Callum Hudson-Odoi scored in what could be his last game for Chelsea as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 in the FA Cup fourth round.
Wednesday had a penalty award overturned by VAR in the first half at Stamford Bridge after Ethan Ampadu was adjudged to have won the ball ahead of Joey Pelupessy (23), before Chelsea scored from a penalty of their own moments later through Willian (26).
Chelsea doubled their lead through Hudson-Odoi (64), who has handed in a transfer request amid interest from Bayern Munich. The 18-year-old producing a fine turn and finish inside the box for only his second Chelsea goal.
Willian added a third late on (83) with a fine curling finish to give Chelsea safe passage into the fifth round, for which the draw will be held on Monday evening after 7pm.
Gonzalo Higuain made his Chelsea debut following a loan move from Juventus, while Hudson-Odoi and Ampadu also earned starts.
Controversy followed a slow start as Andre Marriner awarded the visitors a penalty for Ampadu’s apparent foul on Pelupessy, but the VAR Graham Scott replayed the incident, showing Ampadu got the ball and the Wednesday man had kicked his heel.
As per VAR overturn rules, the game restarted with a drop ball rather than a corner for Wednesday, and Chelsea went up the other end to earn a penalty of their own as former Blues midfielder Sam Hutchinson kicked Cesar Azpilicueta.
It went to VAR again, but the foul was clear, and though Willian had offered the ball to Higuain to take the spot-kick, the debutant unselfishly allowed the Brazilian to slot home for 1-0.
Adam Reach hit the outside of the post with a miscued cross in the second half, but that was as close as Wednesday got to getting on the scoresheet, with Hudson-Odoi then doubling Chelsea’s lead.
Picking the ball up from Andreas Christensen inside the box, Hudson-Odoi expertly turned Morgan Fox, and though Keiren Westwood got a hand to his left-footed effort he could not keep it out.
Higuain was given an ovation for a decent, if unspectacular, debut on 80 minutes, and his replacement Olivier Giroud had a part to play in the third. Willian played a one-two with the Frenchman inside the box, before curling a fine effort past Westwood into the far corner.
What’s next?
Chelsea now go to Bournemouth on Wednesday night in the Premier League, while Sheffield Wednesday are at Ipswich on Saturday at 3pm in the Championship.
