Chelsea booked their place in a 17th FA Cup final with a 1-0 win over Leeds United at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.
In a tight contest between a fiery underdog and a favourite short on form and confidence, it was the latter who pulled through, thanks to Enzo Fernandez’s header in the 23rd minute — just moments after Joao Pedro had hit the post.
Leeds never let their heads drop and created a few dangerous openings of their own, the most notable being Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s free header straight at Robert Sanchez just before the hour mark.
However, Chelsea saw the game out with discipline in what was a big afternoon for Calum McFarlane, who is once again in temporary charge of the Blues.
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Fernandez back to his best under McFarlane
Enzo Fernandez’s comments about Madrid and subsequent suspension perfectly epitomised Liam Rosenior’s time in charge of Chelsea. One of disappointment, head-scratching moments and no shortage of chaos.
With that in mind, it’s hard to decide whether Fernandez’s scoring the winner on Sunday was completely ironic or utterly fitting.
Regardless, Chelsea’s record signing delivered the goods right when the club needed him at Wembley, not just in terms of the goal, but also his overall performance.
Fernandez was the creative hub for Chelsea, setting up three chances for his teammates — including one big chance — and playing eight passes into the final third.
His goal was brilliantly taken, giving Lucas Perri no chance with his header, having already tested the Brazilian’s gloves from distance in the sixth minute.
And off the ball, Fernandez’s effort was second to none, with the Argentine World Cup winner making three tackles, one block, one clearance and four possession recoveries, while winning eight of his 13 ground duels.
Fernandez has been a shadow of his usual self over the last few months, with a clear disconnect between him and Liam Rosenior.
However, if you think back to January when McFarlane was last in charge, it was Fernandez who delivered a last-minute equaliser at Manchester City, in a performance that also yielded a whopping seven tackles, three clearances and five possession recoveries.
That was the version of Fernandez we saw today, and while criticism of him not producing these performances for Rosenior could be valid, Chelsea can only hope he continues to show up like this for the rest of the season.
What next for Chelsea?
Manchester City await in the FA Cup final, which will be played on Saturday, 16th May.
Before then, however, they must focus all their efforts on trying to finish in the top six, which may yet yield Champions League football if Aston Villa win the Europa League and remain in the top five.
The Blues have slipped to eighth but trail sixth-place Brighton by just two points. A tough run-in sees McFarlane’s men host Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, while travelling to Liverpool and Sunderland — the latter on the final day of the campaign.