Chelsea scored three times in 11 second-half minutes to ease into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Preston at Stamford Bridge. A frustrating showing from Mauricio Pochettino's side, in which they hogged the ball throughout the first half but carved few openings, burst to life 13 minutes after the break with Armando Broja heading in his second goal of the season from Malo Gusto's cross.
Broja might and perhaps ought to have made it two, meeting Mudryk's ball in and directing a near identical header an inch over Woodman's crossbar, as Chelsea finally asserted their superior class. That was followed by two in rapid succession, first from substitute Thiago Silva, who nodded in from Cole Palmer's corner, then another when Raheem Sterling whacked a free-kick beyond the dive of goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, as Preston's accomplished first-half defensive showing faded into memory.
Sterling's goal to make it three was a peach, before a ludicrously drawn out VAR check confirmed a fourth from Fernandez at the end, as he tapped in right at the end from a yard out, a final reminder of the gulf to Ryan Lowe's side who are 14th in the Championship.
