A Pedro Neto hat-trick carried Chelsea into the FA Cup fifth round with a comfortable 4-0 win at Championship Hull City, with Liam Rosenior enjoying a happy return to a club where he had previously played and managed.
On a snowy, sleet-swept night at the MKM Stadium, Chelsea dominated long stretches of the contest but had to wait until the 40th minute for Neto to break the deadlock. Two more goals after the break and the Portuguese winger's third made Chelsea the first side into the fifth-round draw, which takes place on Monday.
Chances Spurned Before the Breakthrough
Chelsea could have been three goals up inside the opening 20 minutes. Alejandro Garnacho collected a fine pass from Moises Caicedo only to be denied by a strong save from Hull keeper Dillon Phillips, with Neto's follow-up blocked by John Egan. Moments later Estevao, 18, controlled a Mamadou Sarr long ball over the top, rounded Phillips and blazed over an open goal.