villa that preceded this more down-to-earth victory – one that seldom looked in doubt, though as Benitez said, “at 1-0 a quick counter-attack can always make a difference”.
The Spaniard added: “We were working hard. We have another clean sheet and we showed we could manage, we could control, against a good team. We’re in a good position but we can improve.”
Though the Londoners showed plenty of endeavour, mostly in the cause of closing down any Norwich player in possession or potential possession, it was 19 minutes before they produced a real shot, and that attempt from Luiz went closer to clearing the stadium roof than troubling Mark Bunn in the City goal. It was Luiz, however, given free rein by Benitez to venture forward at will – into Lampard’s place, you might say – who created the first clear chance in the 30th minute, robbing Wes Hoolahan to set up Mata, who found the side-netting from close range. But an increase in pressure by Benitez’s side was rewarded in the 38th minute with a finish of high class from Mata, whose shot from the edge of the penalty arc left Bunn flailing at fresh air as it lodged in the far corner of his net.
The strike impressed the Norwich City manager, Chris Hughton, who said: “That’s why clubs like Chelsea pay the amounts of money they do for offensive players. It was probably the one moment of real quality in the game.”
It was hard, after it, to see Norwich gaining anything from a game in which they had worked hard but been able to create little, and their loss might have been heavier but for Bunn, who made good second-half saves from Victor Moses – who also shot just wide after bringing down a cross superbly on his chest – and from Mata’s attempt to deceive him with a quickly-taken free-kick.
“If the team’s playing well, a clever player like Mata can make the difference,” Benitez said. Quite.


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Telegraph:

Norwich City 0 Chelsea 1
by Oliver Brown

Chelsea replaced elan with cold-eyed efficiency as they suppressed Norwich City in the latest chapter of the their resurgence under Rafael Benítez.
There was precious little of the flamboyance with which they had dismembered Aston Villa just three days earlier, but plenty of the manager’s customary emphasis on discipline as Juan Mata’s superb first-half goal ensured they cemented their grip on third place in the Premier League.
The rancour that characterised the first days of Benítez’s tenure appeared long forgotten as Chelsea secured a third straight league win to carry them within four points of Manchester City in second.
Mata’s wonderful strike illuminated a game often bereft of attacking flair, while Norwich discovered that the heady performances of recent weeks at last caught up with them. They did not force Petr Cech into a noteworthy save all match.
Chelsea’s players seemed a more organised collective than at any point this season, while even their fans sounded subdued, chanting 'Super Frank’ in honour of substitute Frank Lampard from first whistle to last.
Lampard, finally called into action in the 73rd minute after a knee injury to John Obi Mikel, could leave Stamford Bridge as early as next month as the club give him permission to talk to other suitors.
The likelihood is that Lampard will wait until next summer to join the Los Angeles Galaxy, understood to be his preferred destination, although Benítez refused to be drawn last night into any discussion about the
midfielder’s contract. “It’s very easy,” he said. “It’s a private conversation between Frank and the club, and that’s it. He’s a player who is under contract, he’s a good player, and I will try to bring the best from him. That is my position.”
Benítez instead wished to concentrate on the manner of this valuable victory, every bit as satisfying to this connoisseur of the defensive arts as the 8-0 filleting of Villa.
“It’s important to see the team working hard and working well,” he said. “We could manage, we could control, we had another clean sheet – and all of this against a good team. We are defending but we are creating, too.”
Those mutinous renegades among the Chelsea fanbase, who would throw abuse at Benítez at every opportunity, now seem strangely quiescent.
The Spaniard, with the exception of defeat in the Club World Cup revival, has engineered a rapid revival that even prompted supporters to sing nostalgically yesterday about their status as European champions.
With Fernando Torres’ influence limited, no player was more central to Chelsea’s work against Norwich than Mata. The striker experienced a brief dip in form in the dying embers of Roberto di Matteo’s reign but here he was a player transformed, propelling the side’s forward thrust and fashioning an exquisite finish to confirm his standing as one of the league’s most luminous performers.
“He has clever movement,” Benítez said. “He can play high, he can play deeper, he can go into the right spaces. He always makes it difficult for the defenders or the midfielders.”
Mata’s flourish was a long time coming. After an attritional first half-an-hour, David Luiz, weaving his creative influence from the back of midfield, finally enabled Chelsea to gain some semblance of rhythm.
Piercing the Norwich defence with a typically instinctive pass, he set Mata free for a clear sight of goal, but the 24 year-old struggled to plant his feet correctly and succeeded only in scuffing his shot into the side-netting.
Luiz again played his part in setting up John Obi Mikel, whose fearsome drive was beautifully struck but always flying fractionally over the bar.
The breakthrough, when it arrived, was worth the wait. Mata, picked out neatly by Oscar, found space in an area thronged with yellow jerseys and with a minimum of backlift fired the ball comfortably beyond Mark Bunn for a stunning goal.
Only Benítez looked unmoved. From the technical area there came not a flicker of reaction. While Bunn might have been slow to react, no goalkeeper in the league stood a chance in the face of Mata’s cultured left boot. In any case, he excelled himself early in the second half, scrambling away Victor Moses’ effort with his body after the striker met Oscar’s corner with a glancing header.
Norwich were restricted to the most fleeting counterattacks. Grant Holt had the best of the chances, running clear of César Azpilicueta before dragging his finish wide of the far post from an offside position.
Elsewhere, Robert Snodgrass merely embarrassed himself by going to ground without a hint of contact from Branislav Ivanovic. When Bradley Johnson then tried the same trick under pressure from Luiz, referee Jon Moss did not hesitate in booking him.
Manager Chris Hughton, digesting back-to-defeats and a rare toothless showing by his players, still could not find fault with Norwich’s total of 25 points at the halfway stage. “I think if you had offered that to me at the start of the season then yes, I certainly would have taken it,” he said.
Norwich, with their weaknesses up front, could yet endure a struggle for Premier League survival. But for Chelsea, now 11 points behind the leaders Manchester United with a game in hand, the trajectory continues ever upwards.

Window shopping
NORWICH CITY
The club’s recent run, including home wins over Arsenal and Manchester United, has only served to mask deeper deficiencies. They are desperate for another striker to avoid an over-reliance upon Grant Holt and Wes Hoolahan.
CHELSEA
Rafael Benítez smiled enigmatically when asked if there was any truth to rumours that David Villa would be joining from Barcelona next month. He confirmed only that the club were seeking to strengthen - and on the evidence of another anonymous display by Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao cannot arrive soon enough.

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Times:

Norwich 0 Chelsea 1: Juan Mata proves difference yet again
By Gary Jacob

It was a controlled, rather than captivating, performance from Chelsea, but when two of your rivals have been overrun and humiliated at Carrow Road this season, victory was all that mattered.
 There was none of the effervescent attacking of Sunday’s 8-0 win over Aston Villa, but credit Chelsea for not giving Norwich City any sort of sniff until a scare in stoppage time and for hitting a most exquisite strike that illuminated a quite dreary afternoon.
 Once again it was Juan Mata who made the difference. The Spaniard seemed to be wriggling and drifting away from goal when, with no backlift, he unleashed a left-footed shot back across Mark Bunn, the Norwich goalkeeper, and into the top corner shortly before the interval.
 Mata has been Chelsea’s most consistent attacking performer this season, save for a small dip towards the end of Roberto Di Matteo’s tenure, with a haul of six goals in his past eight games and a tally of 13 for the season. No wonder Rafael Benítez, the interim manager, suggested that he was up there with the best in the top flight.
 “Mata is one of the best for sure — but it depends on the team — and he can be better,” Benítez said. “He is very dangerous getting in the box, has mobility and clever movements and can make a difference. He can play deeper and go to the right into spaces and that is hard for midfielders and defenders to manage.”
 Mata had missed a far simpler chance from six yards out when he toe-poked to ripple the side-netting after being fed through by David Luiz, who impressed in his midfield role.
 His long hair drenched from the pouring rain, the Brazilian looked like a shaggy dog as he chased around the pitch, breaking up and starting play, and he denied Norwich the energetic tempo and surges that they had enjoyed in home victories over Arsenal and Manchester United this season. Gary Cahill excellently marshalled Grant Holt, who had bullied defenders in those games.
 Norwich, usually so good at using their wingers, were stifled until the final moments when Ashley Cole was forced to clear a free kick hurriedly in front of his goal and from the resulting corner Sébastien Bassong headed down and on to the roof of the net when he was unmarked.
 Chelsea’s hard work was very nearly wasted, but a third consecutive league win lifted them to within four points of Manchester City, in second place in the Barclays Premier League, and a further seven points to United, with a game in hand.
 “The message is very clear: if we can improve and keep winning games, we will have our chance, but if United keep winning, you can do nothing,” Benítez said.
 The Spaniard seemed almost happier with grinding out this win than the eight goals Chelsea scored on Sunday, because it showed his team’s command. “We played very offensive against Villa, today we could manage and could control a quite dangerous team on the counter-attack,” he said.
 Victor Moses steered just wide from Oscar’s corner after the restart and he should have wrapped up the game when he drilled wide midway through the second half. Mata glanced a header wide and Eden Hazard, who after going on as a substitute pulled his shirtsleeves over his hands to protect himself from the cold, forced Bunn to smother at the death.
 The travelling supporters had been singing the name of Frank Lampard for the majority of the game and Benítez introduced the 34-year-old midfielder with 17 minutes remaining. Reports have suggested that Lampard, whose contract expires in the summer, has been told to find another club during the transfer window next month, but Benítez would not confirm them.
 “From my position it is very easy, it [talks about Lampard’s future] is a private conversation between Frank and the club and that is it,” Benítez said. “He is a good player and I would like to bring the best from him, that is my position.”
 Chris Hughton, the Norwich manager, said: “If you had offered me our points total at the start of the season I would certainly have taken it.”

 Norwich City (4-4-1-1): M Bunn — R Martin, M Turner, S Bassong, J Garrido — R Snodgrass, A Tettey, B Johnson (sub: J Howson, 82min), A Pilkington (sub: S Morison, 79) — W Hoolahan (sub: E Bennett, 88) — G Holt. Substitutes not used: D Rudd, S Jackson, L Barnett, R Bennett. Booked: Johnson.
 Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — C Azpilicueta, G Cahill, B Ivanovic, A Cole — David Luiz, J O Mikel (sub: F Lampard, 74) — V Moses (sub: E Hazard, 79), J Mata (sub: N Ake, 90), Oscar — F Torres. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, P Ferreira, M Marin, L Piazón. Booked: Hazard.
 Referee: J Moss. Attendance: 26,831.


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Mail:

Norwich 0 Chelsea 1: Mata strike sees off Canaries for third straight win
By Matt Barlow

As Chelsea feasted upon pre-Christmas goals against Aston Villa on Sunday, Juan Mata was strangely absent from a long list of scorers. How typically sensible that he seemed to have saved it for a day when it really counted.
Seven minutes before half-time, Mata collected a pass from the left, created himself a tiny pocket of space and lashed a shot inside the post. It was Chelsea’s 27th of the month but this time it was a story of quality not quantity.
After eight against Villa, one would do in Norwich and it happened to be scored by arguably the best player in the Barclays Premier League this season. Norwich  manager Chris Hughton called him ‘outstanding’ and ‘exceptional’ and it is hard to disagree.
When managers ramble on about those mercurial creators who operate ‘between the lines’ they should simply point to Mata. He is a thinker. He reads the game, he finds the space and, most importantly, when he does, he makes it count.
It is football intelligence combined with natural gifts. ‘He is clever and he has clever movement,’ said Rafa Benitez. ‘He can play high or deeper. He goes to the right spaces and always makes it difficult for the defenders. He has mobility.
‘The Premier League has a lot of good players and Mata is one of the best. Even without the ball he’s working hard but when we’re in possession he’s making the difference. It depends on the rest of the team. He can be even better.’
Since failing to win in his first three games, significant improvements under Benitez are clear. Chelsea have won three on the bounce, conceding once and lurk 11 points from the summit with a game in hand.
He may be only an ‘interim manager’ but at Norwich, he became the first Chelsea boss since Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2008 to win on Boxing Day. It did not start especially well. The visitors were slow into their rhythm but once they took a grip, they squeezed the life from a team who have beaten Manchester United and Arsenal this season. It would have tasted even sweeter had United not summoned a late  winner against Newcastle.
‘We can’t have an influence on other results,’ said Benitez. ‘We cannot be frustrated and thinking too much. The message is very clear, if we can improve and keep winning, we will have our chances.
‘The team is growing and progressing, managing different type of games and still getting results. For me, that’s important. We’re not just a team that can play football, as we showed against Villa. We are a team that can defend and work hard in difficult conditions with the rain and a quick pitch.’
There is lots of encouragement for Benitez and, although he refused to comment on the transfer market, he dodged questions with the confident smile of a manager who knows his squad is about to be strengthened.
Mata has been incredible but there have been unexpected positives since he took over, including Victor Moses, who rarely featured under Roberto Di Matteo but has started seven of the last eight games, making key contributions, as he did ahead of Mata’s goal.
Moses tracked back deep into his own half to win possession and, moments later, made a bullish charge down the left. Norwich cleared his cross but were unable to relieve the pressure before Mata punished them with his wonderful left-foot finish.
Moses is muscular and industrious. It is easy to see why Benitez often prefers his raw talents to the craft of Eden Hazard and Oscar.
If there is something to criticise, it is his finishing. Three chances fell to Moses in the second half. The first two were saved by Mark Bunn but the third, 21 minutes from time, was the best. Moses controlled a fine cross from right back Cesar Azpilicueta, swivelled towards goal and dragged a half-volley wide of the target when he could have killed the game.
Ultimately, it was irrelevant. This has been a quiet Christmas for goalkeeper Petr Cech. Barely troubled by Villa, he was not tested by Norwich and superbly protected by his central defenders.
Ashley Cole came as close as anyone to worrying Cech when he fired a clearance within a foot of his own goal. From the corner which followed, Sebastien Bassong arrived unmarked but headed the ball down into the ground and it sprang over.
That was it for Hughton’s team. Grant Holt was back after a  hamstring injury but Branislav Ivanovic and, in particular, Gary Cahill nullified his return.
‘I thought we did well to restrict them and we broke well,’ said Hughton. His team have lost the last two after 10 unbeaten in the league. ‘We have good momentum and we know what we need to do,’ he added. ‘If anyone had offered me our position at the start of the  season, I would have taken it.’


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Mirror:

Norwich City 0-1 Chelsea
Boxing Day Blues: Canaries grounded as Rafa's Chelsea close the gap on City
by Martin Lipton

Whisper it quietly, whisper it softly, but whisper it emphatically.
No longer also-rans, even if Manchester United keep on winning games at the death.
But far more like genuine contenders. And playing with the focus of a team that, irrespective of what the fans feel, trust their manager.
They didn’t score eight this time. Just one, although a goal of genuine quality, enough to leave the Canaries choking on their sawdust.
Juan Mata’s sixth goal in the last eight games was, arguably, the best of the lot, the Spaniard taking a touch away from Bradley Johnson before arrowing the ball into the bottom corner of Mark Bunn’s goal from 20 yards.
Not enough, due to late events at Old Trafford, to reduce the gap between themselves and the leaders below double figures.
But enough to keep the momentum going, a third straight Premier League win to turn the formerly distant Blue machine into a shadow breathing down Manchester City’s neck.
Still a gap. But one that can be bridged with half a season to go, especially while United continue to creak.
Even more crucially for Rafa Benitez is the knowledge that they did it once more without two of the men who have been integral to Chelsea for so long.
Benitez is counting on John Terry and Frank Lampard to play big parts between now and the end of the campaign. Indeed, the idea that the veteran midfielder will be allowed to go next month is decidedly unlikely.
But, unlike during the slump that cost Roberto Di Matteo his job and parachuted Benitez into the hottest seat of all, Chelsea have learned to win when those two cornerstones are not starters, Lampard coming on when Chelsea had already taken an iron grip.
It was the new vanguard of Chelsea heroes who once more came to the party at Carrow Road.
David Luiz, transformed under Benitez into the midfield orchestrator, set the tempo. A liability no more, it seems.
And, 13 times now this season, including that impressive run for Benitez, Mata with the key moment of quality. A dull encounter scarcely deserved to be illuminated with such a terrific goal as Mata’s perfect left-footer.
While Norwich were all endeavour, they never looked like getting anything out of this one, their efforts foundering on Chelsea’s defensive resolve.
Chelsea also had class in the middle. Luiz, a revelation in his new role, winning the ball at one end, creating at the other – even if his three shots were a combined 35 yards off target.
Seb Bassong’s injury-time header, down into the ground and up on to the roof of Petr Cech’s net, was the nearest Norwich came to scoring – which sums up how toothless they were.
Chelsea, even when playing with the handbrake on – reminiscent of so many performances under Jose Mourinho – were better in most departments.
Benitez will reflect that chances were few and far between, although still of sufficient quality for them to have won by more than they did.
Mata dragged wide from close range, the little Spaniard knowing he should have netted – even if he made up for it soon afterwards.
John Obi Mikel – back from his three-match ban as Lampard returned to the bench – flashed a shot over while Victor Moses had three opportunities in the second half.
The travelling fans imploring a sight of Lampard – again chants about Benitez, for or against, were absent – got what they wanted late on, the substitute creating a chance for fellow replacement Eden Hazard.
Yet it seemed an afterthought at the end of a game both sides seemed to know was already over.
Just like, whisper this as well, the old Chelsea used to do. And we are only at the half-way point.


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Sun:

JUAN MATA is taking over Frank Lampard’s mantle as the midfielder with the golden boot.
by Shaun Custis

The Spaniard’s goals are inspiring Chelsea to a rejuvenated title challenge.
Mata is Juan heck of a player and the £26million Chelsea splashed out to sign him from Valencia at the start of last season is turning out to be money very well spent.
How Arsenal must rue the day they dithered over whether to buy Mata or not.
He is the heartbeat of this Blues side and his 13th goal of the season provided another vital three points.
The gap between third-placed Chelsea and City in second is now only four points and they have a game in hand.
But for Manchester United’s late show against Newcastle, they would have been closing down on Fergie’s men too.
Still, Chelsea can only do what they can do and right now they are doing it very well.
It was a wonder strike by Mata on 38 minutes as he made space 25 yards out and whipped a gem of a shot into the far corner.
And it gave stand-in Canaries keeper Mark Bunn no chance.
With Lampard, who was dropped to the bench, having been told he will not get a new contract at Stamford Bridge, a lot of goals will be going out of the exit door with him.
But Mata has a deadly eye himself and this was his sixth goal in eight games.
The closest Norwich came to equalising was right at the death.
First, Ashley Cole showed incredible coolness to control a difficult ball in his six-yard box and smash it over his own bar for a corner.
Then, from the set-piece, Sebastien Bassong headed down and over the top.
Chelsea had scored five at Leeds in the Capital One Cup and beaten Villa 8-0 at home last Sunday. So it was perhaps asking a lot for a third successive goal fest.
The visitors were also facing a Norwich side who, until losing to West Brom at the weekend, had gone 10 without defeat and beaten Arsenal and United along the way.
So this one was never going to be a pushover for Rafa Benitez’s side.
However, in pouring rain, they showed again that under Benitez they are learning to tighten it up and dig in when required.
It will not get the supporters chanting Rafa’s name but at least it might stop them booing their Spanish gaffer. Progress, of sorts.
Norwich will be disappointed they did not offer more to warm their fans on a grim Boxing Day afternoon.
But, at the same time, Chelsea deserve credit for restricting their chances to a minimum.
Blues fans again made it clear how much they want Lampard to stay by chanting “Super Frankie Lampard” as he pounded up and down the touchline getting soaked in his tracksuit.
He indulged in some friendly banter with the home fans too who first sang “You’re fat and you’ve got the sack”.
Then they took a chance to offer him an olive branch in East Anglia by singing “Sign him up, sign him up”.
Lamps laughed and gave them the thumbs up.
Chelsea, again with David Luiz in midfield, were always taking the game to their opponents.
Although Luiz sent two shots so high over the bar that they rattled the windows of the executive boxes just below the second tier of the stand.
However, on the other side of the coin, Luiz was also trying to play his team-mates in and when he robbed Wes Hoolahan he fed Mata on the right.
Mata had to take it quickly but put his hands to his face as his close-range shot towards the near post hit the side-netting. Luiz again was the architect from a run which set up John Obi Mikel but the Nigerian’s shot fizzed over.
Then came Mata’s stunner which followed good work by Victor Moses and Oscar before a quite wonderful finish.
Bunn had to be alert to keep out a ball at his near post after Oscar’s corner was touched on by Moses just after half-time.
And, when Norwich did manage to mount an attack, a great sliding clearance by Gary Cahill cut out a dangerous cross from Robert Snodgrass.
Grant Holt managed to get away too but he was marginally offside before shooting wide.
Snodgrass went down in the box without Branislav Ivanovic getting near him.
But, in fairness, the Canaries man was quickly back on his feet and the referee spared him a booking for diving.
As the board went up for added time, the Canaries mounted their last-ditch bid for an equaliser.
Centre-back Bassong had been on target three times in his previous seven games.
But the former Tottenham player got too much force on his downward header and it bounced up and over.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN — JUAN MATA(Chelsea)
NORWICH: Bunn 6, Martin 7, Turner 6, Bassong 7, Garrido 7, Snodgrass 5, Tettey 7, Johnson 6 (Howson 5), Pilkington 5 (Morison 5), Hoolahan 6 (E Bennett 5), Holt 6. Subs not used: Rudd, Jackson, Barnett, Ryan Bennett. Booked: Johnson.
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Cole 7, Mikel 7 (Lampard 6), Luiz 6, Moses 6 (Hazard 6), Oscar 6, Mata 8 (Ake 5), Torres 6. Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Piazon. Booked: Hazard.
REF: J Moss 7

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Express:

MATA FIRES CHELSEA TO VICTORY
The win moves the Blues to within four points of second-placed Manchester City in the Barclays Premier League table but it was only a fantastic effortseven minutes from half-time that separated the two sides.
Mata, who scored his sixth goalin eight games with aplomb, also missed a good opportunity with the scoreline 0-0 while Norwich had decent spells of possession but were too blunted in attack to ever truly test Petr Cech.
Chelsea only had two long-range efforts from David Luiz in the opening 25 minutes and both were fired high and wide by the Brazilian.
The Blues were almost ahead after 30 minutes as Luiz robbed Wes Hoolahan of the ball before picking out Mata, who shot into the side-netting when well placed.
The sustained spell of Chelsea pressure eventually paid off and it was Mata who opened the goalscoring in style. The Spain international cut in from the left before letting fly with an effort from 25 yards that flew past Mark Bunn.
A near-post corner at the start of the second half almost doubled Chelsea's advantage as Oscar's set-piece evaded everyone before Bunn reacted well to push the ball wide.
Victor Moses came close for the visitors after Russell Martin missed a headed clearance and the ball fell to the feet of the Nigeria international who fired a shot wide of the post.
Chelsea substitute Eden Hazard forced another decent save from Bunn with only a couple of minutes remaining after being found by a deft flick from Fernando Torres, before receiving a caution moments later for a cynical clip of Martin's heels as the Norwich full-back looked to counter.
The resulting free-kick was almost hooked into his own goal by Ashley Cole before Sebastien Bassong headed the corner over Cech's bar.


====================

Star:

Norwich 0 - Chelsea 1: Juan Mata's magic makes him special
By David Woods

CHELSEA almost certainly won’t be winning the ­Premier League – but the top individual honour looks to be heading for Stamford Bridge.
Juan Mata’s wonder goal secured a third successive league win for the Blues, but they remain 11 points off leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.
It was The Special Juan’s 13th of the season and the midfielder is the west London club’s top scorer.
He is also a leading candidate to be the PFA’s Footballer of the Year.
His goal yesterday at Carrow Road was a joy to behold. He curled the ball home from close to 30 yards out, ­leaving
Norwich boss Chris Hughton to say: “Mata’s had an incredible ­season. He’s been outstanding.”
The Spaniard has the ability to find space even in crowded areas – and that’s just what he did in the 38th minute.
With yellow shirts all around, he curled the ball in off a post with his left foot, despite using very little backlift.
Typically, Blues boss Rafa Benitez was unwilling to big up Mata too much, as it is not his style.
However, he said: “Mata is very ­dangerous getting into the box and also outside the box, so we are very pleased with him.
“He is in form and doing really well. Even without the ball he is working really hard and when we are in ­possession he is making a difference.
“These kind of players can make a difference. He is clever and has clever movements.
“He can play deeper, go to the right into spaces, and that is hard for the midfielders and defenders to manage. He is a player who has mobility.
“The Premier League has a lot of good players and Mata is one of the best, for sure.”
But a PFA individual award won’t be enough to thrill Chelsea’s demanding owner Roman Abramovich and Benitez admitted the title was out of their hands with United so far ahead.
“The message is very clear – if we can improve our team and keep ­winning games, we will have our chance,” he said.
“If they keep winning games, okay, you can do nothing. But we can ­improve and that will be the main thing for us.”
After the 8-0 thrashing of Aston Villa, this was quite an anti-climax, with precious few ­chances to excite fans.
Norwich, in fact, did not force Petr Cech into a single save.
David Luiz, playing in midfield, set Mata free in the box in the 30th minute, but the Spaniard could not quite get his
feet planted and he scuffed a left-foot shot into the ­sidenetting.
Norwich keeper Mark Bunn had to scramble the ball away with his body in the 49th minute after Victor Moses met Oscar’s corner with a glancing header.
Moses forced the keeper into ­another save soon after from ­another tight angle on the left.
Mata also tried to catch out Bunn with a quick free-kick, but the keeper darted across in time to deny him.
Moses then drove just wide with his right foot when he might have done better and Bunn did well near the end to keep out an Eden Hazard shot, after the Belgium star was played in by Fernando Torres.
There was a bit of late pressure from the Canaries, with Ashley Cole having to clear hastily and Sebastien Bassong heading into the ground and over the bar.
Without Mata’s moment of magic, this could easily have been a 0-0.
But despite their lack of bite, the ­Canaries showed plenty of spirit and at the halfway point are 11th on 25 points.
“If you had offered me that at the start of the season, then, yes, I would have taken it,” said Hughton.

Aston Villa 8 (eight) - 0

Independent:

Chelsea 8 Aston Villa 0
Chelsea's festive binge returns the feelgood factor to the Bridge
by Jack Pitt-Brooke

What a timely return to lavish home comfort this was for Chelsea. After the trauma of their autumn, this gluttonous win was precisely what they wanted for Christmas.
There was a real sense of homecoming at Stamford Bridge last night, and not just because – owing to the Club World Cup – this was their first Premier League game for more than a fortnight. With this big victory it felt as if the old riotous abundance, the ease, the confidence and the success which used to define Chelsea's home league games had returned, in greater portions than almost ever before.
This was the biggest league win since Chelsea beat Wigan by the same scoreline in May 2010. And, like any festive binge, it was almost an uncomfortable experience at the end. There was no prospect whatsoever of any Christmas charity as Villa looked callow and out of place and were handed their worst ever defeat.
Chelsea were once formidable at Stamford Bridge. They were unbeaten here in the league between February 2004 and October 2008. But that had slipped in recent years. Last night's rout was a throwback.
The first goal of eight, from Fernando Torres, was Chelsea's first here in the Premier League since Remembrance Sunday, six weeks ago. Even that came in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool. This, bizarrely, was their first home league win for 11 weeks, when they beat Norwich City 4-1, with 10 games of Roberto Di Matteo's reign left to run.
There were the customary chants for Di Matteo yesterday but none of "We want our Chelsea back" – that wish having seemingly been fulfilled on the pitch. It barely seems worth noting that this was the best performance of the Rafael Benitez era.
In the first half it was clinical and efficient, the three goals all gifted by Paul Lambert's young and inexperienced side. But Chelsea, with weeks of frustration within them, punished Villa in the second half. Rather than preserving their energy ahead of a busy Christmas programme, Chelsea – inspired by the substitutes Ramires, Oscar and Lucas Piazon – scored four in the final 15 minutes, and even found time to miss a penalty kick too.
The imbalance between the teams was clear after two minutes. Lambert understandably kept the same team that won 3-1 at Liverpool last weekend but it is still ambitious to field a back three aged 21, 23 and 23 years old. Lambert's trust in his players is admirable but trust is a risk.
Cesar Azpilicueta swung in a cross from the right. Ciaran Clark and Chris Herd each thought that Torres belonged to the other. Torres ran through, jumped and headed the ball perfectly beyond Brad Guzan into the far top corner.
The surprise, given what followed, is that Chelsea were not even playing particularly assertively in the first half. David Luiz and Frank Lampard were in midfield but they were happy to allow Villa, purposeful but imprecise, to give them the ball back. At this stage Villa's main problems could be put down to over-enthusiasm.
Herd needlessly clattered into Eden Hazard from behind after 29 minutes. The free-kick was taken by Luiz who, with that instep whip, fired the ball over the wall, down and into the net. Benitez said on Friday that Luiz is more free to express himself from midfield and this was the peak of an afternoon of imaginative and technical excellence.
It was as well taken as the first goal but was a chance that an experienced defence should not concede. And so was the third goal, five minutes later. Juan Mata's corner fell to Gary Cahill who spun and shot. Guzan saved and Branislav Ivanovic, unmarked, headed in.
Villa, at the interval, could look at one skewed Barry Bannan shot as the extent of their threat. They might have rearranged at half-time but Lambert could not exactly bring in experienced defenders, having only 22-year-old Joe Bennett in that position on the bench.
So there was no change, just more of the same. It might have worked, had Chelsea been in the mood for  seasonal goodwill. But they certainly were not, and when Guzan had to save well from Lampard, Torres and Victor Moses at the start of the second half, it was clear this was going to get harder.
The fourth, the last before the deluge, came from Lampard. Chesting the ball down 25 yards from goal, he let it bounce twice before striking it perfectly into the far bottom corner. He was taken off two minutes later to the sound of the fans imploring the club to offer him a new contract.
Roman Abramovich, though, might just point to Chelsea's improvement after Lampard went off. It was the introduction of three Brazilian midfielders, Ramires, Oscar and Piazon, which brought the punishing next four goals.
Piazon, with his first touches in the Premier League, played in Ramires, who ran forward and scored Chelsea's fifth. Three minutes later, Piazon found Oscar, who was pulled over by Herd and got up to finish the resultant penalty.
Five minutes after that Oscar supplied Hazard, who shuffled into space and thundered the ball into the top corner.
There was still time for Piazon to win a penalty only to see it well saved by Guzan, who performed as nobly as any goalkeeper who concedes so many can.
But, in added time, the American let in the eighth, as Ramires exchanged passes with Oscar before finishing high and hard.

================
Guardian:

Fernando Torres sparks Chelsea's eight-goal demolition of Aston Villa
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge
Back in Yokohama, Rafael Benítez had broken away from talk of possibly winning the Club World Cup to suggest this fixture could inspire a title challenge. Beat Aston Villa with a hint of pizzazz and his players would "start building their confidence" and, with it, conviction. To have thrashed that opposition out of sight presumably confirms the pursuit of the league leadership is well and truly revived.
This was a thrashing to send shock waves up and down the division. Villa may be wide-eyed and vulnerable but they had arrived unbeaten in six games and still ended shredded, Chelsea having mustered a performance brimming with all the panache that typified the latter weeks of their last Premier League title success. Carlo Ancelotti had been in charge when these opponents and Stoke had been dispatched to the tune of seven goals, and Wigan whipped on the final day by eight. Benitez's team missed a penalty when the score was 7-0, the over-worked Brad Guzan somehow denying Lucas Piazón, but the American will have taken little pleasure in that mini-triumph. After all, this was Villa's heaviest defeat, with seven other Chelsea players having beaten him en route.
Such ruthlessness has been lacking at times, even when Roberto Di Matteo's team felt so swashbuckling over the opening weeks of this term. There may be mild surprise that it is a Benítez side who have registered 22 goals in four domestic matches – particularly given how blunt his players had appeared in those goalless stalemates with Manchester City and Fulham upon his appointment – but this team can click.
The interim first-team manager had the luxury of hauling a trio of key players from the fray relatively early with one eye on the cluttered programme to come. Their replacements merely dazzled in their stead, with four goals plundered and the spot-kick missed in the last 15 minutes.
Manchester United remain 11 points clear but Chelsea, risen from seventh back to third, have a game in hand and a timely injection of form. "You could see the players had confidence, that they believed," Benítez said. "They had good movement from the start, created plenty of chances, missed other chances, but the mentality was right: even after six goals they were still pushing forward for more. You can see the team are improving, and I'm sure the race will be closer. We can still improve and I say that after winning by eight … But now we have to sustain this run. If we do, it will be easier to say we can compete."
They benefited from Villa's fragility, their three-man defence by-passed in the opening exchanges and Paul Lambert either unable or reluctant to switch his tactical approach even as the game was veering away by the break.
There was no real defensive experience to call on from the bench, and an understandable lack of leadership from the youngsters enduring the scorching on the pitch. It was hard to contemplate that they had won at Stamford Bridge only last season, with this such a mismatch from the moment César Azpilicueta's fine whipped cross and Fernando Torres's thumping header from distance set the tone.
The striker now boasts seven goals in six matches, with this arguably his finest since joining the club. He still needs to produce such brilliance for this team on a major occasion, as the tournament in Japan proved, but a lack of confidence is less of a problem these days. Torres's bite is back.
At Anfield the previous weekend Villa had not been punished for a nervy start and, once settled, had imposed themselves impressively to maintain that recent flurry of form. Yet, once punctured early here, recovery never felt likely. They never coped with Chelsea's slippery pace down the flanks, where Victor Moses, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata interchanged with such relish, and Piazón and Oscar later joined in the fun. Inexperienced personnel wilted in the face of the onslaught. Villa's is a long-term plan and there will be occasions as miserable as this to endure.
Chelsea were irrepressible. David Luiz, relishing his second outing in central midfield, curled a glorious free-kick beyond Guzan in front of a baying Shed just before the half-hour mark to double the lead. Villa were still teetering moments later when Gary Cahill controlled Frank Lampard's corner with his first touch and spat a shot goalwards with his second. Guzan did wonderfully well to react to that attempt, but Branislav Ivanovic reacted quickest to nod in the rebound from the underside of the bar. Lampard's own reward was a volley from 20 yards, his 130th top-flight goal for Chelsea to eclipse Bobby Tambling's record. The irony was his departure moments later, to an optimistic chorus of "sign him up" from the stands, actually prompted the avalanche.
Villa withered away. Ramires, set up by Piazón's sublime first involvement – a pass threaded between Joe Bennett and Nathan Baker – finished through Guzan's legs and later side-footed in the eighth. Oscar won and then converted a penalty, with Hazard twisting away from two panicked Villa defenders before thrashing a blistering shot into the top corner.
Villa had been praying for the end for some time. Chelsea must hope this is merely the beginning of their own charge back towards the summit.
Man of the match Juan Mata (Chelsea)

==============

Telegraph:

Chelsea reveal ruthless side in 8-0 Premier League thrashing of Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge
by Paul Hayward
Under Rafa Benítez in December, Chelsea have put six past Nordsjaelland, five through Leeds and now eight in Aston Villa’s net. The two 0-0 draws with which Roman Abramovich’s latest appointee started his “interim” reign were the manure for a remarkable flowering of goals and entertainment.
Perspective is called for. Nordsjaelland were Champions League also-rans from Denmark. Leeds – Capital One Cup victims – play in the Championship; andAston Villa walked to the slaughter with a team whose average age was 23 years and 309 days. Also this month Chelseahave lost at West Ham and to Corinthians in the Fifa Club World Cup final. But if they carry on playing like this, the two-horse Premier League title race will be joined by another thoroughbred.
What larks at Christmas time. There was joy all around, except for Villa, whose young lions were wiped out. In his 500th Premier League start, Frank Lampard overtook Bobby Tambling as the club’s leading top-flight scorer, moving to 130 with a 25-yard drive before leaving the field to thunderous acclaim. Within three minutes of the start there was a sixth in seven outings for Fernando Torres, a £50 million striker who was turning into the Tin Man before Benítez arrived with his can of oil.
Torres was the first of seven scorers in a game that crushed Villa’s mini- revival. Only Ramires, who replaced Lampard on the hour, scored twice, as David Luiz, Oscar, Branislav Ivanovic and Eden Hazard also beat Brad Guzan in the Villa goal. The transformation in Torres is startling. Even his facial muscles have relaxed. His headed goal from a cross by César Azpilicueta would have graced Didier Drogba’s showreel. It was all elevation, precision and power: a Roy of the Rovers finish as he twisted his neck to head the ball with savage force.
From there Chelsea seemed to sense it would be a fun day. Their first home league goal since Nov 11 unleashed an avalanche. Benítez’s appointment, which was resented and ridiculed by Chelsea’s supporters, was meant to usher in an age of austerity, with caution to the fore. Benítez would turn Roberto Di Matteo’s team into a conservative unit. Instead the response from the players has been positive. The caretaker has avoided the mistake of stamping on their creativity. He has presented himself as someone who wants to help them attack more fluently while improving their defensive strength.
Again, though, they have to play this well against top opposition for the jury to be convinced. Norwich (on Boxing Day), Everton, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke must be dealt with before Arsenal’s visit on Jan 20. If Chelsea could win all those four games the Manchester clubs would not feel so secure in their private battle for the title.
“The main thing is to win our games. You can do that if you can see the team improving,” Benítez said. “I’m sure it will be closer. We’ll try to be as close as possible, but you can see the mentality of the team: even after six goals they were still pushing forward for more.”
For Paul Lambert there were disquieting echoes of a 7-1 battering inflicted on Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa on this grass. Very blue and needing claret, Villa’s fans were subjected to chants of, “You should have gone Christmas shopping” from the home crowd. Their prolific striker, Christian Benteke, was snuffed out by the Chelsea centre-back pairing of Gary Cahill and Ivanovic, who has given way at right-back to Azpilicueta, an excellent buy at £7million.
Strong, athletic and confident, Azpilicueta motors over the ground. His expert crossing is a major addition to Chelsea’s arsenal. Another plus is that Luiz looks at home in a central midfield screening role. Without Mikel and Oriol Romeu, Luiz linked up with Lampard to allow Juan Mata, Hazard and Victor Moses to spin their patterns.
Torres has scored 59 times in 84 Premier League appearances for Benítez.
The switch in his head has been flicked by the knowledge that Benítez will always play to his strengths as predator, pinned against defenders. In his new role Torres is not dropping deep or roaming across the line. With his manager’s support he is free to return to his oldest talents. So liberated is he by this change of management that he tried a ‘rabona’ pass on the byline: a chip delivered by the back leg coming round in front of the standing one to lift the ball.
Almost all Chelsea’s eight goals were attractive. Luiz’s free-kick drew on Cristiano Ronaldo or Drogba. It clipped the ball up over a wall and then lowered it again beyond Guzan. Hazard’s drive was a blaster. Ramires finished his two beautifully. After the interval, Mata, Oscar and Moses all missed chances. After earning a penalty when Ciaran Clark ran across him and clipped him in the box, Lucas Piazón saw his shot from the penalty spot saved by Guzan. Earlier Oscar had made no such error, with Chelsea’s sixth, after a foul by Chris Herd.
Benítez is still a long way short of deification here but at least he has challenged the idea that he would take this team to the parade ground and preach sterility. No longer is there evidence of resistance in the players’ dealings with their leader.
But Benítez denies he had to win them over. “I don’t agree,” he said. “The players were really focused from day one. They knew they had a new manager and they had to perform. The players, from day one, were trying to learn, to improve, and they were keen to learn.” His message to Abramovich: an interim manager is not just for Christmas.

=============
Times:

Chelsea 8 Aston Villa 0: Blues crush young Villains
Torres and Lampard are back among the goals as Chelsea surge in to the top-four and arrest Aston Villa's five-match unbeaten run
Nick Townsend

BEFORE the game, Rafa Benitez had stressed that he believed he was winning over the fans and that Chelsea were still in the title race.
Neither of those notions may have appeared likely, but this demolition of Paul Lambert’s young side – Villa’s worst defeat in top-flight football – offered a thumping vindication to both claims on a day when the Londoners edged two points closer to leaders Manchester United, climbed to third place, and gave a significant boost to their goal difference. A Champions League place is rather more realistic for a team still 11 points adrift of Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, but in this mood who knows?
The Chelsea interim manager had said in his programme notes: “We have the determination to show that we are still in the title race this season”. Afterwards he said: “The main thing is to win our games, and you can do it if you can see the team improving. We will try to be as close as possible.”
Such a result could well contribute towards the Spaniard extending his tenure here beyond this season – though he has also been linked with a possible vacancy at Real Madrid if, as expected, Jose Mourinho departs – but he would only comment: “I will try to do my best from day one until my last day. Hopefully everything will go in the same way that it has today.”
It was eight. It could have been 12. Chelsea even missed a penalty. What made the outcome even more remarkable was that this was a Chelsea whom many had prophesised would be fatigued following the long haul to Japan to contest the Fifa Club World Cup.
By half-time, Benitez’s men had emphatically rubbished that theory after Fernando Torres – remember him, the disconsolate character for whom goalscoring became an alien concept in the immediate aftermath of his £50m move from Liverpool – started the rout within the first three minutes with his seventh goal in six games.
Benitez has clearly instilled self-belief in his compatriot, and said: “He’s a striker and he needed to score goals. The team’s doing well. He has more chances and he has more confidence because he’s scoring goals.”
The Spain international was one of seven scorers – the first occasion that has occurred in a Premier League match – and Benitez added: “The whole team is attacking. It is not just about one or two players.”
Another scorer was Frank Lampard, starting his first Premier League game for nearly three months – and his 500th in total. Can Chelsea really dispense with the vast experience and goalscoring he brings? David Luiz was also on target and flourished in his midfield role, in front of the back four.
Asked if he could pick faults in the Chelsea performance, Benitez retorted wryly: “Yes, I have my notes here. I guarantee that we can still improve.”
By the end the home supporters were chorusing at their Villa counterparts. “You should have gone Christmas shopping…” It won’t have been easy watching for the visiting supporters, but manager Paul Lambert knows that in reconstructing his team with so many young players there will be days like this. It is how they respond. They went down 5-1 to Manchester City in November and then went on an unbeaten run of six games, including that Capital One Cup quarter-final triumph at Norwich and the 3-1 victory at Anfield last Saturday.
Worringly for Villa, however, they remain only three points clear of the relegation places. “We were well beaten and second best all over the pitch,” said Lambert. “We’ll have to pick ourselves up and go again on Wednesday (at home to Tottenham). You have to be bang at it every single game, and we were well below our standard of late.”
He added: “The players will be really hurt by this, so it won’t be a problem getting them up for Wednesday.”
Torres’ 12th goal of the season inside three minutes set the trend. It was a superb header from 15 yards from Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross. The excellent Luiz increased Chelsea’s advantage just before the half-hour when he unleashed a venomous free-kick over the wall and past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
Chelsea were rampant and Ivanovic added a third when he headed home after Guzan had only been able to parry Cahill’s smart attempt on the turn from Juan Mata’s corner.
In that first period, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was untroubled by Villa. Leading scorer Christian Benteke worked tirelessly but could make no headway against centre-backs Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill.
After the break, Chelsea continued to break through the Villa lines at will. Guzan saved well from Mata and Victor Moses. Lampard got on the scoresheet with his fourth goal of the season, majestically sweeping the ball home across the beleaguered Guzan from outside the area.
The closest Villa came to a reply was when substitute Stephen Ireland created a fine opening for Andreas Weimann. The Austrian’s goal-bound effort was turned on to the bar and over by Cech.
The pain had not ended for Villa. Substitute Oscar speared a splendid ball to fellow substitute Ramires who finished under Guzan. The Brazilian was then grabbed by Chris Herd in the area and fired home the resulting penalty himself. Hazard netted a seventh before Ciaran Clark brought down substitute Lucas Piazon to concede another penalty. He took the spot-kick himself but Guzan made a fine save.
But Ramires finished things off with an eighth in stoppage time that could not come soon enough for Lambert and his men.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole, Luiz, Lampard (Ramires 61min), Moses, Mata (Piazon 74min), Hazard, Torres (Oscar 67min)
Aston Villa: Guzan, Herd, Clark, Baker, Lowton, Bannan, Westwood (Ireland 57min), Lichaj (Elliott 57min), Weimann, Holman, Benteke

===============

Mail:

Chelsea 8 Aston Villa 0: Brilliant Blues back up to third after rout on Lampard landmark
By MATT BARLOW

A month ago, hate dripped from the steep tiers at  Stamford Bridge as Rafa Benitez appeared on the touchline. Yesterday, the place was thrilled by eight goals. Not once did the Chelsea fans join in song to tell Benitez he wasn’t wanted here.
The last time they saw their team score this many was the final game of the Barclays Premier League season in 2010, when Carlo Ancelotti’s team walloped Wigan to celebrate the first leg of their first Double.
But that was Carlo, a free-wheeling and popular manager who implored his players to attack. This was Rafa, a cautious tactician, always alert to danger, who sat down after an 8-0 win to say: ‘We knew they would be dangerous in the counter-attacks.’
Emotions were all over the place as post-Japan Chelsea returned to the Premier League in emphatic style by condemning Aston Villa to the biggest defeat in their 138-year history.
They may have arrived unbeaten in six games but Paul Lambert’s team went home perilously close to the drop zone with the worst goal difference in the division.
Villa were awful but Chelsea were slick and impressive.
There were eight goals from seven different scorers but there could have been many more.
The Blues even missed a penalty but go into Christmas 11 points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand at home to Southampton.
In a month of Benitez, Fernando Torres has been transformed to the point where he seems to be enjoying his football and refused to sulk off when he was replaced.
The Spain striker opened the scoring in the third minute, rising to meet a deep cross from Cesar Azpilicueta with a majestic header from the edge of the penalty area.
It was his seventh under the new manager and his seventh in the last six games.
‘He scores when he wants,’ sang the fans in the Matthew Harding Stand, saluting the Benitez factor without giving him credit.
This won’t bother the  manager too much. He will take his satisfaction from the aggressive tempo which crushed Villa.
The back five have worked well for Lambert since centre half and  skipper Ron Vlaar was injured but Chelsea forced them deep, creating space for Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses.
Villa lurched from uncertainty to desperation. Nathan Baker escaped a strong penalty appeal when he appeared to hold Torres and  Chelsea’s second came when Chris Herd sent Hazard tumbling.
David Luiz stepped up and scored the free-kick, a shot which wobbled over the wall and beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan, a good yard inside his post.
Luiz, signed almost two years ago at the same time as Torres, has also endured an oscillating career at the club but appears to have made  significant progress under Benitez, who used him as a deep midfielder yesterday in the absence of John Mikel Obi, who was banned.
The role suits Luiz, certainly when Chelsea control possession. He performed it with success against Monterrey in the Club World Cup semi-final and was comfortable against Villa.
There is a safety net if he takes an undue risk and loses the ball, as he did at Leeds in the Capital One Cup, yet his team  benefit from his exuberance and unpredictability in attack.
It was one of those days for  Chelsea. Not only were the  converted centre halves threatening Guzan in the Villa goal but so were the unconverted ones.
Guzan produced a terrific reflex save to beat out Gary Cahill’s shot on the spin before the interval but the rebound popped up to his defensive partner Branislav Ivanovic to head in the third.
Fear took hold, mistakes crept in and Christian Benteke never looked like scoring. The only chance of any note fell to Andreas Weimann — on the break, as Benitez predicted — in the second half.
Weimann was denied by Petr Cech, who deflected his low shot on to the bar to protect his clean sheet, despite the fact the contest was already over.
Frank Lampard scored the fourth with a right-foot volley from 30 yards. It was his 190th goal for  Chelsea — three behind Kerry Dixon, who stands second in the all-time goal list for the club — on his 500th Premier League start.
It was also his 130th top-flight goal for the club. No one has more. Lampard was replaced a minute later to a standing ovation. Torres was also taken off to rest ahead of the festive fixtures which will  dictate whether this is to turn into a genuine title fightback.
With Daniel Sturridge in Liverpool for a medical, Moses played the last 23 minutes at centre forward and the Blues finished with a front four of Moses, Oscar, Hazard and Lucas Piazon, an 18-year-old Brazilian making his Premier League debut.
It was a quartet with an average age of just over 20 but Piazon wasted no time making an impact, collecting the ball on the left,  gliding inside and finding Ramires, who scored the fifth. It was a nice pass but did not need to be laser-guided.
Villa were all at sea by this stage and not helped when referee Phil Dowd started to hand out soft penalties.
Herd was penalised for a slight pull on Oscar, who picked himself up to make it six from the spot. Hazard lashed the seventh into the top corner and Piazon missed a  second penalty after he was fouled by Ciaran Clark. Guzan made the save.
It was a very strange afternoon for the American goalkeeper.
Ramires scored the eighth in stoppage time and the Bridge stood to rejoice. For the man they reviled as the Spanish waiter, will it be any different after eight?

===============

Mirror:

Christmas stuffing: Chelsea stick eight past hapless Villa to go third
[image: Fernando Torres celebrates scoring the opening goal with Victor Moses]
By Martin Lipton  |  23 Dec 2012 18:08
Oh no they’re not, Rafa.
Getting behind the Spaniard, that is, despite the interim manager’s claims.
This humiliation for Paul Lambert, a message of intent from the Blues, served only to confirm that the only day some Chelsea fans will acknowledge Rafa Benitez’s existence at Stamford Bridge is the day he leaves.
Even when he orchestrates the biggest league win since they also put eight past Wigan to win the title under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010, the best he can expect is to be ignored. But at least the fans did not spend 90 minutes making Benitez a pantomime villain, even if the only manager name-checked remains Roberto Di Matteo.
At some point, surely, some of them might begin to see what is in front of their eyes, rather than ignore the blinding truth.
That Benitez has changed Chelsea for the better. And might still get them back in the title race.
Of course, for a large proportion, especially those determined to castigate Benitez at every opportunity, his infamous “facts” rant about Sir Alex Ferguson is part of their armoury.
But sometimes true facts are clear. Facts like Fernando Torres having scored more goals in the last six games under Benitez than he did in four months this season for Di Matteo.
Facts like 25 goals for the team since December 5, as Benitez finally made his mark on a side now back in third and looking as if they truly mean business.
Like a return to the fluency of the early part of the campaign, despite the absence of John Terry.
And like the way Benitez has, just as he promised, turned David Luiz into the player he always had the potential to be – whether at centre-back or, as yesterday, in midfield.
Hapless Villa may have arrived on the back of a six-game unbeaten run yet they were embarrassed from first kick to last.
Barely three minutes had elapsed when Chelsea secured the advantage, the finish from Torres outstanding and unanswerable.
Cesar Azpilicueta cantered down the right and delivered 16 yards out, where Torres eluded the alleged attentions of Ciaran Clark and powered a stunning header past Brad Guzan.
It was Torres’ seventh goal in 18 days, further evidence that the £50million man is responding to the man who helped create his reputation in their time at Anfield.
In truth, from that stage it was merely a question of the final margin, Chelsea in utter control, Villa never any threat. Luiz made it two with a terrific free-kick, beating Guzan all ends up after a needless foul on Eden Hazard by Chris Herd was duly punished.
The third followed before the break. Gary Cahill swivelled to shoot from Frank Lampard’s corner and while Guzan saved, Branislav Ivanovic was on hand to nod in the rebound.
And even though Lambert tried to stem the flood, it was relentless, Guzan alone keeping it below double figures, albeit only jus
Juan Mata could have scored, Victor Moses should have scored and only the flag denied Torres another before Lampard marked his 500th Premier League start with a trademark strike from 25 yards.
It was Lampard’s 130th top-flight goal for Chelsea, overtaking Bobby Tambling to go top of the all-time list, just 10 short of a double century for the club.
“Sign him up” urged the home fans, still refusing to acknowledge the manager. Their pleas, though, will fall on deaf ears.
By now it was almost too easy. Hazard spooned over with the goal at his mercy and while Petr Cech made one save – his only one of the match – from Andreas Weimann, Chelsea were dominant.
Guzan saved from Azpilicueta, Oscar missed a sitter after replacing Torres, before Lucas Piazon’s first touch after replacing Mata saw fellow substitute Ramires drive through Guzan’s legs.
Oscar then made it six from the spot – his first Premier League goal – after being downed by Herd.
Still time for more goals. Hazard twisted, turned then crashed home past the exposed and utterly befuddled Guzan, who had scarcely saved Piazon’s spot-kick before he was beaten for the eighth time by Ramires, set up by Oscar.
Benitez smiled wryly. He can point to the facts and let others decide.

==========

Sun:
Chelsea 8 Aston Villa 0
by Mark Irwin

Needless to say it was not interim boss Rafa Benitez the supporters want owner Roman Abramovich to keep.
Spaniard Benitez will have to win 8-0 every week until his contract runs out at the end of the season to have the remotest chance of the faithful changing their minds about his presence.
But, as skipper Frank Lampard left the pitch on the hour having smashed in a stunning fourth from 25 yards, the Shed End made it crystal clear how much they want the board to keep him.
The veteran’s contract is up in June and there is no sign of a new one. Yet, even at the age of 34, he is still doing the business.
On his 500th Premier League start, Lampard was the fulcrum of a stunning victory. His goal was his 190th for Chelsea, his 130th in the top flight and his 100th in the capital.
He continues to break records.
What a servant Lampard has been at Stamford Bridge — and what an example to the young English players of today.
There is barely enough room in this report to describe the goals yesterday, let alone all the other chances Chelsea had.
It could have been the Premier League’s first scoreline in double figures.
It was surprising in that Villa arrived on a run of six games without defeat. They had notched up a superb 3-1 win at Liverpool in their last game.
It was Fernando Torres, rejuvenated under Benitez, who got the first within three minutes and it was quite a goal.
Full-back Cesar Azpilicueta’s measured cross found the striker and his header from 16 yards was an absolute bullet and Brad Guzan had no chance. Benitez has given Torres fresh confidence, although do not expect the Blues fans to dish out any credit.
As usual, 16 minutes in, they were acclaiming former boss Roberto Di Matteo — the man who won them the Champions League last season.
Benitez said during the week that he thought he was winning over the fans but it does not sound like it.
On 29 minutes David Luiz, enjoying life in midfield, sent a free-kick in the Cristiano Ronaldo mode fizzing beyond the despairing Guzan.
There was a third before half-time when former Villa man Gary Cahill turned and shot. Guzan pushed it away but Branislav Ivanovic followed up with a headed goal.
Villa were being pulled here, there and everywhere and showed no sign of getting back into it, while striker Christian Benteke must have been offside at least six times.
Guzan was a busy boy and made a stunning save to deny Juan Mata. He also denied Victor Moses with his outstretched leg as the wave kept on coming after the break.
But the USA international could not keep performing miracles and Lampard’s belter beat him.
Off went Lamps, on came Ramires and there was no sign of Chelsea putting their foot on the ball and settling.
There was a brief moment for Villa as Andreas Weimann’s shot struck Petr Cech and hit the bar but it was not long before Blues had a fifth.
Ramires converted through Guzan’s legs having been put in by fellow sub Lucas Piazon. The young Brazilian Piazon was a real handful and when he found countryman Oscar, Chris Herd fouled and a penalty was given.
Oscar took it and rattled his shot high into the net.
You could tell it was not going to be the end of the scoring.
Chelsea were loving it and Villa were out on their feet.
Eden Hazard exchanged passes with Piazon and cracked in a screamer to make it seven.
In doing so Chelsea had set a new Premier League mark of having seven different scorers.
Piazon was fouled by Clark for another penalty but the lad blotted his copybook when the spot-kick was saved by Guzan.
No matter, there was still time for one more as Ramires side-footed into the top corner from 12 yards in added time.
Chelsea are 11 points behind leaders United with a game in hand and do not consider themselves out of the title race.
Imagine if Rafa pulled that off.

DREAM TEAM
STAR MAN — LAMPARD (CHELSEA)
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Cole 7, Luiz 8, Lampard 8 (Ramires 7), Moses 7, Mata 8 (Piazon 7), Hazard 8, Torres 7 (Oscar 7). Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Marin, Ake.
ASTON VILLA: Guzan 5, Herd 4, Clark 4, Baker 4, Lowton 5, Bannan 4, Westwood 4 (Ireland 5), Lichaj 4 (Bennett 5), Weimann 6, Holman 4 (Bowery 5), Benteke 5. Subs not used: Given, El Ahmadi, Albrighton, Delph.
REF: P Dowd 7

==============

Express:

FRANK LAMPARD BREAKS RECORD IN ROMP
By Tony Banks

FRANK LAMPARD wrote himself into the history books last night as he led Chelsea to an 8-0 romp against hapless Aston Villa.
The 34-year-old, set to leave the club at the end of this season after not being offered a new contract, hit Chelsea’s fourth goal – and that made him the club’s highest-ever top-flight scorer.
Chelsea tore a feeble Villa apart at Stamford Bridge as goals from Fernando Torres, David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic, Lampard, Oscar with a penalty, Eden Hazard and two from Ramires inflicted the heaviest-ever defeat on the Midlanders.
Lampard, after his 500th Premier League start, has now hit 190 Chelsea goals. Of those, 130 have come in the league – one ahead of Bobby Tambling’s top-flight tally. Tambling’s total Chelsea goal-count stands at a club-record 202.
Lampard said: “It’s a record that means I’m old! But it means a lot. I’m very proud to beat a great man like Bobby Tambling.
“We showed a great appetite out there. The early goal obviously helped us. But we are enjoying playing again.”
As far as his contract situation went, Lampard said: “I’m not concentrating that far. I’m going to continue game by game and I’m just happy to be fit.”
Delighted Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez said: “I always said that the main thing is to win our games. You can see the team improving.
“But yes, we can still improve on this. I can guarantee we can still work on things. We will try to be as close as possible to the leaders. You can see the mentality of this team – even after six goals they were still pushing forward for more.
“But we will see if we can challenge for the title after two or three more games. Now we have to sustain this run and it will be easier for me to say we can compete. The rest of the teams already knew that Chelsea were a top side before, and still are. Maybe they will be more careful playing against us.”
Shattered Villa manager Paul Lambert, whose club suffered their worst defeat in their illustrious 138-year history, said: “I’m not going to sit here and make excuses. We were well beaten and second-best all over the pitch.”

=============

Star:

CHELSEA 8 - ASTON VILLA 0: BENITEZ IS FEELING GR-EIGHT
by Paul Brown

CHRISTMAS came early for Rafa Benitez as Chelsea exploded for their biggest win since 2010.
They won 8-0 against Wigan on Sunday May 9 to clinch the title on the last day of the season – and repeated that scoreline yesterday.
Fernando Torres, David Luiz, Branislav Ivanovic and Frank Lampard all scored, before Ramires hit two off the bench, with Oscar and Eden Hazard also scoring late goals.
Unbelievably, it could have been more against a truly awful Aston Villa side but for Brad Guzan, who made a string of stops and even saved a penalty.
Villa had gone six unbeaten before this but victory lifted Chelsea up to third, and did wonders for their goal difference, too. It is now the equal of both Manchester clubs.
It was a day when virtually everything went right for Benitez.
Torres continued his scoring run, Lampard got back among the goals on his 500th Premier League start – and both men got a rest at the end as the subs completed the rout.
Chelsea have now scored 13 goals in two games since they came home from the Club World Cup in Japan. Title contenders? You bet they are.
They started the game 14 points behind the Premier League leaders after Manchester United’s 1-1 draw at Swansea.
But the gap is now 11, and the Blues have a game in hand.
The last time they played here they went out of the Champions League, despite thrashing Nordsjaelland 6-1.
Then they blew their chance to become world champions against Corinthians in Japan last weekend. But it has been all plain sailing since their return after Wednesday’s 5-1 win at Leeds in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.
Benitez actually went into the game looking for only his second league win in five since taking over from sacked fans favourite Roberto Di Matteo. But boy did he get it! No-one saw it coming either. The Blues were facing a Villa team in the middle of a purple patch.
Only a few weeks ago it was hard to see the Midlands men surviving this season.
But they are also in the Capital One Cup semi-finals – and their season exploded into life under Paul Lambert with a 3-1 win at Liverpool last weekend.
It was a miserable start for the visitors, though. Chelsea were ahead in the third minute and it was that man Torres again.
He now has seven goals in his last six games. Not bad for a player who is still widely regarded as a flop.
This one was a peach. Cesar Azpilicueta swung in the cross and Torres got across his fl at-footed marker, Ciaran Clark, to power home a venomous effort with his head from 15 yards.
Then it was another much-maligned Chelsea player’s turn to get among the goals. Luiz has been called everything from a PlayStation footballer to Sideshow Bob.
But Cristiano Ronaldo would have been proud of his 29th-minute free-kick.
Villa already looked beaten – and it only got worse a few minutes later when Ivanovic headed home after Guzan could only parry Gary Cahill’s shot on the turn from a Juan Mata corner.
It wasn’t so long ago that Chelsea under Benitez were struggling to score goals. Now look at them.
They had not even played that well, but were well worth their 3-0 lead at half-time.
Maybe that says more about how bad Villa were.
Only a wonder save from Guzan after the break prevented Mata making it four after more good work from Torres. However, Guzan could do nothing about Lampard’s strike in the 58th minute as the England midfielder smashed his 25-yard shot into the bottom corner.
That prompted cries of “Sign him up!” from Blues fans still worried Lampard could be on his way, but it was his last act before Benitez substituted him.
Amazingly, Villa then hit the bar when Petr Cech got a touch on a shot by Andreas Weimann. It was the only time they ever looked like scoring.
Lucas Piazon stepped off the bench to set up fellow sub Ramires with his first touch.
Then another sub got into the act when Oscar scored a penalty after being fouled by Chris Herd before Hazard hit No.7.
Then Guzan saved a spot-kick from Piazon, who had won it after a foul by Clark.
But poor Villa still ended up conceding an eighth when Ramires broke through to score his second of the game.
By then, merciless Blues fans were rubbing Villa noses in it by chanting, “You should have gone Christmas shopping.”

Leeds 5-1

Independent:
Chelsea make class count against Leeds after riding out old foes’ storm in Capital One Cup
Leeds 1 Chelsea 5

By SAM WALLACE

There was rain and cold and Michael Brown trying to wind up any Chelsea player he could. There was a hostile crowd and a first-half Leeds goal and the whiff of a cup shock. And then last night cold reality came crashing in on Neil Warnock's side goal by goal.

The scoreline looked brutal by the time the European champions had finished with their old 1970s adversaries. There is something beguiling about the historic Leeds United v Chelsea rivalry but they have moved too far in opposite directions in the last 10 years for this to be anything but a mismatch once the Premier League side found their A-game on a grim Yorkshire night.
As the goals rained in on Leeds, and the home support became ever more disconsolate, the Chelsea fans goaded Warnock. He responded by pointing his backside in their direction, one last act of defiance against an opponent that was too strong, too accomplished and too damned good for Leeds.
It should take nothing away from Chelsea who stepped off their flight from Tokyo on Monday and acquitted themselves well after Luciano Becchio gave Leeds the lead eight minutes before half-time. It is never a pleasant experience having to confront Michael Brown and El-Hadji Diouf in the space of one evening, never mind when you are suffering from jetlag.
They will play Swansea City in the semi-final of the Capital One Cup, a trophy that is looking like it could fall nicely for Rafa Benitez after the failure of his side to win the Club World Cup. There could be no denying that last night his team were – in the modern parlance – up for it. They certainly had to be.
Frank Lampard led the way, particularly in the handling of Brown – a rare creature, the like of which Juan Mata and Oscar have probably not encountered before in their careers. Brown has a long-standing problem with Lampard. Or maybe Lampard has a long-standing problem with Brown. It can be difficult to tell at times but it is undeniably entertaining to watch.
Warnock said later that his 35-year-old midfielder had overcome a sickness bug to renew hostilities one more time with his old adversary. It took the pair roughly 30 seconds to commence snapping at one another. Lampard was booked in the first half for a foul on Diouf, surprisingly quiet, which meant that the Chelsea man had to be careful. It said much about his experience that he had such a great influence on the game nonetheless.
It might have been the proverbial cold December night that is supposed to find out fair-weather foreigners who "don't like it up 'em" but once again there was no doubting the quality of Mata. He was gifted the equaliser by Jamie Ashdown's poor effort to get down to his tame shot at the near post but overall the Spanish midfielder was a shining presence whom Leeds found impossible to pin down in the second half.
Leeds' support in a full house of 33,816, albeit with a restricted capacity, began with such gusto and finished disconsolate. When the opposition can bring on a £32m substitute, on this occasion Eden Hazard, then there really is not much that the team placed 12th in the Championship can do about it.
Leeds always looked dangerous from set-pieces in the first half. Chelsea had chances too and had a marginal penalty appeal when Brown laid a hand on Victor Moses' shoulder in the area. The first-half goal for Leeds, however, was beautifully worked.
David Luiz, playing at centre-back, sauntered forward with the ball and failed miserably to scoop it over Sam Byram. Leeds burst onto the counter-attack with Byram moving the ball forward to Michael Tonge who then found Jerome Thomas out on the left wing. His cross with the outside of his right foot was met in the centre by Becchio.
With Oscar and Lampard as holding midfielders there was no-one behind him to protect Luiz from his own worst instincts. Mata had a shot deflected wide and Ashdown did well to save a Lampard free-kick before half-time. A header from Tom Lees would have made it very difficult for Chelsea had it gone in.
The goals came quickly for the away side after half-time. Fernando Torres found Moses whose pass reached Mata on the edge of the box. His tame shot beat Ashdown. Warnock said later that his goalkeeper had needed a painkilling injection before the game which had then failed to have the desired effect.
Hazard came on and it was after his cross, put out by Byram, that Chelsea scored from the resulting corner. Ivanovic met Lampard's corner with a firm header for the second goal, having left his marker Jason Pearce in a crumpled heap. Just over a minute later, on 66 minutes, Torres won another header in the middle, Mata picked out Moses and he switched the ball to his right foot for a low drive that beat Ashdown.
It had been a great cup tie but it was over then. Warnock brought off Brown and Diouf in a double-substitution that removed much of the potential aggro at a stroke. It did nothing to improve the score. On 81 minutes, with Leeds stretched, Luiz released a beauty of a pass right through the heart of the home defence that Hazard ran on to and finished.
The fifth was a deserved goal for Torres, who rolled it in from six yards after Hazard had collected up Lampard's shot – saved by Ashdown – and squared it. Warnock offered a handshake to Benitez at the final whistle and the interim Chelsea manager went out on to the pitch to thanks his players, no doubt thanking his lucky stars for the conveniently sparse field that remains in the Capital One Cup.

Semi-final draw
Chelsea v Swansea City
Bradford City v Aston Villa

* Ties take place 8/9 & 22/23 Jan.
Booked: Chelsea Lampard, Bertrand.
Man of the match: Lampard.
Match rating: 7/10.
Possession: Leeds United 45% Chelsea 55%.
Attempts on target: Leeds United 5 Chelsea 16.  Referee A Marriner (West Midlands).
Attendance: 33,816.


=================

Guardian:

Fernando Torres puts finishing touch to Chelsea's winning show at Leeds

Paul Wilson at Elland Road

The weather did its best on a filthy night in Leeds but West Yorkshire could not quite manage to rain on a second London parade in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.
Following Arsenal's ignominious exit at the hands of League Two side Bradford City last week, another big upset was on the cards when Luciano Becchio gave Leeds United a half-time lead against the champions of Europe, but Chelsea stayed calm to win with five coolly taken second-half goals from five different players.
Both sides were at something close to full strength, give or take a couple of reserves, and if it was the introduction of Eden Hazard for the last half-hour that raised the quality bar just too high for Leeds, there was no doubt which goal took the individual honours. Rafael Benítez has had his critics for showing faith in Victor Moses, but the former Wigan forward's elegant strike was not only the game's decisive goal it was also the sign of a player brimming with confidence.
"Preparation is hard when you have eight games in 24 days, especially when you go all the way to Japan and back, but the reaction was excellent," Benítez said. "The first half was good, the second half amazing, but we can still improve in defence. Of course I would like to win this cup, all competitions are important, but my priority now is Aston Villa [in the league] at the weekend."
Moses brought the first save of the game from Jamie Ashdown after El Hadji Diouf went down theatrically in his own half but failed to win any sympathy from the referee, Andre Marriner, before Paul Green and Michael Brown injected some niggle into the proceedings by taking it in turn to foul David Luiz.
The two managers had set the right example by shaking hands before kick-off, despite their long-standing enmity, but Frank Lampard, surprisingly, was the first player to let the Leeds provocation get to him, the Chelsea captain finding himself in the book after only 14 minutes for a needlessly crude challenge from behind on Diouf.
Moses saw another shot saved midway through the first half after Ryan Bertrand had shown impressive control to bring down a raking cross-field ball from Branislav Ivanovic, then exquisite footwork from Juan Mata came to nothing when Jason Pearce stuck out his head to block his goal-bound attempt. Chelsea were producing most of the attacking ideas yet little clear-cut was being created and Fernando Torres was making no impact whatsoever.
That became much more of a worry eight minutes from the interval, when Leeds took the lead with a classic breakaway goal. David Luiz was caught in possession and out of position on halfway, Jerome Thomas galloped into yards of empty space on the left, and with the visitors undermanned in the middle an excellent cross was tucked away with relish by Becchio. The goal brought an already feisty crowd to life, and in addition to the familiar insults from his Liverpool days the home fans began to taunt Benítez with chants that he would be getting sacked in the morning.
On the restart Chelsea instantly spoiled their hosts' fun by equalising barely a minute in. Mata played a one-two with Moses and perhaps surprised Ashdown by squeezing out an accurate shot on the turn, yet even so the goalkeeper should have done better than allow an effort of only medium pace to squirm underneath him. Lampard sensibly kept testing Ashdown after that, even from distance, because there was always a chance the goalkeeper would misjudge a bounce or make a handling mistake in the slippery conditions.
In the event Chelsea took the lead in more prosaic fashion. From a routine corner Ivanovic met Lampard's cross decisively at the near post, though there was nothing prosaic or routine about the Moses goal that made the game safe just over a minute later.
With Leeds tiring and Hazard proving more effective at drawing defenders than Marko Marin, Moses skipped into space on the left and met the tireless Mata's first-time pass, cut inside Sam Byram and beat Ashdown handsomely with a drive from the edge of the area.
That confirmed the result, Hazard's well-taken goal 10 minutes from the end was mere decoration, and home fans were leaving in droves by the time Torres stabbed in a fifth from close range after Ashdown parried a shot.
"No complaints," the Leeds manager Neil Warnock said. "We shouldn't have conceded so early in the second half, but after that Chelsea took over. They were too good for us."
Benítez would like to win something in what appears likely to be a short stay at Chelsea, and now he has his chance. Even Bradford would hold no fears after this, never mind Swansea.
"We had a word with ourselves at half-time because we knew we had to up it," Lampard added. "With such a long trip to Japan our preparation wasn't great for this game, but it made a big difference when we began to play with pace."

====================

Telegraph;

Leeds United 1 Chelsea 5

By John Percy, at Elland Road

Perhaps the Stamford Bridge trophy cabinet is not in danger of gathering cobwebs after all, asChelsea overcame jetlag and the prospect of further turbulence against one of their oldest and most bitter rivals.
Neil Warnock may never get the chance to exact revenge on his nemesis Rafael Benítez again after a typically absorbing cup tie in one of English football’s most famous theatres, with five goals in the second half easing the pressure on Chelsea’s unpopular manager.
Days after defeat in the Fifa Club World Cup, exiting this competition to a Championship club would only have increased the levels of disdain towards Roberto Di Matteo’s unwanted successor but this was a welcome sign that their season may not be over yet.
Fernando Torres also claimed his sixth goal in five games to provide a hint that he could be approaching a new chapter in his troubled Chelsea career.
For 45 minutes, this was what Warnock had been patiently waiting for, five years after holding Benítez responsible for relegation at his beloved Sheffield United.
Warnock will have been clambering over rival managers in the queue to stick another knife into Benítez but class told in the second half as Chelsea quite simply ran away with it to claim a semi-final meeting with Swansea.
Enmity between the clubs runs deep, with their rivalry established on the muddy battlefields of the 1970s. It was, of course, the FA Cup final replay 42 years ago that ignited hostilities, and one of the more prominent protagonists in that gorefest, Ron Harris, was a guest last night.
Whereas skirmishes used to be frequent, this was their first date in more than eight years and time had done little to diminish the hatred.
Chelsea supporters on official coaches were picked up in Wakefield and then ferried to Elland Road, and both managers had been warned by West Yorkshire Police to put their fractious relationship aside and ensure their players did nothing to poison the atmosphere further.
Ken Bates was also in no mood to inflame the tension in his programme notes. His column is usually gripping and contentious agenda-driven reading and there were rumours that he would sling a shot across the bows of Roman Abramovich for his decision to sack Di Matteo, who Bates affectionately referred to as “his son” during his time at Stamford Bridge.
There was nothing of the sort, however, with Bates instead attacking Uefa and Fifa for opting to play the European Nations Cup at venues across Europe.
The much anticipated frosty handshake between Warnock and Benítez also failed to materialise, but this scrappy affair, on a mucky night, contained all the incident and was a reminder of those halcyon days of decades ago.
Chelsea only returned to the capital on Monday afternoon after an energy-sapping 6,000-mile flight from Japan and showed signs of fatigue in the first half. Victor Moses tested Jamie Ashdown with a low drive from just inside the area and again on 24 minutes but Leeds were clearly relishing the chance to add Chelsea to a list of prized scalps that included Everton and Southampton this season.
With the likes of El Hadji Diouf and Michael Brown, the hosts had players who have turned putting noses out of joint into an art form and, while they were both influential, it was Jerome Thomas who produced the telling contribution for the opening goal eight minutes before half-time.
Michael Tonge sent Thomas clear on the left and his cross into the area was exquisite, providing Luciano Becchio with the chance to wrongfoot Petr Cech by directing the ball into the bottom corner. Elland Road erupted.
Diouf almost created a second goal but Tom Lees was unable to keep his header down, while Frank Lampard was denied an equaliser when Ashdown saved superbly from the Chelsea captain’s 25-yard free kick.
There was a sense that Ashdown was going to hog the headlines but he was finally beaten 65 seconds into the second period. He was possibly at fault too, as he allowed Juan Mata’s low shot from 25 yards to squirt across the line.
For a short period the tie was pulsating until Chelsea’s superiority was rewarded on 65 minutes and paved the way for a resounding victory.
Lampard’s corner was typically precise and Branislav Ivanovic headed in at the near post, with Ashdown stranded. Moses then effectively ended any lingering Leeds hopes with a low drive from 20 yards to provide Benítez with his fourth victory.
Eden Hazard, a substitute, added another when he ambled clear before Torres rubbed Leeds’s noses in it with a finish from close range.
Silverware is still up for grabs.

Match details

Leeds (4-4-2): Ashdown 7; Byram 7, Lees 7, Pearce 7, Peltier 6; Green 6, Tonge 8, Brown 6 (Norris 72) Thomas 7 (White 68); Diouf 6 (McCormack 73), Becchio 6.
Subs (not used): Kenny (gk), Varney, Gray, Somma.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 7, Luiz 6, Bertrand 7 (Cole 74); Lampard 7, Oscar 7; Moses 7, Mata 8 (Ferreira 86), Marin 5 (Hazard 60 8); Torres 6.
Subs (not used): Turnbull (gk), Piazon, Saville, Ake.

Booked: Lampard.
Man of the Match: Juan Mata (Chelsea)


====================

Mail;

Leeds 1 Chelsea 5: Five-star Blues hammer rivals to book semi-final spot in League Cup
By IAN LADYMAN

At full time, there was a wink to John Terry alongside him and a handshake for every one of the staff sitting on the bench at a sodden Elland Road.
Even in moments of great triumph, Rafa Benitez has rarely been a man for expansive gestures. Deep down, though, there must have been a sense of satisfaction and indeed vindication.
Satisfaction with a performance that will have convinced the Spaniard his players are improving and are beginning to buy into his steady, pragmatic style.
And vindication at a decision he took to play seven of the players who started Sunday’s Club World Cup final in Japan.
Yokohama is 12,000 miles from Yorkshire and jetlag is a debilitating condition, even if you have spent the entirety of the flight stretched out in bed. Last night, though, you would not have known it as Chelsea came back from the inconvenience of an opening goal from Leeds to sweep the Championship team aside and progress with purpose into a  semi-final against Swansea.
Despite the relative unimportance of this competition to the Premier League’s top clubs, Benitez will perhaps take more from this result than he has from any during his brief time at Chelsea.
Trailing at half-time, there was every chance for something to go wrong.
That it did not says much for the mental resilience that runs through this Chelsea team and the focus Benitez always instils in his teams.
His sides do not always play football that quickens the pulse but rarely do they lack for application and there was evidence of that here.
Certainly at half-time there were questions to answer. Chelsea had played well enough during the first 45 minutes and may have led had they made better decisions in possession.
As it was, Victor Moses twice brought saves from Leeds goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown while Juan Mata saw a shot deflected wide and could have had a penalty when Michael Brown appeared to lean on his shoulder.
Then Leeds — who had played their part at this point — broke to score a brilliant goal that gave the home team an unlikely lead and brought the game to life.
Brown then crumbled under what he claimed was a shoulder from Mata and the constant niggling started to dominate proceedings as, away from that, the action consisted of Ashdown shovelling behind a Moses shot.
It was another Moses effort, again pushed away by Ashdown, that got football back on the agenda, with Leeds restricted to trying to feed on the scaps of Becchio's knockdowns.
As has been the case before, Chelsea defender David Luiz made a crucial mistake that was born of over-confidence as his attempt to chip the ball over Sam Byram deep in Leeds territory only gave away possession cheaply.
Nevertheless, the way that Leeds broke to exploit a numerical advantage was terrific. Michael Tonge picked up possession in centre field and he in turn set the rapid Jerome Thomas away down the left.
The quality of the cross was going to be crucial and Thomas did not disappoint. His delivery with the outside of his right foot allowed Luciano Becchio to gallop in and convert the chance first time without having to break stride.
The roof almost came off Elland Road. Leeds manager Neil Warnock, meanwhile, celebrated on the touchline as though the cup was already won.
In the dressing rooms at half-time, the messages would have been simple. Chelsea needed a foothold while Leeds needed 10 minutes of calm. Sadly for Leeds and their goalkeeper Ashdown, the crucial contribution was to be his.
The 32-year-old had looked impressively secure in the first half but how he allowed Mata’s weak shot to trundle under his outstretched right arm 65 seconds into the second perhaps he himself may not really know.
His manager was admirably sanguine afterwards. ‘We won’t blame him,’ said Warnock. ‘If you are a goalkeeper you can’t get away with a single mistake.’
In the dressing rooms at half-time, the messages would have been simple. Chelsea needed a foothold while Leeds needed 10 minutes of calm. Sadly for Leeds and their goalkeeper Ashdown, the crucial contribution was to be his.
The 32-year-old had looked impressively secure in the first half but how he allowed Mata’s weak shot to trundle under his outstretched right arm 65 seconds into the second perhaps he himself may not really know.
His manager was admirably sanguine afterwards. ‘We won’t blame him,’ said Warnock. ‘If you are a goalkeeper you can’t get away with a single mistake.’
Nevertheless, the importance of Ashdown’s error cannot be overlooked. It changed the complexion of the game and within 15 minutes Chelsea had taken the tie away from their opponents.
A half-chance in the Chelsea goalmouth almost gave Leeds another fillip as a cross flashed across Petr Cech’s goal, but before long Warnock’s team were punished for slack defending at a corner as Branislav Ivanovic was able to head his team ahead at the near post.
With confidence restored, Chelsea galloped away and played some expressive football as Leeds tired and ran out of adrenaline.
Mata was Chelsea’s best player but Moses was impressive, too, and he exploited the space afforded him by his team-mate’s decoy run to move forward and drive a low shot past Ashdown with his right foot from 25 yards.
It was a finish of Premier League quality and, in the final 10 minutes, there was more to come.
Luiz, an impressive footballer when he has the time he needs, played a pass as perfect as the one in the first half had been stupid to release substitute Eden Hazard and the Belgium forward sprinted goalwards to score with some comfort.
Then, at the death, there was a goal for Fernando Torres, who picked up the pieces close to goal after Ashdown had parried a Frank Lampard shot. Benitez will note that Torres has now scored six goals in his last five games.
For Leeds, the night ended in anti-climax and it is sad that we will not be here for a big night again for quite a while. They are missed.
Warnock still has a major job to do at Elland Road, though. In west London, Benitez’s has grown  marginally easier.


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Mirror:
Leeds 1-5 Chelsea match report Wide awake club: Jet-lagged Chelsea blow Leeds away with second half blitz
By Neil McLeman

Rafa Benitez's Chelsea needed 45 minutes to get back onto GMT last night to avoid a cup KO at Elland Road.
But the Blues then showed the DNA of winners to fight back for a stunning win against old rivals Leeds.
The European Champions only arrived back to the UK from the 12,000-round trip to the Club World Club in Japan on Monday afternoon.
And the Blues then flew up to West Yorkshire on Wednesday morning to prepare for Benitez's eighth game since taking over 25 days ago.
The hectic schedule and the jet-lag appeared to have taken its toll when Luciano Becchio caught Chelsea napping to give the Championship side the half-time lead.
Chelsea were then facing the same Capital One Cup humiliation as Arsenal suffered in nearby Bradford last week - and a second cup defeat in four days in times zone nine hours apart.
But the home goal and Benitez's half-time teamtalk provided a wake-up call as they were simply unstoppable after the break.
Goals from Juan Mata, Branislav Ivanovic, Victor Moses, Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres - all starters across the world in Yokohama on Sunday - gave the West London club a crushing win in a cracking cup tie.
Playing with pace and power after the break, the result and performance certainly proved the Chelsea squad want to play for their caretaker Spanish manager.
Frank Lampard, Mata and Moses were especially impressive in a great team display.
"The reaction in the second half was fantastic, especially with travelling back from Japan and having jet lag," Benitez said. "We were looking for character and the reaction was so good, we have to consider it for the future."
 The Blues extended their run of never losing a cup tie to Leeds to 12 matches, including the two duels in the infamous 1970 FA Cup final.
The emphatic nature of the the result against former Chelsea owner Ken Bates, now the Leeds chairman, would also have given Roman Abramovich no little reason to smile after these two great club's first meeting for eight years.
Although 13 points off the pace in the Premier League, Benitez can still triumph three cup competitions this season with the Europa League and FA Cup also to come after Christmas.
Warnock, Bates and Leeds can look forward to their takeover by Dubai-based investment firm GFH Capital - and then continuing their push to reach the Championship playoff spots or even better.
Playing like in the first half, they have got more than a chance under promotion specialist Warnock. And a sold-out Elland Road is certainly an arena worthy of top-flight football.
With seven starters from the Chelsea team which lost to Corinthians, Leeds had wanted to catch their visitors cold on a dank and dreary Yorkshire night.
In a frantic opening period, and a terrific atmosphere, referee Andre Marriner booked Blues captain Lampard when he scythed through El-Hadji Diouf.
And when another feisty challenge from Oscar gave Leeds a free-kick, Jason Pearce rose to flick the Senegalese's free kick wide.
Chelsea then enjoyed a spell of possession but just as the visitors seemed poised to take control, Leeds scored the crucial opening goal after 37 minutes on a classic counter-attack.
With centre-back David Luiz left stranded upfield, Sam Byram picked up the ball in midfield and fed Jerome Thomas down the left.
The London-born ex-Arsenal winger then clipped in a cross with his right foot wide of Branislav Ivanovic and into the path of Becchio who slid home his 15th goal of the season.
Chelsea made an immediate response before the break with Lampard drawing another save from reserve keeper Jamie Ashdown and firing a free-kick wide, while the dangerous Moses had a goal disallowed for offside.
 But the equaliser was to come just over a minute into the second half. Mata found his fellow Spaniard Torres who fed Moses. And the former Palace and Wigan winger laid a perfect pass back to Mata who swept home from the edge of the box with his left foot for his 12th goal of the season.
With the visitors now dominating, Ashdown made a juggling save from Torres and clasped a long-distance Lampard effort.
But the Leeds keeper was powerless to stop Ivanovic's near-post header from a Lampard corner after 64 minutes.
And a minute later the excellent Moses struck home a 25-yard shot with his right foot after more link-up play from Mata.
With Leeds now desperately pressing forward, David Luiz released sub Eden Hazard for the fourth after 81 minutes.
And Torres rounded off the scoring three minutes later with his sixth goal in five games under his former Liverpool boss when he diverted home Mata's cross after Ashdown had saved from Lampard.
Warnock said: "The crowd were fantastic. If Leeds sort themselves, it should be like that here every week. When we scored, I have never heard anything like it. But I have no complaints about the result."


================

Sun:

RAFA BENITEZ and his Chelsea team had touched down from Japan just 53 hours earlier.
Yet the troubled Stamford Bridge boss avoided flying into another storm and instead landed in the semis of the Capital One Cup.
And all thanks to a stunning second-half ambush.
There were fears of jet-lag after Chelsea’s players covered 12,000 miles in 11 days travelling to Sunderland and then Japan for the Club World Cup.
And they were back on the plane yesterday morning as they flew up to West Yorkshire.

But while Neil Warnock’s side were on their knees at the final whistle, Chelsea were on cloud nine and winging their way to a showdown with Swansea.

The signs, though, had not been good for Benitez as Luciano Becchio grabbed a fine 37th-minute opener for Leeds.

But Juan Mata, Branislav Ivanovic, Victor Moses, sub Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres all scored in a sizzling second period.

Leeds, of course, is the city which will host the start of the 2014 Tour de France — and after Becchio’s strike the home fans were dreaming of sending Benitez on his bike.

But they left disappointed against visitors who sorted themselves out with a polished second-half display.

Mata was excellent while sub Hazard was mightily impressive after arriving with the scores locked at 1-1.

Losing to Corinthians in the FIFA World Club Championship final on Sunday will not be considered as one of Chelsea’s worst defeats.

But losing this quarter-final, against a team from the Championship would have been a huge embarrassment.

Yet Chelsea’s players not only displayed class and a cutting edge — they also looked hungry despite presumably feeling exhausted after their return from the Far East.

There will be a few tired legs this morning and improving Aston Villa may well be the beneficiaries when they visit on Sunday. But Benitez will be relieved to have avoided last night’s banana skin, which threw together these great rivals from the 1960s and 70s.

In a game with numerous sub-plots, this was also a massive match for Ken Bates, the former Chelsea chairman, who has tried to revitalise Leeds. He remains chairman despite selling the club.

The relationship between Benitez and Warnock, whose feud dates back to the 2006-2007 season, added spice to this battle.

Yet Warnock came out of the tunnel seconds before kick-off and made a point of walking over to the visiting bench to shake Benitez’s hand.

The Spaniard stuck with seven of the team who started against Corinthians although the atmosphere for this game was very different as Elland Road was rocking.

Leeds keeper Jamie Ashdown had to be at his best early on as he saved from both Moses and Frank Lampard.

The visitors, looking full of energy, had taken a grip of the game only to be clobbered by a killer break.

David Luiz was guilty of losing possession with a cocky, lazy chip, Sam Byram made the interception and fed the ball to Michael Tonge. He picked out Jerome Thomas, who had been given far too much space by Cesar Azpilicueta, and the winger delivered a perfect cross for Becchio to score his 15th goal of the season.

Cue mayhem. The ground erupted. For one, glorious moment we were transported to the days when Leeds were a mighty team feared by all.

Despite the goal, Leeds were always going to be on the back foot in the second half.

And sure enough, Ashdown was picking the ball out of the net just 65 seconds after the restart, having allowed Mata’s shot from outside the box to squeeze under his right hand.

Ashdown redeemed himself with a great stop from Torres but another goal was inevitable.

Hazard came on just past the hour and within five minutes Chelsea were 3-1 up.

Ivanovic charged in to head home Lampard’s corner at the near post. And two minutes later Moses sent a nasty, low shot whizzing into the corner of the net with Mata again involved in the move.

Hazard had made his mark on the game and got his reward with a goal, delivering a smart finish from Luiz’s through ball.

And Torres completed the rout from close range after more good work from Hazard.

Swansea will certainly provide tougher opposition in the semi-finals, yet for Benitez that game is a long way off.

Even now, most Chelsea fans would prefer it if he took yet another flight out of London today — and never came back.

DREAM TEAM
SUN STAR MAN — HAZARD (CHELSEA)
LEEDS: Ashdown 5, Byram 6, Lees 6, Pearce 5, Peltier 5, Green 5, Brown 6, Tonge 5, Thomas 7, Diouf 6, Becchio 7. Subs: White (Thomas 68) 6, Norris (Brown 72) 5, McCormack (Diouf 72) 5. Not used: Kenny, Varney, Gray, Somma.
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 6, Ivanovic 7, Luiz 6, Bertrand 6, Lampard 7, Oscar 7, Marin 6, Mata 7, Moses 7, Torres 7. Subs: Ferreira (Mata 86) 6, Hazard (Marin 61) 8, Cole (Bertrand 74) 6. Not used: Turnbull, Piazon, Saville, Ake. Booked: Lampard, Bertrand.


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Express:

CHELSEA FIRE FIVE PAST LEEDS TO PROGRESS
Three days after losing the Club World Cup final to Corinthians in Japan, the last thing a Rafael Benitez team sporting just four changes could have done with was a trip to a rain-soaked Elland Road to meet a team with whom they share a bitter rivalry.
The omens were not looking good either when Luciano Becchio gave Leeds a first-half lead but, as if they had never been away, Chelsea ramped things up after the break. Three goals in a 20-minute spell from Juan Mata, Branislav Ivanovic and Victor Moses spun things in their favour, with Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres adding extra gloss late on.
Chelsea had home goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown to thank for the goal that got them level and, in the process, allowing Benitez to silence his opposite Neil Warnock, who is not the Spaniard's number one fan for what he feels was Benitez's part in his Sheffield United side's relegation in 2007.
Becchio broke the deadlock for Leeds in the 37th minute with a counter-attack goal.
After David Luiz made a hash of a foray forward, Michael Tonge picked the ball up in centre midfield and ran into Chelsea's half, releasing Jerome Thomas on the left. With Becchio clear and screaming for a pass, Thomas waited until the right moment and squared, with the Argentinean wrong-footing Petr Cech with his 15th goal of the season.
The goal had perhaps been harsh on Chelsea but they duly levelled things up just 62 seconds after the restart, with Mata's crisp, first-time hit off Moses' lay-off getting under Ashdown's outstretched hands and making a mockery of the better saves he had already made.
The former Portsmouth man went some way to redeeming himself as the hour approached, using all of his body to deny Torres and then Frank Lampard, but he could do nothing in the 64th minute as Ivanovic nipped in ahead of everyone at the near post to nod in a Lampard corner.
Moses then found the range he had lacked in the first half with a low edge-of-the-box shot which Ashdown got nowhere near and, if Leeds thought their punishment was over they were wrong as, with 10 minutes left, Luiz split their defence in half and Hazard easily tucked away a one-on-one.
There was still time for more, perhaps flatteringly, as Torres tucked into an open goal with seven minutes left from Hazard's pass after Ashdown had denied Lampard.


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Star:

LEEDS 1 - CHELSEA 5: VICTOR MOSES LEADS BLUES COMEBACK AFTER BECCHIO STRIKE

By Jason Mellor

VICTOR MOSES capped a stunning display as Chelsea put Leeds to the sword.
The Blues shipped a first-half opener to Luciano Becchio but roared back in the second half to demolish their ­Championship opponents and book a semi-final place.
The home side struck the first blow in Leeds boss Neil Warnock’s grudge match with old rival Rafa Benitez.
Becchio’s 15th goal of the season came eight minutes before the break in a no-hold-barred cup tie.
But having taken the lead, any plans the Yorkshireman had of hanging on to their slender advantage to crank up the pressure on their Premier League visitors went up in smoke just 60 seconds ­after the restart.
It was the impressive Juan Mata who handed his side a way back into the ­contest with his 12th goal of the campaign to draw level.
Leeds were caught napping as neat ­interplay between the Spaniard, ­Fernando Torres and Moses released Mata to try his luck from 20-yards.
The winger’s scuffed shot lacked power, but on a greasy surface slipped under Jamie Ashdown’s hand to find the ­bottom corner.
It was a nightmare moment for the stand-in keeeper in only his second game of the season.
Ashdown’s howler was made even worse by the fact that had put up a one-man barrier to keep Leeds on level terms, before pulling off a couple of great saves to see them go into the break on top.
It was only the second goal shipped by Leeds in their cup run as they pulled out all the stops to make it three top-flight scalps, having already dumping out ­Everton and Southampton.
Ashdown was soon back to his best, ­reacting brilliantly to deny a point-blank Torres header as the striker latched onto a great cross from Cesar Azpilicueta.
And he was at it again to grab a Frank Lampard daisy-cutter as Chelsea poured forward in search of a second goal.
But Ashdown had no chance as Branislav Ivanovic and Moses put Chelsea in cruise control on the way to the last four.
Ivanovic stooped to conquer as the big Blues defender stole in at the near post to head home his fourth goal of the season from Lampard’s in-swinging corner ­after 64 minutes.
And within two minutes, Moses latched onto Mata’s pass from a Torres flick to fire into the bottom corner from 20 yards to leave Leeds with a mountain to climb.
Eden Hazard added the fourth calmly taking a long Luiz pass and finishing past Ashdown.
Hazard then set up Torres for a simple finish to complete the rout.
The managers put their well-publicised differences aside with a pre-match handshake to break the ice in their bitter five-year feud.
The fall-out was sparked by Warnock blaming Benitez for his part in his ­relegation from the top flight with ­Sheffield United.
But there was little love lost between the sides who went at each other straight from the start.
Moses twice went close in the first 20 minutes, shooting wide and forcing a fine near post save from Ashdown. The speedy winger also had an early penalty shout turned down after a clash with Michael Brown in a no-nonsense opening that saw Chelsea skipper Lampard clash with the veteran Leeds midfielder as tempers flared.
Becchio headed wide from an El-Hadji Diouf cross as things opened up.
Paul Green headed straight at Petr Cech so it came as a big surprise that it took 37 minutes for the first goal.
Leeds stunned their high-profile ­visitors with a length-of-the-field move to take the lead caused when David Luiz lost the ball out of position at the wrong end of the field.
Sam Byram cut out Luiz’s sloppy pass on the edge of the Leeds box, the ball running loose to Michael Tonge, who surged forward past halfway to feed Jerome ­Thomas down the left.
The on-loan West Brom winger took a touch before sending over a low cross with the outside of the right-foot that cut out the back-tracking Ivanovic to find a lurking Becchio, who did the rest with a first-time finish form 12 yards.
Stunned into action, Moses had the ball in the net soon afterwards for Chelsea with a cool close-range finish. But the effort was ruled out for offside against Torres in the four-man build-up.
Chances came thick and fast as half-time approached, Lampard’s 30-yard free-kick saved well by Ashdown low to the keeper’s right as the deflected effort headed for the bottom corner.
Leeds refused to sit back on their lead, and they should have doubled their ­advantage on the verge of first-half ­stoppage-time.
Tom Lees easily out-jumped his marker Azpilicueta to meet another tempting Diof centre, only to head narrowly over from six yards after Chelsea failed to deal with a corner.