In Birmingham, England, Chelsea responded to a challenging week with a stellar 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup and providing relief to manager Mauricio Pochettino. Despite facing scrutiny following consecutive heavy defeats in the Premier League, Chelsea took control of the fourth-round replay with first-half goals from Conor Gallagher and Nicolas Jackson. Enzo Fernandez further extended Chelsea’s lead with a remarkable free kick after halftime. Villa, positioned on the periphery of the Premier League title race and boasting a 15-point advantage over Chelsea, struggled to assert themselves as their Cup aspirations faded, with Moussa Diaby’s late goal serving as a mere consolation. Chelsea, eight-time FA Cup champions, are set to host Leeds United in the fifth round, evoking memories of the 1970 final.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest narrowly secured passage to the fifth round after a penalty shootout victory over second-tier Bristol City, following a 1-1 draw at the City Ground. Forest’s reward is a home tie against Manchester United in the next round. Pochettino’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday saw the Argentine facing questions about his job security amid his team’s 11th-place position in the league, despite significant investments in player acquisitions.
Adding to the drama, the wife of Chelsea defender Thiago Silva publicly voiced her discontent on social media following a 4-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, contributing to the scrutiny surrounding Pochettino.
