Chelsea 4 Everton 1: Jose Mourinho argues that Chelsea did not receive the credit they deserved for their win over Liverpool because the spotlight focused on the furore over Arjen Robben.
Despite the impressive ease of his team's progress last night, peripheral issues will again grab plenty of attention, notably the manager's riposte to Rafa Benítez's weekend criticisms and Richard Wright's pre-match ankle injury when he fell on a board requesting him not to use the goalmouth in which he was practising.
Wright's replacement, Iain Turner, endured a difficult debut as Chelsea settled the match before half-time via a combination of excellent attacking and poor Everton defending. Robben showed the more positive side to his game by opening the scoring and repeatedly troubling Everton as Chelsea progressed to a home tie against Colchester and kept alive their hopes of a treble.
Mourinho's team looked capable of scoring almost every time they attacked, with positive signs for Chelsea and England in the lively form of Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Wright had chosen to practise in the goalmouth in front of Everton's fans despite a wooden sign asking him to warm up by some temporary goals close by. He had moved the sign into the net and fell on it when he stretched to make a save, hurting his ankle.
Three years ago Wright injured himself falling out of a loft and lost his place to Nigel Martyn, and now his chance to impress in the absence of the injured Martyn was lost in more bizarre circumstances.
Three goals went past Turner in his first 38 minutes. He had no chance with them and had made three saves before Chelsea took the lead. The more experienced players in front of him could not cope with the home team's attacking, which frequently featured Robben and a rejuvenated Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Wright-Phillips looked more like his old carefree, confident self as he ran at Everton's defence. He weaved past three opponents before being fouled by the struggling Nuno Valente to present Frank Lampard with a penalty that made it 2-0.
By then Chelsea had gone ahead with a goal of high quality which showed a creativity and clinical touch that Everton lacked. Hernan Crespo collected a pass from Eidur Gudjohnsen on his chest and flicked the ball perfectly with his next touch to Robben, who strode on and steered a shot past Turner. Crespo scored Chelsea's third, glancing in a Lampard free-kick as Everton stood stationary.
James Beattie and Valente were taken off at half-time by David Moyes but his changes made no immediate impact. There was spirit to Everton's play but no threat to Chelsea until Mikel Arteta tucked away a penalty awarded when Robert Huth handled a James McFadden shot.
Chelsea had an instant response with Huth's blocked free-kick falling for John Terry to blast in.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Johnson, Huth, Terry, Gallas, Gudjohnsen, Wright-Phillips, Lampard (Geremi 79), Essien, Robben (Joe Cole 64), Crespo (Maniche 45). Subs not used: Cech, Del Horno. Booked: Gallas. Goals: Robben 22, Lampard 36 pen, Crespo 39, Terry 74.
EVERTON: Turner, Hibbert, Weir, Ferrari, Neville, Nuno Valente (Davies 45), Arteta, Kilbane, Osman (Carsley 82), Cahill, Beattie (McFadden 45). Subs not used: Wright, Naysmith. Booked: Nuno Valente, Cahill, Carsley. Goal: Arteta 72 pen.
Referee: P Dowd (Staffordshire).
