Southampton 2-1

Independent:

Branislav Ivanovic header powers Blues to victory
Southampton 1 Chelsea 2

Nick Szczepanik St Mary's

Chelsea pulled a victory out of nowhere yesterday as Guus Hiddink showed yet again that he has an ability to get something out of the Blues’ squad that had deserted his predecessor, Jose Mourinho. Second-best early on against a Southampton team who had forgotten what it was like to lose or even concede a goal, Chelsea gradually took command and deserved the points by the final whistle .

Southampton had gone ahead just before half time when Shane Long capitalised on an error by Chelsea left back Baba Rahman, and looked good value for a likely sixth victory and seventh clean sheet in seven games. Then a misdirected cross by Cesc Fabregas turned into a goal, Southampton had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down, and Branislav Ivanovic won it with a straightforward header from a corner.

So it was Hiddink’s unbeaten record that continued, to 13 matches in domestic competition since he took over from Jose Mourinho on December 22. “I think it’s deserved,” he said. “We didn’t start well and they were dominant. We gave them a big present but I think the team reacted very well and showed that the desire is huge to get a result, a negative from a positive.”

Fraser Forster, Southampton’s England goalkeeper, set a new club record of 708 minutes without conceding a goal but may feel that he could have done better with both Chelsea goals, reacting too late to the first and getting a hand to the second but failing to keep it out.

For long spells in the first half, Southampton were the team who looked as if they wanted to win and move up to fifth place, while Chelsea seemed to have their minds on distant FA Cup and Champions League challenges, indulging in the meantime a training session aimed at keeping possession, with shooting practice postponed for another day.

Saints, attacking mainly from wide positions, were more direct and dangerous, although when they took the lead three minutes before the interval it was the result of a defensive error. Baba’s sideways header towards Ivanovic was not strong enough and Long saw it all the way, intercepted and tore into the penalty area as Courtois hesitated, lifting his shot over the goalkeeper and in.

Chelsea, though, emerged for the second half with more purpose. John Obi Mikel seemed to duck out of a heading chance from a corner by Willian and Diego Costa, annoying everyone not on Chelsea’s side as usual, got free at far post to meet Hazard cross. but volleyed high and wide with left foot.
Then came a moment that could have put the game beyond Chelsea, as Gary Cahill brought down Charlie Austin without touching the ball, but referee Martin Atkinson waved the play on, and Chelsea scored their freak equaliser after 75 minutes. Saints appealed in vain that Costa had taken the ball out of play as he chased a ball down the left, and he was allowed to play it back to Fabregas.

The Spain midfield player looked up and aimed a cross towards Hazard with his right foot that was too far in front of him but deceived Forster and dropped in. Koeman, though, absolved Forster. “It was a cross, but it’s difficult for goalkeepers with balls from the side because you expect someone will touch the ball and they didn’t,” he said.

Belief and ambition restored, Chelsea now poured forward and Ivanovic won it, thumping his header from Willian’s corner in off Forster’s outstretched right hand. “It is the first time in one and a half seasons we received a goal direct from a corner kick,” Koeman said. “Sometimes you deserve more than you get.”

The only blemish for Hiddink was an early hamstring injury to Pedro that could keep him out of the Champions League second leg tie against Paris St-Germain at Stamford Bridge on March 9, and possibly the FA Cup sixth-round tie away to Everton three days later – a gap he is unhappy about. “The players, not just Chelsea’s, need at least two days’ recovery and a third day to start work again,” he said. “We have to protect players. I’m a little bit frustrated by that.”

Southampton: (3-5-2) Forster; Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Cedric, Davis, Clasie, Romeu, Targett (Ward-Prowse, 89); Long (Pelle, 69), Austin (Mane, 79).

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Baba (Kenedy, h-t); Mikel, Farbregas; Hazard (Matic, 90), Willian, Pedro (Oscar, 7); Costa.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
Man of the match: Fabregas (Chelsea)

Match rating: 7/10

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Observer:

Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic scores late header to beat Southampton
Southampton 1 - 2 Chelsea

Dominic Fifield at St Mary's Stadium

This ended up the most impressive result yet of Guus Hiddink’s second coming as Chelsea’s interim manager. The victory secured late was a throwback to this team’s resilience of a year ago, and a reminder of the stubborn qualities they still hope can force passage beyond Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League knockout tie which, if taken at face value, might otherwise appear already lost. They were far from fluent and rather error-prone at times but they still found a way to prevail against a side who had forgotten what it feels like to concede a goal, let alone ship a result. That is the happy knack the Dutch stand-in has restored.

It was Branislav Ivanovic, clad in the armband in the absence of the injured John Terry, who forced the win that hoisted Chelsea to within seven points of fifth place, albeit from a vantage point still in the bottom half of the table. This tight contest was drifting towards its final minute when the Serb leapt above Virgil van Dijk to meet Willian’s corner, his header thumped in off Fraser Forster’s outstretched right hand. Perhaps the goalkeeper had still been digesting a first concession in 708 minutes, stretching back to last March when he had been beaten by Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge, as the winner flew through his grasp.

He departed the turf crestfallen, with his team-mates almost numbed in their own state of shock. “It’s a nice record, because it’s all about the defensive work and organisation of the team, and he can be proud of that, as can the team,” said Ronald Koeman, whose side had gone more than 10-and-a-half hours before Cesc Fàbregas’s equaliser here punctured them for the first time since early January.
“But we are disappointed with the final result. The first goal can happen, but that’s the first time in 18 months we’ve conceded straight from a corner. So this is not the time for us to be celebrating a record.”
For all that he offered up plaudits for Chelsea’s underlying talents, Southampton had simply not seen this coming.

They had actually been undone by the visitors’ second-half urgency, energy that drove Southampton further and further back from the moment their appeals for a penalty after Gary Cahill’s challenge on Charlie Austin had been dismissed. By then the contest had become fractious, Diego Costa and Van Dijk embroiled in a running spat with the Spain forward riled and, inevitably, increasingly threatening. It was his dart down the channel that reclaimed possession while home players were distracted by a linesman’s flag, the referee having played an advantage after an incident further upfield, with the pull-back duly collected by Fàbregas.

He curled in a cross, aimed vaguely towards Eden Hazard amid the clutter in the penalty area, which arced towards goal and bounced in the six-yard box. Forster, suddenly gripped by unfamiliar indecision, prodded out tentatively with his left boot in a desperate attempt to force the ball away on the half-volley, but could not prevent it bouncing beyond and in.
“I don’t know what is meant by us showing the ‘old Chelsea’, but the Chelsea we want to see is one that reacts when there is a setback,” said Hiddink. “We like to be proactive and show the desire is huge to turn a result from negative to positive. The players responded.”

As had the manager, ruthlessly, at the interval. The Dutchman, already handicapped by Pedro’s departure with a hamstring complaint that will rule him out for the foreseeable future, had watched Baba Rahman gift the hosts a deserved advantage just before the break with a blind nod infield towards Ivanovic that was intercepted by Shane Long. The Irishman’s finish, clipped wonderfully over the advancing Thibaut Courtois, was sublime, though the Ghanaian, burying his head in his shirt, recognised his culpability. Rahman, who could end up costing Chelsea in excess of £20m, did not return for the second half. “I could say he was injured but he was just taken off because of that [mistake],” said Hiddink. “I don’t like to personalise it but you have to take decisions sometimes that can appear very harsh.”

At the time he had needed a reaction, Southampton having appeared supremely comfortable up to then and apparently destined for fifth place. In the end it was Koeman who was left gnashing in frustration as Courtois denied Sadio Mané from close range to end that recent revival. Chelsea’s recovery, in contrast, now stands at 14 domestic games with Antonio Conte, the anticipated permanent managerial appointment for the summer, presumably impressed from afar.

Hiddink is offering the Italian a fine platform upon which to attack next season. “I’m not thinking ‘I’m doing all the hard work for the next one to sit on his chair with a massive cigar,’” he said. “I’m enjoying it. I love this. If we can restore them to the levels they’re used to, I’ll be more than happy.” His team, with an FA Cup quarter-final still to come at Everton in two weeks, are upwardly mobile.

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Telegraph:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Blues fight back to extend impressive run under Guus Hiddink
Branislav Ivanovic heads winner for below-par Blues

By  Jeremy Wilson, Deputy Football Correspondent, at St Mary's Stadium

As the players congregated inside the tunnel at St Mary’s before this game, the highlights of Southampton’s crushing 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge last October was being rather triumphantly played on the big screens inside the stadium. It was a reminder of one of the biggest lows of Jose Mourinho’s tenure as manager – both in the manner defeat and his undignified post-match complaints – but what was to follow here over the next 90 minutes was then also to underline just how far Chelsea have since come under Guus Hiddink.

Yes, this was still a Chelsea performance with many technical flaws but, in how the players turned a 1-0 deficit after 74 minutes into victory, demonstrated just how their basic spirit and desire to win has been replenished over the past four months. The result will perhaps also have tasted especially sweet to Guus Hiddink after Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, turned down the opportunity to work as his assistant for the Holland national team two years ago and instead moved to the Premier League. The two Dutchmen, who first worked together in the 1980s at PSV Eindhoven, had not spoken until today in almost two years since.

Southampton started with the 5-3-2 formation that they have effectively used during much of their six-match run without conceding a goal although the attacking instincts of Cedric and Matt Targett in the wing-back roles ensured that they were also rarely shot of personnel further forward. The one big advantage of the system against this Chelsea team was how their three centre-backs were largely able to first negate and then frustrate Diego Costa.

Oriol Romeu, Jordy Clasie and Steven Davis were also sufficiently industrious in central midfield to ensure that they soon established a good hold of possession. Chelsea’s rhythm was disturbed within seven minutes by an injury to Pedro although Oscar was introduced as a virtual like for like replacement.

Southampton’s system also meant that their centre-backs were even free to occasionally break forward and Van Dijk created the first clear chance, only for Shane Long to head over. Chelsea did also look threatening whenever they attacked, with Costa’s flick almost beating the Southampton defence and then Eden Hazard nearly forcing a goal with a cross that was headed narrowly wide by Cedric. Fraser Forster, who was setting a Southampton club record in the Premier League by passing 667 minutes without conceding, then got down to save from Oscar.

Southampton, though, had been the better team and almost took the lead when Charlie Austin was afforded a surprising amount of space on the edge of Chelsea’s penalty area but could only pull his shot wide of Thibaut Courtois’ near-post. An even better chance was then gifted to Long in the 42nd minute. Baba Rahman seemed to lose his bearings and tried a header back across his own penalty area. Courtois could perhaps have reacted more quickly to the mistake but his hesitancy then allowed Long to put Southampton into the lead with a lofted finish.

Hiddink reacted by replacing Baba with Kenedy at half-time and Chelsea were suddenly a far more purposeful team. Hazard and Mikel both had chances before Costa volleyed a clear opportunity high and wide. The frustrations of Chelsea, and particularly Costa, were very visible but the match then turned on two incidents. Southampton were now playing on the counter-attack and had played Austin clear on goal, only for him to be upended by Gary Cahill. Martin Atkinson waved play on and, moments later, Costa combined with Fabregas to create space on the edge of the Southampton penalty area. Fabregas had tried to curl his cross into the path of Hazard and, with Forster moving in anticipation of a shot from the Belgian, the original ball dissected the space between both players and nestled into the corner of the goal.

The Chelsea players rushed to retrieve the ball and duly turned their momentum into a most unlikely win when Branislav Ivanovic rose above the Southampton defence to head Willian’s cross past Forster.

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Mail:

Southampton 1-2 Chelsea:
Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas on target as Blues come from behind to beat in-form Saints
By Rob Draper for The Mail on Sunday 

It was neither pretty, nor glorious but Chelsea, still unbeaten in the Premier League since Guus Hiddink took over, are beginning to rediscover the cussedness that served them so well in the past.
For much of this match they looked slovenly and second best. They conceded in the most embarrassing fashion, a mistake so bad it required Baba Rahman to be substituted.

The visitors also survived a rash challenge by Gary Cahill on Charlie Austin after 70 minutes that ought to have been a penalty and which, if converted, might have put the game beyond them.

And yet they prevailed, Branislav Ivanovic rising at the near post in the 89th minute to head in an unlikely winner.
Perhaps Chelsea deserved it for hanging on in a game which had little grace or style, as they are still some way from being a fluid and flowing side again. But results are at least falling their way, something which manifestly eluded them in the first half of the season under Jose Mourinho.

‘It was not just lucky,’ argued interim boss Hiddink. ‘I think it’s deserved. We had a great game in big parts of this match. We didn’t start very well and we gave them a big present in that first half, but the team reacted very well, not just mentally, but tactically.
‘I don’t know if it’s the Chelsea of old, but the Chelsea we want to see is one that reacts when there is a setback. We like to be proactive and show the desire is huge to turn a result from negative to positive. The players must respond and today they did.’

Yet there were long periods of this game on which Chelsea would not care to dwell, not least the opening goal when they were the authors of their own misfortune.
A speculative long ball and a misplaced header by Rahman let in Shane Long on 42 minutes, and he took one touch to play himself in. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois hesitated, then came too late, as Long reached the ball and lifted it over him into the far corner.
As Long celebrated, Rahman pulled his shirt over his head and he was replaced by Kenedy. ‘I could say he was injured, but he was just taken off because of that (mistake),’ said Hiddink. ‘He has to cope with that, but he was very down.

‘I don’t like to personalise it, but you have to take decisions sometimes that can appear very harsh. It is harsh, but I have also to control and not always wait on decisions. I’m responsible for the result.’
For much of the game, though, Southampton had looked good for the win. As Hiddink conceded, they started better and then defended well and when Austin was taken out by Cahill in the second half, a penalty might have settled the game.

‘These are important decisions, but I don’t complain about the referee or the linesman’s performance,’ said Saints boss, Ronaldo Koeman. ‘But of course we’re disappointed with the result. If you’re leading and play a decent first half, make it 1-0 at a good moment and have good defending you have a feeling about winning.’

They are still some way from being a fluid and flowing side again. But results are at least falling their way.
That said, there were times in the game on which they would not care to dwell, not least when they conceded their opening goal.
Chelsea were just starting to establish a foothold in the game, when, as has so often been the case this season, they were authors of their own misfortune. A speculative long ball and a misplaced header by Rahman let in Shane Long on 42 minutes.

The striker took one touch to play himself in and Thibaut Courtois hesitated, pondering whether to come or not. By the time he had decided to do so, it was too late: Long was at the ball first and lifted it past the Belgian into the far corner.
Instinctively Rahman pulled his shirt over his head, ashamed of his mistake. Many questioned why Jose Mourinho didn’t trust a player Chelsea had paid £14m plus adds on to secure in the summer; this was presumably the reason why.

At half-time Raham was replaced by Kenedy and if the substitution was made simply because he couldn’t cope with the consequences of his mistake, you would have to questions his credentials to play for a club such as Chelsea.
The game hadn’t started well for Chelsea with Pedro limping off after just seven minutes. Just as the former Barca forward had started to perform for Chelsea in recent weeks, he looks like being out injured.
Their hesitancy was evident early on when Courtois was caught out, coming for a ball which Virgil van Dijk beat him to, delivering a lovely cross on to the head of Long, who headed disappointingly high and wide.

Yet other than a tame long-range effort from Oscar and a turn and strike from Diego Costa, Chelsea offered little in the first half. They were ponderous on the ball and struggled to cope with Southampton’s 3-5-2 formation, often overwhelmed in midfield.
That said, an equaliser should have come on the hour when Eden Hazard delivered a glorious cross at just the right height for Diego Costa to volley home; instead he skewed it wide.

And as the second half progressed and – predictably – Costa grew increasingly frustrated, picking up a yellow card, Southampton seemed happy for the game to develop into a scrap. Ryan Bertrand swung an elbow at Costa, wisely just after the latter had been booked, thus ruling out retaliation. Bertrand picked up his own caution for that whilst Jordy Clasie’s came for a late kick on Willian.

Chelsea didn’t look especially inspirational and against a Southampton team that hadn’t conceded for six games, they showed little sign of troubling the score after that Costa chance.
And when the equaliser did come, it was in bizarre circumstances. Costa, still full of running, chased down a ball to the by-line and pulled it back for Cesc Fabregas.

The Spaniard cut inside, and rolled in a cross aimed at Eden Hazard. Somehow, the pace and angle of the ball had Fraser Forster fooled, the keeper rooted to the spot as the ball trickled past him.
The Southampton keeper had broken a club record in this game, having not conceded for 708 cumulative minutes, up until that point; it was an unfortunate way to end his run.

Chelsea perked up though it was hardly an unremitting onslaught, their best chance coming on 82minutes when Willian pulled a shot just wide on 82 minutes.
Yet then came at 88th minute corner from Willian, the sight of Branislav Ivanovic rising above van Dijk at the near post and scoring with a thumping header. It wasn’t quite Munich 2012, but for Chelsea it’s a start.

Southampton (4-4-2): Forster 5.5; Soares 6, Fonte 6, Van Dijk 7.5, Bertrand 6; Davis 6.5, Clasie 6, Romeu 6, Targett 6 (Ward-Prowse 90mins); Long 7 (Pelle 69, 6), Austin 6.5 (Mane 79)
Unused subs: Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadic, Martina
Booked: Davis, Bertrand, Clasie
Goal: Long 42
Manager: Ronald Koeman 6

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 5.5; Azpilicueta 6.5, Cahill 6, Ivanovic 6.5, Rahman 4.5 (Kenedy 46, 6); Mikel 7, Fabregas 7; Pedro 5 (Oscar 7, 6), Willian 8, Hazard 6.5 (Matic 90); Costa 7.5
Unused subs: Begovic, Traore, Remy, Loftus-Cheek
Booked: Costa
Goals: Fabregas 75, Ivanovic 89
Manager: Guus Hiddink 7
Referee: Martin Atkinson 6
Man of the match: Willian
Attendance: 31,688
*Ratings by Oliver Todd at St Mary's

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Mirror:
  
Southampton 1-2 Chelsea: Branislav Ivanovic nets late winner in Blues fightback - 5 things we learned

By Darren Lewis
 
The Serbian defender and stand-in skipper powered home a towering header to continue Guus Hiddink's unbeaten run


Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic struck late on the south coast to halt Southampton’s shock Champions League bid.
Ronald Koeman’s men went into this contest with five wins and a draw from their previous six games - without conceding in any of them.
It left Koeman openly admitting that the club were targeting the top four.

And when Shane Long put them ahead three minutes before the break they looked set to continue their fine run. Chelsea at the time were struggling to fashion a clear-cut opportunity.
But Fabregas curled in a superb equaliser with 15 minutes to go and Ivanovic headed in a corner with a minute remaining.

It ended Fraser Forster’s run of six games without conceded. In all the Saints keeper has remained unbeaten for 708 minutes - a club record.
But Chelsea’s win keeps them on course to continue their own impressive sequence of 19 consecutive seasons finishing in the Premier League's top six.

1. Southampton are still serious top-four contenders

This was always going to be the toughest game remaining for Ronald Koeman’s side.
The goals from Fabregas and Ivanovic were the first conceded by the south coast side for seven games.
Despite the defeat, the Saints are still very much in the hunt.

2. Ronald Koeman has not had enough praise
The fact that he is even in with a shout for the top four says everything considering the Dutchman lost Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin last summer.

3. Fraser Forster is a serious contender for Euro 2016 starting place

This end-of-season run for Southampton has coincided with his return from injury. He gives his backline confidence and calm.
Yes, Joe Hart is ahead of him. But that gap between them is closing all the time.

4. Chelsea are on course for the top six

At one point it looked like being the bottom six but they have stabilised their form and are now a match for anyone.
Their last defeat in the Premier League remains Jose Mourinho's last outing.

5. Cesc Fabregas: Recapturing form when Chelsea need it most

He picked his passes well despite Southampton’s attempts to deny him soace. And when his goal opportunity came he took it well.
He has been disappointing overall this season but with the Blues in the FA Cup quarter-finals - and with PSG to come in the second leg of their Champions League tie - Fabregas could yet have a big say in his side’s season.

Player ratings

Southampton: Forster 6; Cedric 6, Van Dijk 6, Fonte 6, Bertrand 5, Targett 5; Davis 6, Clasie 6, Romeu 5; Long 7, Austin 6.
Subs: Pelle (Long 69) 5, Mane (Austin 79) 5, Ward-Prowse (Targett 89) 5.

Chelsea: Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 9 MOTM, Cahill 8, Rahman 5; Fabregas 8, Mikel 8; Pedro 6, Willian 7, Hazard 7; Costa 7.
Subs: Oscar (Pedro 6) 7, Kenedy (Rahman 45) 7, Matic (Hazard 90) 5.

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Sun:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic earn comeback win

Guus Hiddink's Blues revival continued as they won at St Mary's

By ANDREW DILLON

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC — captain, leader, legend.
Chelsea’s stand-in skipper bulldozed home a late header to complete the most unlikely of comebacks and keep Blues unbeaten in the league under caretaker boss Guus Hiddink.
As well as borrowing his armband, Ivanovic also played in John Terry’s position at the heart of defence then clinched a win ground out in the old-fashioned way.

His dramatic 89th-minute goal rekindled memories of how he popped up in the box to win the 2013 Europa League final.
Of course, the big difference between Ivanovic, 32, and Terry, 35, is the long-serving Serbian is staying put, having signed a new one-year deal a few weeks back.
He is also hot-favourite to take over the captaincy when Terry’s deal expires this summer.

Ivanovic did his chances of getting the job a power of good by snatching the points on a day when Chelsea looked deservedly beaten until 15 minutes from time.
A freaky equaliser from Cesc Fabregas pulled them back into a game in which they had looked second best in most areas. Of course, the Premier League is pretty much irrelevant for Chelsea now, with no chance of gatecrashing the top four from so far back.

The Champions League is No¿1 priority but with a last-eight place in the FA Cup, the league is just a matter of pride and a way of keeping the squad ticking over in between more important cup ties.
And there is no better way to boost growing self-confidence than by sneaking away from Southampton with a win against the odds.
If it carries on like this, the season could well be transformed from disaster into a relative success.
And Hiddink will have done all the hard work for his expected successor, Antonio Conte.

The Italy boss is involved in the latter stages of talks to take over on a three-year deal with £130million to spend on new players.
Strolling into Stamford Bridge and splashing the cash is the easy part, lifting the morale of the existing players after a catastrophic first half to the campaign is where a manager earns his wages.
This is what Hiddink is doing with a smile that is his own but with a ruthless streak more suited to his predecessor, Jose Mourinho.

Left-back Baba Rahman’s horrendously undercooked header to Ivanovic in the midfield area let in Shane Long to put Saints ahead.
Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois was way too hesitant coming off his line to challenge the Irish striker, who nicked it round him for a classy goal three minutes before half-time.
And bungling Baba did not appear from the St Mary’s tunnel after the break and Hiddink later confirmed his Ghanaian defender had been hooked for his howler.
No sympathy there, then.

To be fair, Southampton were all over dozy Chelsea in the first half — it was not just Rahman who was asleep on the job.
Long missed a good chance with a header after only nine minutes and Charlie Austin shot just wide on the turn on 31.
Chelsea’s Diego Costa grew so frustrated at his lack of openings, he tore off the face mask protecting his broken nose to give him a better view of proceedings.

It did not help much as Costa volleyed a great cross from Eden Hazard well wide on 58 minutes.
The turning point was Long’s withdrawal with a foot injury on 69 minutes. It robbed Southampton of their bullish attacking threat and six minutes after he limped off, the Blues were level.
Chelsea broke free with ref Martin Atkinson playing a good advantage. Costa raced all the way to the byline and, as Saints players protested the ball had gone out of play, he found Fabregas.
The midfielder’s clear attempt to cross deceived everybody and curled into the far corner.

It brought Saints keeper Fraser Forster’s club-record run of 708 minutes without conceding a goal to an end in embarrassing fashion.
And with tails up, Chelsea piled forwards in the way they used to and won a corner at the death.
Willian dropped the ball into the middle of the box and Ivanovic climbed high to head it in.

Five things we learnt - by Mark Irwin

TOO many Chelsea players appear to be going through the motions in the Premier League and saving themselves for the Champions League and FA Cup despite their win today.
There was little sense of urgency from a team who know they are not going to be relegated and don’t want to qualify for the Europa League even if they could.

IF CHELSEA had someone with half as much commitment and desire as Shane Long, they might not be drifting along in mid-table right now.
The Republic of Ireland striker chased absolutely everything and gave Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic a torrid afternoon until he limped off injured.

WHEN Chelsea signed Baba from Augsburg last summer, they agreed to pay £14milion rising to a possible £22m based on appearances and achievements.
The Germans should not hold their breath about getting that extra £8m. The Ghanaian full-back was hopeless again, gave a goal away and was hooked at half-time.

DOES anyone have evidence that Alexandre Pato is not a figment of someone’s imagination?
The Brazilian was supposed to be the answer to all of Chelsea’s striking problems when he arrived on loan on the final day of the January transfer window.
But noone has seen hide nor hair of the former Milan playboy since then and by the time he is finally fit to play the season will probably be over.

JORDY CLASIE has struggled to make an impact since his £12m move from Feyenoord last summer but Southampton’s Dutch midfielder was a real terrier against Chelsea’s superstars and never allowed them any time to settle on the ball.

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Express:

Southampton 1 - Chelsea 2: Fabregas and Ivanovic sink Saints as Forster breaks record

FRASER FORSTER showed his credentials for England selection for Euro 2016 after breaking Paul Jones' record of 666 minutes without conceding a goal for Southampton - but had his party spoiled by late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic at St Mary's.

By Liam Spence

The 27-year-old has been a rock between the sticks for the Saints since returning from a long-term injury but he failed to keep a clean sheet this time round against the Blues.
This win sees Guus Hiddink maintain his unbeaten Premier League record as Chelsea move up to 11th, edging ever closer to breaking into the top half of the table.
It was a frustarting start for the Blues, however, with Pedro being forced off of the pitch after just seven minutes as Oscar replaced the Spaniard.
Their injury-hit start went from bad to worse after 42 minutes when Shane Long fired Southampton into the lead.
Baba Rahman's shocking header went straight to the Irishman who punished the defender by putting his dinked effort past the on-rushing Thibaut Courtois.
Ronald Koeman's men came into the game without conceding a goal in over nine hours and looked like they would keep it that way, but with just 15 minutes left Chelsea knocked down Saints's defensive wall when Fabregas's cross, which was intended for Eden Hazard, went all the way through and past a helpless Forster into the bottom right corner.

This goal spurred the Blues on and they completed the turnaround on 89 minutes when Ivanovic headed Hiddink's men into the lead, with Forster's glove failing to prevent Chelsea from securing the three points.
Saints could have moved up to fifth but instead they dropped down to seventh after their agonising defeat.

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Star:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Ivanovic bullet header helps Blues halt Saints hot streak
BRANISLAV IVANOVIC was the goal hero at St Mary’s.
By Peter White

But it was Cesc Fabregas who inspired Chelsea’s fightback as they stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to 11 matches.
Chelsea found themselves trailing just before the break when Shane Long capitalised on a shocking blunder by left-back Baba Rahman to edge Saints in front.
But Fabregas shattered Saints’ record of not conceding in more than ten hours when he beat keeper Fraser Forster with a cross-shot.
Then, two minutes from time, Ivanovic rose unmarked to snatch the winner from Willian’s corner.
“I think the win was deserved,” said Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink.
“We didn’t start very well and they were dominant in the first 20 minutes.
“Then we took over and controlled the latter part of the first half.
“We gave them a big present but the team reacted well.
“We like to be proactive, regain possession and show the desire to go from negative to positive.”
Hiddink’s plans were disrupted just six minutes in when Pedro went down clutching his left leg and was replaced by Oscar.
While the visitors were still reorganising, Saints might have nicked the lead when Virgil Van Dijk – still up from a corner – turned the ball back inside for Shane Long but he headed inches over.

Hiddink’s side were soon into their stride, though, and a glancing effort from Diego Costa could have edged them in front had Steven Davis had not been perfectly positioned on the goal-line to clear.
Both sides looked dangerous going forward, with Charlie Austin – making his first start since his £4million January signing from QPR – slowly working his way into the game.
Chelsea’s Spain forward Costa began the game wearing his protective face mask. But after making a mess of a forward run in the 27th minute he threw it on to the sidelines.
He did not do much better without it shortly after, though, turning before fi ring high over Forster’s bar.
Saints looked a threat and nearly grabbed a 30th-minute lead when Davis fed Austin – but he drilled a low shot inches wide.
Willian and Fabregas were working hard to try and create openings but Chelsea were being restricted to long-range efforts.

And just as it seemed the half would end goalless, Long showed his predatory instincts with a 42nd-minute strike.
Baba could not decide whether to head clear or knock the ball back to keeper Thibaut Courtois.
And as he hesitated it fell invitingly for Long, who raced in on goal before deftly chipping into the bottom corner.
Unsurprisingly, Baba did not appear for the second half and was replaced by Kenedy.
Chelsea needed a quick response but they found it tough going as Jordy Clasie and Oriol Romeu took a firm hold in midfield.
Ronald Koeman’s men were not content just to sit on their lead, though, and Gary Cahill was a little lucky not to concede a penalty when he upended Austin as the Saints forward bustled his way into the box.
But Chelsea’s persistence finally paid off after 75 minutes.

Costa chased the ball to the by-line before turning it back for Fabregas, whose cross – seemingly intended for Hazard – deceived Forster and trickled into the far corner.
Willian was inches away from giving Chelsea the lead in the 82nd minute with a low effort, before Ivanovic’s header sealed the points.
“I’m disappointed after leading in the game and scoring at a good moment,” said Koeman.
“It is not easy to score against us, so I had a good feeling we could win but we were playing against a good team.
“We needed to be perfect in the second half – and we weren’t.
“We deserved more for our performance.”

Man City 5-1

Independent:

Pellegrini's kids taught FA Cup lesson by Costa, Hazard and Fabregas

Chelsea 5 Manchester City 1: No shame in a heavy defeat for Pellegrini’s bright young things

Mark Ogden Stamford Bridge

It was men against boys in the end, just as the teamsheet suggested it would be, but while Chelsea booked their place in the FA Cup sixth round, Manchester City’s teenage rookies at least made the fallen Premier League champions earn it.

Cesc Fabregas reminded us of his ability to produce champagne football and Eden Hazard showed flashes of his former self, but City’s kids did enough to justify their manager’s decision to select them, despite suffering the club’s heaviest defeat since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan’s takeover in September 2008.

There are two sides to the debate over whether Manuel Pellegrini disrespected the competition by handing five of the club’s brightest young talents a first competitive start at Stamford Bridge. Others have conserved their resources in similar fashion this season, with Jürgen Klopp fielding even less experienced Liverpool teams prior to their fourth-round elimination, but David Faupala, Manu Garcia and the Manchester-born Tosin Adarabioyo all distinguished themselves for City as Chelsea ultimately secured a comfortable victory.

City and their youngsters at least emerged with pride intact, unlike those Chelsea supporters in the Matthew Harding Stand whose sour reaction to Faupala’s first-half equaliser resulted in the 19-year-old and his team-mates being showered with coins as they celebrated.

Chelsea were quick to condemn those responsible, insisting that any culprits identified would be banned from Stamford Bridge, but when a teenager scoring on his debut cannot celebrate the moment safely, the game has bigger problems than a manager choosing to rest his senior players.

While Pellegrini and his squad prepare to fly to Ukraine on Monday afternoon for Wednesday’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Dynamo Kiev – the reason for the Chilean’s decision to field a weakened team – Chelsea can now contemplate a sixth-round trip to Everton and the genuine prospect of silverware in the FA Cup at the end of a season of turmoil for the club.

Guus Hiddink’s team were forced to work for their victory, however, as City’s youngsters played with enough freedom and energy in the first half to go in level at the interval.

With City’s Premier League title hopes dented by back-to-back defeats at home to Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur, the FA Cup appeared a better route to success, but Pellegrini nonetheless chose to hand full debuts to Adarabioyo, Faupala, Bersant Celina, Manu Garcia and Aleix Garcia.

Hiddink, having seen his players suffer a 2-1 Champions League first-leg defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain last Tuesday, went with a full-strength team, but it was City who started the more brightly, with French forward Faupala forcing Thibaut Courtois into a third-minute save. Pedro then rattled the post before Diego Costa ran into a defensive roadblock after being set free by Fabregas.

Pellegrini strode to the touchline on the half-hour, urging his players “forward, forward”. They responded, with Faupala and Kelechi Iheanacho linking well before the Nigerian youngster shot over from 30 yards.

Chelsea finally hit their stride when Fabregas instigated the move for Diego Costa’s opener on 35 minutes. Fabregas’s lobbed ball into the penalty area found Hazard, who hooked a cross back towards Costa. Having escaped the attentions of Martin Demichelis, Costa scored with a low, diving header past goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

It should have been the moment for Chelsea to pull away, but City displayed their resolve by equalising within two minutes. Good work between Manu Garcia, Iheanacho and Faupala resulted in Faupala scoring from six yards after Cesar Azpilicueta’s clearance fell into his path.

Faupala raced away to celebrate, only to be pelted with coins by Chelsea supporters. Fortunately, the City players were not hit by the flying missiles. They had landed a blow, but they had a further 45 minutes to hold out and against such experienced opponents, would their physical and mental energies be able to withstand such an examination?

Inevitably, they could not and Chelsea’s class told as Hiddink’s players raced through the gears, picking holes in the City line-up with Fabregas, Hazard and Willian all punishing Pellegrini’s team with their attacking qualities.

Willian restored Chelsea’s lead on 48 minutes with a stunning breakaway goal. Having sprinted from his own half, the Brazilian laid the ball off to Hazard before receiving a return pass inside the area. With the goal opening up, Willian guided the ball past Caballero and into the far corner.

City were now forced to mount a rearguard action as Chelsea continued to pour forward and Gary Cahill extended the home side’s lead on 53 minutes when he struck from 12 yards after Fernando had attempted to clear Hazard’s cross.

Fabregas then shot wide from the edge of the penalty area and, as City began to buckle, Demichelis conceded a free-kick with a clumsy challenge on Hazard.

Twenty yards out, Hazard placed the ball and picked his spot to score his first goal at Stamford Bridge since last season, thanks in no small part to Caballero’s inexplicable decision to dive behind his wall, rather than in the direction of the Belgian’s free-kick.

At 4-1, Chelsea were cruising and City faced with damage limitation – a challenge intensified when referee Andre Marriner awarded the home side a 75th-minute penalty following another Demichelis challenge, this time on Bertrand Traoré.

Oscar, rather than Hazard, stepped up for the penalty, which was saved by Caballero, who thereby redeemed himself for his free-kick brain freeze moments earlier.

Yet just as City appeared set to avoid further damage, Chelsea landed a final blow on 89 minutes when Traoré’s header from Oscar’s cross bounced in off the far post.

Once again, Caballero could have done better, and Pellegrini will hope he does not have to rely on Joe Hart’s understudy too often again this season.

As for the kids, they all showed signs of promise, but ultimately they were just too young and raw to live with Chelsea.


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


Guardian:

Chelsea and Eden Hazard overwhelm Pellegrini’s weakened Manchester City

Chelsea 5 - 1 Man City

Daniel Taylor at Stamford Bridge

Whatever the rights and wrongs of Manchester City’s team selection – and Manuel Pellegrini will argue with anyone who accuses him of going too far with his protests – it was hard not to leave Stamford Bridge thinking that when the story comes to be written about this season’s FA Cup this mismatch will form an unsatisfactory part of the narrative.

This tie ought to have been a cracker. Instead there was an air of inevitability as soon as the teams were announced and it became clear Pellegrini was not making idle threats about fielding a scratch XI and, in effect, waving Chelsea into the quarter-finals.

It would be wrong to say his lineup represented a white flag of surrender but it was a close-run thing at times. Chelsea duly equalled their biggest win of the season and City suffered their heaviest defeat of the Abu Dhabi era. It would have been even heavier if Oscar had scored from the penalty spot and Chelsea will know their luck was in because of the combination of television scheduling, City’s involvement in the Champions League on Wednesday and the overwhelming sense that Pellegrini was absolutely determined to make his point.

In total there were six teenagers in Pellegrini’s team, including five who were making their full debuts, and two more youth-team graduates coming off the bench. Pellegrini had made nine changes and the shirt numbers at the end totted up to 521, including a 75, a 76 and a 77. David Faupala, Tosin Adarabioyo, Bersant Celina, Aleix García, Manu García, Brandon Barker and Cameron Humphreys were included – City’s PR department even sent round a memo before kick-off to give some background on the newbies. The away end was sparsely populated and, for anyone who cares about this competition, it was a shame to see the FA Cup reduced to this level.

Whose fault was that? Pellegrini, prioritising City’s midweek game against Dynamo Kyiv, blames a combination of the Football Association, the BBC and the Metropolitan police for not staging the tie a day or two earlier. The BBC argues there was no Friday slot and the police have made it clear the game could not have taken place on Saturday because Fulham were playing Charlton Athletic a couple of miles down the road. Pellegrini remains convinced City have been dealt a raw deal and, after that, Chelsea were always likely to make it into the last eight by playing their strongest team.

They took a while to get going and it was barely a minute after Diego Costa had put them ahead, with his ninth goal in his last 12 appearances, that Faupala , meaning the sides went into half-time at 1-1. Yet the difference after the interval was stark. Willian re-established Chelsea’s lead within three minutes, breaking out from his own half to add another fine goal to his collection, and it became a harsh lesson for City in which their more experienced players, Martín Demichelis in particular, did not always help the youngsters.

Gary Cahill’s volley made it 3-1 after a poor clearance from Fernando and the game had become a damage-limitation exercise for City by the time Eden Hazard whipped a free-kick past Willy Caballero midway through the second half. Caballero, an erratic mix of good and bad, saved Oscar’s penalty but another of Chelsea’s substitutes, Bertrand Traoré, completed the scoring with a looping header late on and the second half was typified by the moment at the end when Chelsea counterattacked again. Already 5-1 down, their opponents had one defender back.

For City, perhaps it might have been less of an ordeal if Faupala had made more of the game’s first opportunity, having beaten a couple of players with a promising run. Faupala, a 19-year-old striker, joined City in July after running down his contract at Lens and was a tricky opponent for Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic even if the Frenchman’s goal did have a considerable element of good fortune.

Kelechi Iheanacho, a comparative veteran of seven starts, cut in through the right-hand channel and slid a left-footed centre across the six-yard penalty area. Thibaut Courtois could manage only the faintest of touches and when César Azpilicueta, covering from right-back, tried to slice it clear Faupala was maybe closer to him than he perhaps realised, diverting the ball into an exposed net and, inexcusably, being the target of several coins as he celebrated in front of the home end.

Otherwise, there were only sporadic moments for City to reflect upon with any kind of satisfaction. Manu García, an 18-year-old Spaniard, will have enjoyed the moment he dropped his shoulder and left Cesc Fàbregas behind and Adarabioyo, a tall, rangy centre-half with a high-kneed running style, should be better for the experience of facing an in-form Costa. Yet City were terribly vulnerable in defence and generous opponents for Hazard, in particular.

The Belgian, fiercely criticised for his performance against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, provided the cross for Costa to head in the opening goal and it was his precise pass that Willian put away at the start of the second half. It was also Hazard’s cross that led to Cahill’s goal and Chelsea will be glad to see him playing with confidence again. Now he just has to show he can do it against a side that is not essentially made up of youth-team players.

Man of the match Eden Hazard (Chelsea)


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


Telegraph:

Chelsea 5 Manchester City 1

Full-strength Chelsea show no mercy against City's kids

City slumped to the heaviest defeat since the Abu Dhabi ownership took over in 2008 against Chelsea

Jason Burt

It was, as Manuel Pellegrini promised, men against boys. The only problem was the Manchester City manager threw in a couple of old men as well as those boys into his vastly-depleted team and it was 35-year-old Martin Demichelis and 34-year-old Willy Caballero who let him down in this anticipated rout against a full-strength, unchanged Chelsea.

It was, nevertheless, the heaviest defeat City have suffered since the Abu Dhabi ownership took over in 2008 and set about transforming the club into one of the European super-powers; so strong that they can attract Pep Guardiola to become their next manager.

Pellegrini reinforced his reasons and had his mitigation at the ready: injuries, fixture congestion, no help from the Football Association – even if he was helping them, he said, by fielding (some) English youngsters amongst a host of Spaniards.

But what he might have to fret about is the effect this defeat might have, after losing to Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City in the Premier League, on the psyche of his players. It is now three defeats in a row and that is an unwanted statistic whatever the circumstances.
In the numbers game for Chelsea they scored five goals – to make it 10 in their last two home matches with two 5-1 score-lines (to add to the 5-1 away win in the previous round of this competition) – struck the goal-frame twice and missed one penalty as they moved into the last eight of the FA Cup.

In the numbers game for City they were in the running for four trophies, now it is three, they made nine changes, started with six teenagers, brought on two more, handed out six debuts and the shirt numbers of their starting XI added up to (surely a record?) 447 (with a 72, 75 and 76 – and then a 77 coming on as a substitute).

Yes, it was that bewildering as Chelsea were, effectively, handed a bye into the quarter-finals. That might sound harsh but there was no way they were going to lose this encounter, even when City surprisingly drew level. Guus Hiddink made sure of that. He had one academy kid – Ruben Loftus-Cheek – and he stayed on the bench even with Roman Abramovich in attendance and with the Chelsea owner so desperate for a young player to come through. But that is not Hiddink’s concern.

By the end City were over-run and had run out of steam and the thought post-match was how they will react as they fly out on Monday to Ukraine for their Champions League last-16 tie against Dynamo Kiev and then fly back for the Capital One Cup Final against Liverpool at Wembley next Sunday. What a week in store.

So there is plenty to ponder for Pellegrini – not least whether he can fulfil his promise of fielding Caballero in that final. He certainly should not on this evidence although when he comes to consider the performances of the young players – particularly Aleix Garcia, a composed Spanish midfielder, Mancunian defender Tosin Adarabioyo, both just 18, and, of course, 19-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho - there was encouragement.

The irony of that is that he will not be at the club to develop them. That will be for Guardiola. Pellegrini goes and we will have a clearer indication in the next 10 days – with Liverpool away in the league a week on Wednesday after the two cup matches – whether he can still hope to leave with a trophy or two.

Hiddink firmly has one in his sights. He won the FA Cup back in 2009 and clearly sees a path to winning it again opening up. Next up it is Everton away – the club he beat in that Wembley final seven years ago. Hiddink will hope that is an omen.
The portents are good. Chelsea are, emphatically, getting better. There was special encouragement in the performance of Eden Hazard, with a goal and two assists, as they edge their way back into something appearing to be some decent form.

The Belgian fashioned the opening goal – hooking the ball across the penalty area for Diego Costa to dive and head powerfully past Caballero. The goalkeeper could do little about that but Demichelis could have done with the defender having strayed away from covering Costa.


Pedro had already beaten Caballero – only for his shot to clip a post – but City then halted that one-way traffic. They broke away with Fernando finding Manu Garcia, another 18-year-old Spaniard, who played in Iheanacho. The striker poked the ball across goal, it flicked off Thibaut Courtois’s glove only for Cesar Azpilicueta’s clearance to cannon off French teenager David Faupala. As the City players celebrated coins were thrown – with Chelsea quick to condemn the miscreants.

The goal only delayed the inevitable. Willian restored the lead, steering his shot back across Caballero, after a sharp break and poor defending, before Hazard’s cross ricocheted off Fernando for Gary Cahill to drill a low shot through Caballero’s weak attempt to stop it.

Demichelis was booked for a crude challenge on Hazard who picked himself up and capitalised on Caballero’s woeful positioning, and City’s terrible defensive wall, to stroke a free-kick into the net before substitute Oscar missed a penalty. It came as Demichelis barged over another Chelsea substitute – Bertrand Traore – and was perhaps fortunate not to be sent off. Caballero pushed away Oscar’s too deliberate spot kick.
But the hapless goalkeeper was beaten again. After Traore, the 20-year-old striker from Burkino Faso, had poked a shot against a post he reached Oscar’s cross to loop a header backwards with Caballero allowing it to drop over him, strike the post and drop into the net. It summed up his day and City, most emphatically, were out of the FA Cup.


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


Mail:

Chelsea 5-1 Manchester City: Blues cruise into FA Cup quarter-finals with Diego Costa, Willian, Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard on target as Manuel Pellegrini's youngsters fall short

By MARTIN SAMUEL FOR THE DAILY MAIL

By the end, it looked like pure folly, not some defiant stand, or message to the Football Association. Manuel Pellegrini left the young men of Manchester City pitilessly exposed against Champions League opposition, and the result was as expected. Chelsea ran away with the tie in the second-half, City beaten and bewildered, down and most definitely out.
It wasn't their fault. The kids, a group of Elite Development Squad teenagers, were largely alright – certainly in the opening 45 minutes when they held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw.

It was the senior professionals who were brutally exposed here, in particular stand in goalkeeper Willy Caballero. Indeed, it could be argued that Pellegrini should have played even more kids. If there is not a young goalkeeper in the under-21 group who could have made a better fist of it than Caballero, then the youth development team has not been doing its job.

He made two superb saves – one from an Oscar penalty, another from a volley by Pedro – yet still emerged from the game without credit. Martin Demichelis and Fernando the same.

A good working relationship with director of football Txiki Begeristain is meant to be one of the reasons Pep Guardiola is coming to Manchester City next season. That may be challenged when Guardiola sees what he has been left to work with at his new home.

Pellegrini has been moaning for weeks about having to field a weakened team in this fixture, with the Champions League tie against Dynamo Kiev looming and injuries stacking up. Yet, in doing so, he did his young charges a disservice.

He could have built them up, could have said that, obviously, he would prioritise the European fixture but City had a good under-21 squad and players who might even surprise Chelsea, as Bradford City did in this competition last season.

Instead, he said this was not a real game, and that he wouldn't pay for a ticket. How would that have made them feel?
Fair play for giving the youngsters a chance, but at least sell their credentials. In essence, Pellegrini said they were not worth the price of admission.
They most certainly were. City started brightest and their riposte to Chelsea's opening goal was immediate and robust – an equaliser in the space of two minutes.

So one understands Pellegrini's predicament, but not his moans. Yes, he has an important Champions League match on Wednesday and the Capital One Cup final next Sunday against Liverpool – but a club with City's riches is not going to elicit much sympathy wailing about fixture congestion, in the same way that talk of Manchester United's injury woes is usually met with a shrug.

City were in four competitions before this, but with the money they have spent they would hope to be.  Not much point in all that investment if it does not deliver the clogged calendar of a successful, elite club.

And when that happens something has to give and it is usually the FA Cup. So plenty of managers have been in Pellegrini's predicament without taking such an extreme approach to team selection. He got more than he deserved from these development players in the circumstances.
Not only did they work hard, they produced moments of very high quality too – not least the young French forward David Faupala.

Like most of the City teenagers on display, he is not a true product of the youth system. He arrived from Lens last summer, having let his contract run down – but has spent most of his time in the EDS on the wings this season, unable to claim a central role.
He made up for that here, his first involvement a quite lovely run that twisted Gary Cahill in spirals twice before unleashing a shot well saved by Thibaut Courtois. So the youngsters were not the problem.

They were let down by the inadequates Pellegrini placed around them, senior players who should not have been left to baby sit. Chelsea scored twice early in the second-half and game ran away from City after that. It looks like humiliation but from the perspective of the visitors, the scoreline could have been much, much worse.

The goals that decided the game came after a surprisingly even first-half. After City's energetic opening, Chelsea gained control, with Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard running midfield and John Obi Mikel locking the back door.
Yet while Chelsea's first was a neat move, it was assisted by some rotten marking from Demichelis and Aleksandar Kolarov.

Fabregas played in Hazard with a perfectly weighted pass and his chipped cross found Diego Costa entirely unmarked on the edge of the six yard box to head home.
The two centre-halves were either side, but not really in attendance.
It should have been over, given the imbalance in the teams, but City showed great pluck to draw level.

Manu Garcia played Kelechi Iheanacho in on the right and Cesar Azpilicueta tried to clear his low cross, succeeding only in slamming the ball against Faupala inches away, the ball ricocheting into the net, unstoppable.
Comedians were speculating that Pellegrini must have warned about the perils of the draw and further fixture congestion at half-time, too, because certainly City gave up parity very quickly after re-emerging.
There were 48 minutes gone when Cahill fed Willian after a City attack had broken down, the Brazilian going on one of his energetic runs, half the length of the field.

He found Hazard, got the ball back and finished smartly in the far corner. Could City respond? No. Within four minutes the game was done.
It was another Hazard assist, this time a cross that Fernando cleared directly to Cahill and got back in spades, Caballero slow to react, letting the ball pass under his body.

The fourth, in the 66th minute, was another defensive calamity for City. Demichelis made a foolish lunge on Hazard, upending him and conceding a free-kick in perfect range for specialist taker Willian.
He generously allowed Hazard to have a go and he planted it in the corner of the net, unprotected by the wall.
It was, of course, protected by Caballero who showed all the movement, and indeed awareness, of a house plant in that role.

It was nearly five after Demichelis clumsily felled Bertrand Traore in the penalty area with 75 minutes gone. Oscar stepped up and missed, again, his shot saved. It may be time to relieve him of penalty duty.
When even Caballero can call your moves, perhaps the time has come to let someone else have a go. Not that he anticipated much about Chelsea's fifth, in the 89th minute.
A cross from Oscar, a looping back header from Traore and Caballero seemed to lose track of where his far post was, letting the ball go in over his head with barely a jump. Dreadful stuff. Seriously, what was the point of it?

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6.5; Azpilicueta 6, Cahill 7, Ivanovic 6, Baba 6; Fabregas 7.5, Mikel 7 (Matic 82, 6); Pedro 7.5 (Oscar 70, 5.5), Willian 7.5, Hazard 8; Diego Costa 7.5 (Traore 70, 6).
Subs not used: Begovic, Miazga, Loftus-Cheek, Remy
Scorers: Costa 35, Willian 48, Cahill 53, Hazard 67, Traore 89
Manager: Guus Hiddink 7

Manchester City (4-4-2): Caballero 5; Zabaleta 5, Adarabioyo 5, Demichelis 5, Kolarov 5; Celina 5 (Barker 53, 6), Fernando 5.5 (Humphreys 79, 5), A Garcia 5.5, Garcia 6; Iheanacho 6, Faupala 7.5
Subs not used: Hart, Clichy, Kompany, Fernandinho, Sterling
Booked: Demichelis
Scorers: Faupala 37

Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 4.5
Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 41,594

*Ratings provided by Sam Cunningham at Stamford Bridge


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


Mirror:

Chelsea 5-1 Manchester City: Ruthless Blues dismantle City youngsters - 5 things we learned

BY DARREN LEWIS

Goals from Costa, Willian, Cahill and Hazard saw Guus Hiddink's men progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals

Ruthless Chelsea ripped Manchester City’s kids apart to move into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini fielded six youngsters in protest at the refusal by the BBC and the FA to move the tie back 24 hours.

The Manchester club had made the request to accommodate the club’s Champions League commitments this week against Dynamo Kiev.

Their academy stars still impressed with striker David Faupala scoring to equalise in the 37th-minute - less than two minutes after Diego Costa had headed Chelsea in front.

Guys Hiddink’s men, however, pulled away in impressive fashion during the second half.

Willian netted three minutes after the break to make it 2-1. Gary Cahill blasted in a third on 53 minutes and Eden Hazard swept in a sumptuous free-kick ten minutes later.

Substitute Bertrand Traore earned a 74th-minute penalty when he was brought down by Martin Demechelis. Fellow sub Oscar, however, saw his effort from the spot saved by Willy Caballero.

Traore then got his name on the scoresheet as his looping header deceived Caballero and went in off the post.


Here are five things we learned.

1. Chelsea remain on course to salvage season

When they stepped up a gear they simply had too much for City’s Under-21 side.

Efficient in possession, clinical in front of goal and hungry to make up for their horrendous first half of the season.


2. Iheanacho isn't City's only exciting youngster

Of the five youngsters that Pellegrini started with, (especially goalscorer David Faupala) all look a bit special.

Centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo is a man-mountain with a good touch and strength in the air.


3. City's senior players let the kids down

Cabellero had hearts in mouths with his handling.

Demechelis and Kolarov let Costa come between them for his goal.

Fernando messed up for Cahill to score the third and Demechelis brought Hazard down for the fourth.


4. Chelsea youngsters look on in envy

Knowing that City were going to field their kids, it was a bit surprising that Guus Hiddink could no room in his starting line-up for 20-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Even new signing Matt Miazga was on the bench to come on had Cahill been unable to continue. Where was Fikayo Tomori, who accidentally broke Diego Costa’s nose in training?

Or the much-vaunted Jake Clarke-Salter?


5. Hazard finally justifying £200,000-a-week wages

Put a few noses out of joint last week with his revelation that he fancies a summer move to PSG - on the eve of the game.

Made up for it here, however,

Had a hand in all three goals and scored the fourth which helped to provide the touches of class that put this game out of City’s reach.


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


Express:

Chelsea 5 - Manchester City 1: Hazard returns to form as Blues cruise past youthful City

CHELSEA dispatched an unfamiliar Manchester City side to put Guus Hiddink one step closer to a second FA Cup final as Blues boss.

By JAMES GRAY


Diego Costa had given the home side a deserved lead but debutant David Faupala squared things up almost immediately.

But Chelsea broke loose in the second half with goals from Willian, Gary Cahill and Eden Hazard putting the result beyond doubt.

Oscar had a penalty saved by Willy Caballero but Bertrand Traore ensured it was five with a late looping header as City slipped quietly out of the FA Cup.

For Chelsea fans the first ten minutes were probably mostly spent asking ‘who’s that again?’ every time their opponents touched the ball as Manuel Pellegrini’s youngsters tried to make a name for themselves.

But the Blues, who were unchanged from their Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, dominated the opening exchanges and it looked as though it might be literal case of men vs boys when the home side finally got the breakthrough.

A lovely move, the like of which had already opened up City, ended with Hazard lifting the ball across the six-yard box for Costa to thump a header in having lost his marker.

But they led for just 94 seconds as the kids hit back at once.

Kelechi Iheanacho got to the byline and poked the ball towards goal and Cesar Azpilicueta’s clearance was blocked into the goal by Faupala.

The game turned into a true cup tie as both sides started to pass and move with Cesc Fabregas and Pedro both floating across the front line and causing problems.

And while City went in level, they were behind almost immediately after the break.

The away side broke down in attack and Chelsea’s counter-attack was devastating as Willian gave it to Hazard and the Belgian timed the perfect pass into the box to allow the Brazilian to drive the ball into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later and it was 3-1 as City failed to clear a corner and the ball, again poked into the box by Hazard, fell to Cahill who hoofed the ball straight at Caballero but the keeper was unable to keep it out.

The quick-fire double took the sting out of the game a little with the result seemingly beyond doubt, and a Hazard free-kick which Caballero never even saw ensured it was a comfortable win.

A foul on substitute Bertrand Traore by Martin Demichelis gave Oscar the chance to make it five from the spot but Caballero atoned for a difficult day with a strong save to his right.


Chelsea: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Baba Rahman, Mikel, Fabregas, Pedro, Willian, Hazard, Costa.

Subs: Begovic, Miazga, Matic, Loftus-Cheek, Oscar, Traore, Remy.

Manchester City: Caballero, Zabaleta, Adarabioyo, Demichelis, Kolarov, Fernando, A. Garcia, M. Garcia, Celina, Iheanacho, Faupala.

Subs: Hart, Clichy, Humphreys, Kompany, Fernandinho, Barker, Sterling.


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Star:

Chelsea 5 Man City 1: Blues make light work of Manuel Pellegrini's young team

GUUS HIDDINK kept up his love affair with the FA Cup with a big helping hand from Manuel Pellegrini.

By David Woods

Hiddink won the trophy when he was interim boss seven years ago, beating Everton in the final, their next opponents in the competition.

With an angry Pellegrini fielding the kids, the Chelsea charge to Wembley once more was never going to be thwarted as City fell to their heaviest defeat under their current ownership.

Having this TV tie arranged for the day before he and his men were flying out for Wednesday’s last 16 Champions League clash at Dynamo Kiev left Pellegrini fuming.

“This is not a real game,” said the Chilean in the build-up. “I wouldn’t pay for a ticket.”

Quite a few City fans agreed with him, with big gaps in their section.

Pellegrini’s ‘pups’ in his starting line-up were academy teenagers, defender Tosin Adarabioyo, midfielders Bersant Celina, Aleix Garcia, Manu Garcia and David Faupala up front with Kelechi Iheanacho.

Brendon Barker and Cameron Humphreys also came off the bench.

For a while it did look like Pellegrini and City could win with the youngsters - the impressive French hopeful Faupala equalising less than two minutes after Diego Costa had given the Blues the lead.

But four second-half goals, from Willian, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and Bertrand Traore, showed anyone thinking of such an upset was kidding themselves.


Oscar also had a penalty saved by Willy Caballero.

As for Hiddink, despite the lack of experience in the opposition, there was plenty to delight the Dutchman.

Cesc Fabregas was a maestro again in midfield, demanding the ball all the time and looking so assured in his passing.


And Eden Hazard, with only his second goal of the season - the other was in the FA Cup win by the same scoreline at MK Dons - looks like he might, at last, be finding some of the form that led him to be voted Footballer of the Year.

As well as scoring, he set up two of Chelsea’s goals.

It augurs well for Hiddink in both the FA Cup and the Champions League, with Paris St-German – 2-1 up from the first leg - the visitors in nine days.

Chelsea went ahead in the 35th minute after good work between Fabregas and Hazard.

Fabregas’ cushioned ball left Hazard with plenty to do, but he hooked into the box with his left foot and found Costa in between Martin Demechelis and Aleksander Kolarov with time to head home.

But they weren’t ahead for long. It was a superbly worked City goal too, with Manu Garcia finding Faupala who laid off for Kelechi Iheanacho.


He picked out his strike partner’s run with a clever flick, allowing Faupala to prod home from close range.

Willy Caballero showed super reflexes to keep out Pedro’s stabbed shot from a Fabregas cross. But he was unable to defy Willian in the 48th minute.

Running into the box to take a perfectly-weighted pass from Hazard, he cut the ball across the keeper and into the far corner.

In the 53rd minute it was 3-1. Gary Cahill fired home after Pedro’s ball into the box deflected to him off Fernando.


Hazard claimed his goal in the 67th minute after he was cut down by Demechelis on the edge of the box, with the centreback booked for his foul.

Strangely, City allowed three Chelsea players in their wall and Hazard slotted calmly home from the free-kick after taking advantage of the space they made.

Demechelis knocked over substitute Betrand Traore in the box, but Oscar, who had also come off the bench, saw his penalty beaten away by Caballero.

Traore sidefooted against a post after being teed up by Hazard, following yet another fine pass from the rejuvenated Fabregas.


Traore did score in the 89th minute when his looping header from an Oscar cross caught out Caballero.

Hiddink’s record in this competition now stands at nine wins and a draw with 29 goals scored and eight conceded - Southend at Stamford Bridge, in his first ever game, the only team not to be defeated.


CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Azpilcueta 6, Cahill 6, Ivanovic 7, Rahman 7; Mikel 7 (Matic 82), FABREGAS 8; Pedro 7 (Oscar 70, 6), Willian 8, Hazard 8; Costa 6 (Traore 70, 7).

Subs: Begovic, Remy, Miazga, Loftus-Cheek.

MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-2): Caballero 6; Zabaleta 5, Adarabioyo 6, Demechelis 4, Kolarov 5; M. Garcia 6, Fernando 5 (Humphreys-Grant 78), A. Garcia 7, Celina 5 (Barker 53, 6); Iheanacho 6, FAUPALA 7.

Subs: Hart, Kompany, Sterling, Clichy, Fernandinho.

PSG 1-2

Independent:

Cavani and Ibrahimovic give PSG advantage, but Mikel goal could prove crucial

PSG 2 Chelsea 1

Ibrahimovic opened the scored before Mikel equalised from a corner, only for Cavani to put PSG back in command of the Champions League last-16 tie

Mark Ogden Parc des Princes

Guus Hiddink tasted defeat for the first time in his second incarnation as Chelsea interim manager last night, but despite the dominance of Paris Saint-Germain and the brilliance of Angel Di Maria, the Premier League champions are down, but not out, of this Champions League last-16 tie.

Edinson Cavani’s winning goal, four minutes after being introduced as a substitute by the PSG coach, Laurent Blanc, tilted the balance in favour of the French club ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge on 9 March.

But it could have been much worse for Chelsea had the wizardry of Di Maria reaped a greater dividend for the hosts, who proved they are more than merely domestic flat-track bullies.

Cavani’s clinical finish on 78 minutes from Di Maria’s sublime pass secured a deserved victory for PSG, but John Obi Mikel’s away goal gives Chelsea hope of overall victory.

For all of the question marks over the quality of Ligue 1, PSG’s domestic dominance ensured they were supremely confident owing to the winning habit that has been developed by Blanc’s players.

Success breeds success and PSG have become accustomed to cruising past opponents in France, so much so that their only defeat in any competition this season came against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.

The French champions also went into this game having not lost at home since Barcelona triumphed at the Parc des Princes in last season’s Champions League quarter-final, so the magnitude of Chelsea’s challenge was clear.

PSG may lack a genuine domestic rival – Monaco are second in Ligue 1, 24 points adrift of Blanc’s team – but it is difficult to imagine their squad struggling to sit comfortably in the top four of the Premier League.

Chelsea are some distance south of the top four, having delivered the poorest defence of a league title since Leeds United in 1992-93, but their revival under Hiddink gave them a puncher’s chance of testing the true strength of PSG’s jaw.

Memories of last season’s dramatic round of 16 triumph over Chelsea will have bolstered PSG’s belief, but they also knew that this would be the first genuine test of their quality since the group stage encounters against Real.

And having lost just one of their last 37 European games on home turf, PSG started like a team accustomed to going in for the kill.

Inside three minutes, midfielder Marco Verratti tried his luck from 25 yards and the Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was fortunate that no PSG forward was close enough to convert the loose ball from his unconvincing parried save.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent a 30-yard free-kick over the Chelsea bar before Blaise Matuidi and Maxwell combined to leave Cesar Azpilicueta exposed down the left as Hiddink’s team struggled to keep their head above water in the early stages.

Azpilicueta redeemed himself moments later by stopping Lucas Moura in his tracks as the Brazilian winger powered towards goal and the Spaniard’s interception lifted Chelsea, perhaps only because of the defiance shown in claiming the ball.

But it was not until midway through the first half that the London club were able to build a sustained period of possession inside PSG territory.

Chelsea made it count, however, with the ball being played across the pitch and into Baba Rahman on the left flank, before the full-back delivered a perfect cross for Diego Costa.

Despite producing a powerful header, Costa saw goalkeeper Kevin Trapp produce a stunning one-handed save to push the ball on to the bar, just as the Chelsea forward appeared set to end a Champions League goal drought that had hit 501 minutes by the time he connected with the cross.

It was a rare attacking foray by Chelsea, though, with PSG retaining the upper hand, and the breakthrough came on 39 minutes when Ibrahimovic scored from a free-kick following a foul by Mikel. Ibrahimovic struck his shot low and a heavy deflection off Mikel in the wall left Courtois helpless as the ball diverted into the opposite corner to which the Belgian keeper was diving.

But Chelsea were thrown a lifeline with the last kick of the first half when the same players, Ibrahimovic and Mikel, combined once again, this time with the Swede’s fluffed header from Willian’s corner letting the ball drop to Mikel, who buried his shot from six yards to level the tie.

It could well prove a crucial strike for Chelsea, and Blanc knew the significance, to judge  by his exasperated reaction on the touchline, with the coach kicking the air in frustration as the teams left the field for half-time.

But after Chelsea had started the second half brightly, with Costa once again denied by Trapp after being released by Willian’s fine pass, PSG began to turn the screw.

Di Maria led the charge. The Argentine, who arrived in Paris last August following a disastrous season at Manchester United as a £59.7m flop, was a constant menace in Chelsea’s defensive third, flitting from wide left to the centre of the pitch and testing the visitors whenever he received the ball.

On 51 minutes, Di Maria forced a fingertip save from Courtois with a dipping  25-yard shot and, after the goalkeeper had saved from Ibrahimovic, the former Real Madrid winger opened up the Chelsea defence with a precision pass to Maxwell, whose cross into the centre was cut out by the sliding Gary Cahill.

Chelsea held firm, though, and Courtois once again rescued his team on the hour when he smothered a close-range effort from Moura.

PSG’s attacking talent is without question and they poured forward in search of a second.

Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic combined to block a Matuidi shot on 64 minutes before Courtois tipped over a Di Maria free-kick three minutes later.

But there was no stopping Cavani after he had been freed by Di Maria in a tight position on the edge of the six-yard box after 78 minutes. It was a tough chance, but the Uruguayan held his nerve to shoot past Courtois.

Chelsea can still come back from this defeat, though.



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Telegraph:

Paris Saint-Germain 2 Chelsea 1

Edinson Cavani strikes to hand Guus Hiddink first loss

Sam Wallace

Of all the Champions League knockout ties, in all the away-day sieges, and John Obi Mikel had to score in this one, to give the embattled, deposed Chelsea of 2015-2016 a glimmer of hope when they face the new new-money of European football in London next month.
A Mikel goal is such a rarity that Chelsea have had more managers in the time he has been at the club, than goals from their Nigerian midfielder, this being just his sixth in almost ten years at Stamford Bridge. Paris Saint-Germain seemed resolved to eviscerate Chelsea and that Hiddink’s side restricted them to two goals with an away goal of their own must have felt a bit like a triumph.

In these anguished post-Jose Mourinho days, when the club and its supporters try to wean themselves off the great dream they had hoped for under his second coming, they go into games like these as underdogs rather than the elite of Europe they once were. In their third consecutive knockout tie with PSG in three years it was clear just how far Abramovich’s team had slipped against the one built in Paris by the Qataris.

Only Chelsea’s memory of their old resilience, and Mikel’s away goal, kept the second leg in London on 9 March relevant. Without John Terry in defence there was a formidable performance from Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic and another from Thibaut Courtois behind them. The goalkeeper could not prevent the substitute Edinson Cavani from drilling the winner through his legs from a tight angle on 78 minutes, but it could have been so much worse.

PSG turned up in demolition mode: Angel Di Maria picking passes, Lucas Moura committing Chelsea defenders and Zlatan Ibrahimovic doing what Zlatan does, scoring the first goal among other things. Chelsea had to run hard just to stand still and not all of them were up for the battle, especially not Eden Hazard, who was substituted on 71 minutes having been the most ineffectual player on the pitch.

This was a night when Chelsea needed their Belgian miracle man to shine, if nothing else to give their defence a little respite. It was Hiddink’s first defeat in his second caretaker spell as Chelsea manager and he lost to a team who look like they are ready to go beyond the quarter-finals of this competition for the first time.
The Champions League returned for the knockout edition, not with a whimper but a bang at the Parc des Princes with the home side going after Chelsea in the first 15 minutes like a side who were chasing an equaliser in cup final injury-time. It was football without the handbrake and it swung from one end to the other at times.

PSG seemed to think that this English side, whose decline they had witnessed from afar, could be pushed over quickly and they went at Chelsea hard. Cahill had to launch himself into an early tackle on Moura. Marco Verratti had a good shot saved, Ibrahimovic struck a free-kick over the bar. “We forgot to play,” Hiddink said later of those early stages, but Chelsea looked overwhelmed.

Di Maria’s passing could be breathtaking at times. Chelsea could take heart in the fact that the masked Diego Costa was running himself into the ground at the other end – a lone ranger minus his horse. He had the ball nicked off him early on by Thiago Silva but Chelsea’s Brazilian never became disheartened.

It was around 20 minutes that Chelsea decided enough was enough and came out fighting. In that period they passed the ball beautifully at times - they had to because PSG were out to turnover possession as quickly as possible. From Baba Rahman’s cross on 23 minutes, Costa headed from close range and goalkeeper Kevin Trapp swiped the ball up onto the bar.
The game was open – ridiculously so for a first leg – but it was thrilling stuff. The breakthrough came six minutes before the break when Mikel fouled Moura, and was booked. Ibrahimovic struck the free-kick through Chelsea’s flaky wall, clipping Mikel, who had turned his back, and wrong-footing Courtois.

Chelsea responded well and equalised with almost the last kick of the half. They pushed hard to win two straight corners, the second of which was badly defended by PSG and Costa’s run opened up the space for Mikel to score from close range. Blanc said later that he was angry that his side had reached the break without holding their lead.
There was a fine second half from Cahill and Ivanovic - no Terry, but plenty that was Terry-esque from the two defenders who launched themselves at shots and crosses. None more so than when Blaise Matuidi unleashed a shot in the area on 64 minutes and Cahill got in the way.

Hiddink’s team responded to the intensity of the match, all but Hazard who drifted in and out and too often left Azpilicueta exposed on the right side. The winger eventually came off and was replaced by Oscar who went to the left when Pedro switched sides. PSG pushed hard to close the tie out and Cavani came on for the excellent Moura.
Only Willian had managed to offer Chelsea relief, especially with one brilliant run from his own half on 49 minutes when he pushed past two challenges and slipped the ball left to Costa who could not get a shot past Trapp. At the other end Courtois saved from Di Maria on 52 minutes and still PSG kept coming.

They were not to be denied in the end and the winning goal was from yet another fine ball through the centre from Di Maria. This one was chipped into the right channel where Cavani, fresh to the game, fired the ball back through the legs of Courtois who had come out to narrow down the striker’s options. PSG wanted more goals and Chelsea had to be at their most determined to hang in the tie.


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Guardian:

Edinson Cavani’s low shot gives PSG the edge over battling Chelsea

PSG 2 - 1 Chelsea

Daniel Taylor at Parc des Princes

In happier times this would probably have been considered a productive result for Chelsea in advance of a return leg under the floodlights at Stamford Bridge. They did, after all, recover from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate these opponents two years ago and managed the same against Napoli en route to winning the competition in 2012. That, however, was the old Chelsea. The new version are languishing 12th in the Premier League and, on that basis, it is not quite so easy to fancy their chances of repairing the damage inflicted by Edinson Cavani’s second-half winner.

Chelsea will be grateful for a rare goal from Mikel John Obi that means, for instance, a 1-0 win in the return leg would eliminate the French champions. Yet it is probably more realistic to say Paris St-Germain have the edge bearing in mind they put Chelsea out of the competition last season after drawing 1-1 at Park des Princes and despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s early red card in London.

It is a close-run thing, though, and that shows the level of effort Chelsea put in on a night when they were missing their two first-choice centre-halves and facing a team who attacked from all angles. John Terry’s absence through injury deprived Chelsea of a reassuring presence but for the most part Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic reminded us why they have been part of some of the club’s great nights. Chelsea had to give everything in the face of some prolonged pressure and played with enough competitive courage to leave the tie finely balanced.

They can also be encouraged by those moments when they exposed flaws in PSG’s all-Brazilian back four, though it would be difficult to argue Laurent Blanc’s team did not deserve to win. They pinned Chelsea back at times and moved the ball around with the confidence that should be expected of a team 24 points clear at the top of their domestic league. Ángel Di María was full of deft little touches, barely recognisable from his anaemic spell at Manchester United, and PSG began the game so menacingly it could easily have spiralled into a long, painful ordeal for their opponents.

Instead, Guus Hiddink will look back on the headed chance for Diego Costa during Chelsea’s first passage of controlled play in the opening half. His team might have been under the cosh but they would have taken the lead if Kevin Trapp, the home goalkeeper, had not turned the ball on to the crossbar. Costa also had a chance early in the second half only for Trapp to deny him again. Costa played well, but if Chelsea are to progress they might need to be more ruthless next time round.

They might also need some of the good fortune that Ibrahimovic enjoyed when Mikel’s trip on Lucas Moura gave the Swede the opportunity to place the ball a few yards outside the penalty area and line up his free-kick.

These are not the moments for a player in the defensive wall to turn his back and Mikel should be far too experienced to leave himself and the team vulnerable in such a way. Ibrahimovic’s shot skimmed off the Nigerian and the ball was flying at such a speed the deflection gave Thibaut Courtois no chance of correcting his position to make the save.

Mikel had committed one of the sport’s cardinal sins but he did at least make amends. He was an unlikely scorer, this being only his sixth goal in 10 years with Chelsea, but he took his chance well after the ball landed at his feet via Willian’s corner and a slight yet crucial touch from Costa at the near post. At first Mikel looked surprised to be in so much space, but his shot beat Trapp from six yards and that was a jubilant way for Chelsea to end the first half.

Once they had come through the early blizzard of PSG attacks, Hiddink’s men were certainly not just present to defend. Willian showed his ability to run with the ball, breaking out of his own half at speed and frequently stretching opponents, and there were encouraging spells when Eden Hazard and Pedro moved inside to find the spaces behind Costa.

Yet the PSG pressure accelerated again around the hour mark and that was when Cesc Fàbregas and Mikel started to be overrun in midfield, and Chelsea missed the suspended Nemanja Matic. PSG hit them with a concerted wave of high-speed attacking, with Di María prominently involved and an array of midfield runners looking to get behind the visitors’ defensive line.

Courtois tipped over a long-range effort from Di María and saved again when the equally proficient Lucas had the next effort. At one point Cahill and Ivanovic could both be seen desperately throwing themselves into the way of a goalbound shot from Blaise Matuidi. Chelsea had to play with great resilience because, just like it had been in the opening 15 minutes, the pressure was fierce.

Cavani, a substitute, was brought on to operate on the left but it was a diagonal run towards the other side of the penalty area that created the space for his goal. Di María clipped the ball into the Uruguayan’s path and his shot went beneath Courtois to end Chelsea’s 12-match unbeaten run under Hiddink and leave his team with a considerable challenge when they renew acquaintances on 9 March.


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Mail:

Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Chelsea: Late Edinson Cavani strike gives Parisians slender advantage in Champions League last-16 tie

By MARTIN SAMUEL

Super subs used to be the fairy story players in any team. Misfits, renegades, locals boys made good. They would come off the bench and win the game against the odds. At Paris Saint- Germain, it is fair to say things are being done differently.
The substitute that took this match away from Chelsea, Edinson Cavani, cost £55million and was the most expensive signing in the history of French football.
It is a sign of the rapid development at PSG that he no longer gets to start every game, and often plays in a wide role with Zlatan Ibrahimovic still the star of the show, and central. There have been rumours he would be open to a new club for some time. On Tuesday night he demonstrated why.

At the moment when Cavani arrived, PSG were facing up to a sobering experience. The runaway leaders of Ligue 1, with four draws the only blemishes in their 26 domestic fixtures so far, they were facing up to the prospect of a draw at home against ostensibly the 12th best team in the Premier League.
Of course, as we all know, Chelsea are far from that. They are a wolf in sheep’s clothing, their league position a relic of what now appears to be a dressing-room mutiny that forced the removal of manager Jose Mourinho. That Chelsea bears no resemblance to this one. Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea are, as expected, one of the most cussed and resilient teams in Europe.
So despite being kept in the game by Thibaut Courtois in the second-half, Chelsea were poised to return home with a very creditable draw. That is when Cavani struck.

Having replaced the outstanding Lucas late in the second-half, his fresh legs kept PSG’s tempo high and Chelsea at full stretch. In the 78th minute, he combined with Angel Di Maria and ensured PSG travel to London with high hopes of eliminating these opponents for the second year in succession.
Chelsea must hate playing Cavani. In seven Champions League games against them, he has three goals and made two assists, and this intervention could prove hugely significant. It was a smartly taken goal, although Courtois — exceptional until that point — may have been disappointed to be defeated at his near post.
The through ball was clipped neatly by Di Maria, Cavani got inside Baba Rahman and finished smartly with Courtois beaten, hard and low. PSG pushed for the third that would have as good as ended this tie, with Courtois smothering a fine chance for Ibrahimovic in injury time, but Chelsea will not be hugely dispirited by this, even if PSG deserved their win.

An away goal from that unlikeliest of sources, John Obi Mikel, means that a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on March 9 would see Chelsea through. It will not be easy against a team with PSG’s attacking possibilities — their front three have more goals than Chelsea put together this season – but it is far from impossible.
This has been a season of unlikely events and here was one more. Mikel is currently a more prolific goalscorer for Chelsea than Eden Hazard. While Hazard still waits for his first club goal since April, Mikel weighed in with his first since December 10, 2014 — again in the Champions League, away at Sporting Lisbon.

It capped an eventful eight minutes of European football for Mikel, involved in goals at both ends, one memorable another he will no doubt wish to forget. The passage of play began with a clumsy trip on Lucas in the 38th minute for which he was rightly booked by Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo.
Ibrahimovic lined up the free-kick and took a rather poor one. He went for power rather than precision, topped it low, and against all merit got a lucky break. The ball hit Mikel, who had taken his eye off it — a cardinal sin in the wall — and wrong-footed Courtois. PSG were ahead, Mikel stood accused. And then, with the last action of the first-half, redemption.
The clock had ticked into injury time when Chelsea won a corner. Willian took it, and hit the first man. He then delivered a second and nailed it. Diego Costa got the headed flick and the ball fell to Mikel, on the edge of the six-yard box, directly in front of goal.

He looked as surprised as anyone, took half a second to assess this unexpected windfall, and rammed it past the impressive Kevin Trapp in the PSG goal. We would hear more of Trapp were he not pegged behind Manuel Neuer, and others, for Germany. It was the first goal PSG had conceded at home in the competition all season.
It might not have been the only one, either, were it not for Trapp’s quick wits. In the 24th minute, he made a brilliant one-handed save from a Costa header, after Rahman had ended a lengthy spell of possession with a neat cross. The ball spun up off Trapp and hit the bar, the best chance of the first-half.
He was quickly out in the 50th minute too, saving from Costa after Willian had run close to the length of the pitch to set him up. Yet the lion’s share of the chances fell to PSG — and Courtois was considerably busier.

The game was only four minutes in when Marco Verratti — outstanding in last season’s tie — struck a shot from 20 yards that forced a fine save from Courtois. He parried and Branislav Ivanovic quickly pounced to clear. Just two minutes later, the dangerous Lucas cut inside and unleashed a shot from 25 yards that flew just wide. Chelsea were still to enter the final third at the opposite end.
The second-half was equally one-sided at times, and the list of players frustrated by Courtois grew lengthy. Di Maria with a shot tipped over after 52 minutes; Ibrahimovic with another shot a minute later; Maxwell, Courtois saving at his feet in the 59th minute; Lucas, a shot stopped with merely another minute on the clock; Di Maria, a free-kick tipped round after 67 minutes. It was close to a faultless display until Cavani intervened.

Chelsea only began to sell tickets for the away end in any number in recent weeks, too many at first fearing a hiding against a team it is felt have a genuine chance in the competition this season. There were times when those fears looked like being realised, others when there were glimpses of the Chelsea of old. The biggest disappointment, once again, was the form of Hazard, who had upset Hiddink by appearing to invite a move to PSG in an interview published in France.
Instead of dropping him, he started him, but if he was hoping for a shop window display the coach would have been very disappointed. Hazard was insipid, created little, never looked like scoring and was replaced by Oscar with 19 minutes remaining.
He has one more chance to convince PSG of his value next month because, on this performance, he wouldn’t get near their team.

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS

PSG (4-3-2-1): Trapp 7.5; Marquinhos 7, Thiago Silva 7, Luiz 6.5, Maxwell 7; Verratti 8 (Rabiot 81, 6), Thiago Motta 8, Matuidi 8.5 (Pastore 81, 6); Di Maria 7, Lucas Moura 7 (Cavani 74, 7); Ibrahimovic 7.
Subs not used: Sirigu, Stambouli, Kurzawa, Van der Wiel.
Booked: Ibrahimovic, Luiz, Lucas.
Goals: Ibrahimovic 39, Cavani 78.
Manager: Laurent Blanc 7.5.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Courtois 7.5; Azpilicueta 6.5, Ivanovic 8, Cahill 8, Baba 7; Mikel 7; Pedro 6.5, Willian 7.5, Fabregas 7, Hazard 6.5 (Oscar 71, 6); Costa 7.
Subs not used: Begovic, Traore, Kenedy, Remy, Miazga, Loftus-Cheek.
Booked: Mikel, Pedro.
Goal: Mikel 45+1.
Manager: Guus Hiddink 7.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo 6.5.
Man of the Match: Blaise Matuidi.


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Mirror:

PSG 2-1 Chelsea: Substitute Edinson Cavani gives hosts first leg advantage - 5 things we learned

BY BEN BURROWS

The oft-criticised Uruguayan climbed off the bench to rescue the French side after John Obi Mikel had slammed in a potentially priceless away goal

Edinson Cavani climbed off the bench to seize the advantage for Paris Saint-Germain against Chelsea in the Champions League last 16 first leg.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired in a deflected free-kick to give the hosts the first-half lead before John Obi-Mikel smashed in from a corner to level just before the break.

But despite heroic Blues defending, striker Cavani finally made the territorial advantage count with a sharp finish to give Laurent Blanc's men the advantage heading into the second leg in London in three weeks' time.

Here are five things we learned in Paris:

Chelsea are still Chelsea

Whether it's a lack of desire or an air of laziness or too many Kryptonite corn flakes, the all-conquering Blues of a year ago just aren't the same animal these days.

But cometh the Champions League hour, cometh the real Chelsea.

Such was the bus parking on show tonight the dearly-departed Jose Mourinho would've been proud. Dogged, defensive and defiant to the last this was what we've come to expect from these boys in blue in the biggest moments.

These nights are what they've always done best and when once again faced with a more talented foe they brought their A-game to the party.

And what's more, with John Obi Mikel's priceless away goal safely pocketed they may now believe they are actually favourites to progress.

Against the odds and anti-football it may be, but it's all very Chelsea.

Were it not for Eden Hazard's malaise or John Terry's waning superpowers, Cesc Fabregas ' fall from grace would be garnering a lot more attention.

After such a spectacular first season back in the English game last year Fabregas has been a shadow of his arch-assisting self this.

While he's improved of late - basically, since Mourinho got the chop - the Spaniard was superb this evening, employed in a deeper role than you might ordinarily expect.

Up against one of the best midfield trios in world football, Fabregas excelled and was the catalyst for a performance that gives the Blues every chance of progressing against the odds.

Until the weekend just gone, John Obi Mikel was an ever-present under interim boss Guus Hiddink and deservedly so after a series of top drawer defensive midfield displays.

Mikel showed tonight, in six very silly minutes, both sides to his infuriating game.

In the 38th minute, a very poor challenge on Lucas earned him a booking. A minute later came Zlatan's free-kick for which he provided the decisive deflection.

Mikel back to being Mikel again, you'd think.

But then minutes later he popped up at a corner just before the half to slam home the equaliser.

It's hard to overstate just how fast PSG rushed out of the blocks.

The hosts started firmly on the front foot and could have been three or four up before the half-hour mark.

But their profligate finishing gave Chelsea a glimmer and Diego Costa nearly made them pay big time.

Only Kevin Trapp's sensational one-handed save kept the Blues from taking the most unlikely and undeserved of leads into the break.

That chance aside, he ploughed a lone furrow all night long and was the precious out-ball his team needed time and again.

Like him or loathe him, the Spaniard always gives you a chance.

Manchester United should be kicking themselves

Whatever Louis van Gaal thinks, Angel Di Maria is an exquisitely fine footballer.

Tonight in Paris the Argentine showed everyone, including his former employers, all of the quality that made him the Champions League final's man of the match just two short seasons ago.

In the hosts' early blitz, the 28-year-old was central to everything PSG did well, which was an awful lot.

And he was tremendous thereafter too, providing the game-winning assist no less.

Unsettled or homesick or whatever, he certainly looks a player United could do with right about now.


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Express:

PSG 2 - Chelsea 1: Edinson Cavani strikes late to deny Guus Hiddink's brave Blues in Paris

IN THE end they just could not hold on. After looking like escaping from Paris Saint-Germain with a draw, substitute Edinson Cavani spoiled the party.

By PETER EDWARDS IN PARIS

He had been on the pitch just five minutes after replacing Lucas in the second half and spun on to Angel Di Maria’s pass before half-volleying the ball through the legs of Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Now it is all to do at Stamford Bridge on March 9.

John Obi Mikel, of all people, had pulled Chelsea level. The strike was the culmination of an amazing seven minutes Mikel will never forgot.

For before claiming only his second goal in the competition – the other came at home to Sporting Lisbon in December 2014 – he got himself booked and then deflected the free-kick into his own goal for his transgression.

Mikel, who has become a key player again under interim boss Guus Hiddink, was cautioned for bringing down Lucas 25 yards out in the 38th minute.

It was to prove costly as Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s low free-kick deflected off the half-turning Mikel’s shin in the Chelsea wall, and deceived keeper Thibaut Courtois, who was diving the other way to his right.

Former Chelsea star David Luiz showed how to block in a wall soon after as he leapt to keep Willian’s effort away from goal.

But from the corner just before the break, Mikel got his revenge.

In the second-half the Blues began strongly, with Willian breaking quickly and feeding Costa, but he couldn't get the ball past the legs of Trapp.

But PSG quickly asserted their control, and began to fire effort after effort at Courtois' goal. First the Blues goalkeeper was forced into a great save to deny Lucas, and then both Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill blocked Blaise Matuidi's close range shot.

Oscar almost grabbed Chelsea an unlikely lead but he was a toe-length away from poking the ball past Trapp.

But it was PSG who go the crucial victory when substitute Cavani raced onto Angel di Maria's chipped pass and worked the ball in at an angle past Courtois.

Willian took it and after skimming off Costa’s head it landed perfect for the onrushing Nigerian to control in his mid-drift area then lash home gleefully with right foot.

Away goals are precious at this stage of the Champions League and although Chelsea looked at times like they could be overwhelmed by the might of PSG - they are a staggering 24 points clear in France - they were so dangerous on the break.

In fact there was much of their performance, including the resilience in defence and counter-attack sharpness, which was a throwback to their 2012 success in the Champions League.

Eden Hazard, though, who claimed before the match he could not turn down PSG, did not exactly sparkle and was guilty, at times, of gifting possession to the moneybags outfit. He was hooked for Oscar in the 71st minute.

It was some atmosphere and the home support loved it in the third minute when a brilliant back-heel from Ibrahimovic to Lucas showed he was ready to put on a show.

A minute later Marco Verratti forced Courtois down low to his left to push away a 20-yard drive.

Without his two first-choice centre-halves, the injured John Terry and Kurt Zouma, Hiddink was forced to move Branislav Ivanovic across from right-back to partner Gary Cahill and brought in Baba Rahman.

They did not let him down, nor did keeper Courtois, who put in a display 2012 hero Cech would have been proud of.

Angel Di Maria and Lucas were just inches away from getting a touch to a Maxwell ball into the danger-zone.

Then in the 23rd minute Chelsea suddenly almost scored. An inviting ball in from Rahman was perfect for Costa to meet with a header, having escaped the attentions of ex-Chelsea star David Luiz.

It looked a goal but keeper Kevin Trapp threw up his right hand to tip on the bar and for a corner. Azpilicueta could only manage an air shot when Pedro looked to have picked him out in the box.

Cahil did well to distract Ibrahimovic in the 33rd minute as the Swede looked set to pounce on Di Maria cross.  Instead he headed tamely into the ground and over the bar.

Another Chelsea counter-attack soon after the restart saw Willian play Costa into the box, but his attempted dinked shot over Trapp was not high enough and the keeper blocked.

Courtois tipped over a screamer from Di Maria and Ivanovic blocked a Ibrahimovic attempt as the Paris side responded.

Belgian keeper Courtois also did well to keep out a rasping drive from the lively Lucas in the 61st minute as Chelsea strove for the result to give them the edge in their third successive year playing PSG in the competition.


PSG (4-3-3): Trapp; Marquinhos, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Maxwell; Verratti, Thiago Motta, Matuidi; Di Maria, Ibrahimovic, Lucas.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Rahman; Fabregas, Mikel; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Costa.

Referee: Carlos Carballo (Spain).


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Star:

Paris St-Germain 2 Chelsea 1: Battling Blues downed by supersub Edinson Cavani

CHELSEA will need to show the spirit and resilience of 2012 if they want to survive in the Champions League.

By David Woods

For long periods in Paris there was a sense of all our yesterdays about them, suggesting that victory in Europe could be repeated.

That they face such a challenge to progress was down to another throwback to that stunning success under Roberto Di Matteo.

For PSG’s Edinson Cavani came off the bench in the 74th minute and claimed the winner just four minutes later.

At the corresponding stage in 2011-12, the Uruguayan hitman scored for Napoli as they beat the Blues 3-1 at home.

Chelsea famously came back to beat the Italians 4-1 at home after extra-time and now they have a slightly less daunting task in a three weeks time.


The season the Blues beat mighty Bayern Munich in a penalty shoot-out in the final they were also pretty shoddy in the league.

Granted four years ago they were only 15 points off the top of the table, not 20 like now.

But there was plenty of similarities tonight in the Parc des Princes.

Keeper Thibaut Courtois might have done better for Cavani’s goal but otherwise he denied PSG much in the way Petr Cech often did opponents in that glory season.

Elsewhere Chelsea worked tirelessly, defended as if their season, if not their lives, depended on it, and were excellent on the counter-attack once again.

Possession-wise the 35 per cent was similar to many games in that campaign.

The one minus was yet another uninspiring display by Eden Hazard.


He said before the match he would find it hard to turn down if PSG came calling. On this display it is unlikely the phone will be ringing and he was hooked for Oscar in the 71st minute.

One of the heroes of the 2012 final was John Obi Mikel.

Him scoring in the Champions League is almost as rare as an interview with Roman Abramovich.

But the holding midfielder claimed a crucial one to cheer the silent billionaire. His strike was the culmination of an amazing seven minutes Mikel will never forgot.

For before claiming only his second goal in the competition, the other came at home to Sporting Lisbon in December 2014, he got himself booked and then deflected into his own goal the free-kick for his transgression.

Mikel was cautioned for bringing down Lucas in the 38th minute. It was to prove costly as Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s low free-kick deflected off the half-turning Mikel’s shin in the Chelsea wall, and deceived Courtois.

Ex-Chelsea star David Luiz showed how to block in a wall soon after as he leapt to keep Willian’s effort away from goal.


But from the corner just before the break, Mikel got his revenge.

Willian took it and after skimming off Costa’s head it landed perfectly for the onrushing Nigerian to lash home gleefully with his right foot.

Away goals are precious at this stage of the Champions League and although Chelsea looked at times like they could be overwhelmed by the might of PSG - they are a staggering 24 points clear in France - they were so dangerous on the break.

PSG dominated possession but Courtois was in fine form, and the men in front of him also giving their all.

Without his two first-choice centre-halves, the injured John Terry and Kurt Zouma, Hiddink was forced to move Branislav Ivanovic across from right-back to partner Gary Cahill and brought in Baba Rahman. They did not let him down.

Despite PSG’s early dominance, Chelsea suddenly almost scored in the 23rd minute.

An inviting ball in from Rahman was perfect for Costa to meet with a header.


It looked a goal but keeper Kevin Trapp threw up his right hand to tip on the bar and for a corner.

Another Chelsea counter-attack soon after the restart saw Willian play Costa into the box, but his attempted dinked shot over Trapp was not high enough and the keeper blocked.

Courtois tipped over a screamer from Di Maria and Ivanovic blocked an Ibrahimovic attempt as the Paris side responded.

Belgian keeper Courtois also did well to keep out a rasping drive from the lively Lucas in the 61st minute.

But Courtois let himself down slightly when Angel Di Maria played in Cavani and his angled shot slipped under his body.

But before and after he was impressive, denying Ibrahimovic late on.