Nothing like the visit of a lower-league club to help the Chelsea storm pass, or at least to provide a break from the rain.
Chelsea were feeling sorry for themselves, but they are heading to Wembley now for a cup semi-final after a ruthless display of goalscoring pomp which lifted the mood and ensured smiles could return to the club. The question is for how long.
Upset emphatically avoided
How they needed that. More than about setting up a date with Wembley and an FA Cup semi-final as silverware potentially draws closer, this was about turning a page and stopping the rot.
The last time Port Vale and Chelsea faced off was in April 1929. The Valiants won 1-0. If anything could be gleaned from a match that took place 97 years ago to the month, it was that keeping focus would be key if slipping on this potential banana skin was to be avoided.
The visitors had shown spirit by beating Sunderland and Bristol City during an impressive cup run in which they have disguised their League One woes.
Until now. Chelsea were not messing around and showed no mercy. From the moment they edged ahead after barely a minute when Jorrel Hato swept home from a corner delivery unconvincingly flapped at by goalkeeper Joe Gauci, it became clear there were goals to be had, and Chelsea had them. Seven of them.
Hato was joined on the scoresheet by Joao Pedro – his 19th of a fine first season in west London – and by Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Estevao. Jordan Gabriel put the ball in his own net, and Alejandro Garnacho netted a late penalty with almost the last kick of the game.
Chelsea became the first team to score seven or more goals in an FA Cup quarter-final since 2006.
Estevao the entertainer-in-chief
A hamstring injury has disrupted Chelsea’s Brazilian wonderkid of late and an appearance off the bench in the dismal 3-0 defeat at Everton before the international break was no celebrated return to fitness.
Against Port Vale, he made his first start since the 4-0 FA Cup win at Hull in mid-February and he was the entertainer-in-chief at Stamford Bridge, where he is already loved, not yet a full season into his Chelsea career.
The teenager took defenders on, assisted his compatriot Andrey Santos with a fine corner, and then made it onto the scoresheet himself when snapping up the rebound from a Garnacho shot.
At 18 years and 345 days old, he became the youngest player to both score and assist in an FA Cup game for a Premier League side since Bukayo Saka for Arsenal against Bournemouth in January 2020. Fine company to be keeping.
Kavuma-McQueen’s deserved debut
The home crowd at Stamford Bridge had already been suitably impressed by this point, but there was more excitement to be had as 17-year-old academy starlet Ryan Kavuma-McQueen came on for his senior debut on 78 minutes.
The winger enjoyed a superb international break, scoring three exceptional goals in two games for England’s Under-17s and that, coupled with his starring role in the Chelsea academy teams, saw him handed the chance to impress.
Nervous at first, out on the right wing, Kavuma-McQueen grew into the game and ran at Port Vale with intent. There is plenty more to come from him, and Rosenior looked delighted when sending him on.