Under the biting sleet and swirling winds of the Humber, Chelsea navigated a potentially treacherous FA Cup tie with unexpected poise, securing a 4-0 victory over Hull City. The evening belonged to two men: Pedro Neto, who claimed the match ball with a clinical hat-trick, and Liam Rosenior, the Chelsea manager whose return to East Yorkshire proved to be a masterclass in professional execution.
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Rosenior’s Redemptive Return
For Rosenior, this was no ordinary fixture. Having been unceremoniously dismissed by Hull nearly two years ago despite a deep-rooted familial and professional connection to the city, the narratives of “revenge” and “homecoming” were intertwined. However, the Chelsea boss remained a figure of dignified composure. Despite making seven changes to the side that had surrendered a lead against Leeds United just days prior, his rotated squad displayed a fluidity that silenced a capacity crowd at the MKM Stadium.
A Tale of Two Halves: From Profligacy to Perfection
The first half-hour suggested a long night for the visitors. Both Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap—the latter facing his former employers—were guilty of remarkable misses. Estêvão, having rounded Dillon Phillips, blazed over an open goal, while Delap was left red-faced after celebrating a blocked clearance that struck the crossbar but never crossed the line.
The deadlock was finally shattered by Pedro Neto, who capitalised on a Delap layoff to fire a thunderous long-range strike into the bottom corner. This proved to be the catalyst. Six minutes into the second half, Neto doubled the advantage in fortuitous fashion, as his whipped corner eluded everyone to pass directly through the legs of the Hull goalkeeper.
Delap’s Creative Masterclass
While Neto took the headlines for his finishing, Liam Delap provided the engine. Overcoming his early embarrassment, the striker turned provider, haunting his old club with a hat-trick of assists. His surging run in the 58th minute allowed Estêvão to tap into an empty net for Chelsea’s third, before another precise pass found Neto for the Portuguese international’s third and Chelsea’s fourth.
| Player | Goals | Assists | Key Stat |
| Pedro Neto | 3 | 0 | First Chelsea hat-trick |
| Liam Delap | 0 | 3 | 100% pass accuracy in final third |
| Estêvão Willian | 1 | 0 | 4 shots on target |
| Dillon Phillips (Hull) | 0 | 0 | 6 saves made |
Strategic Priorities and Historic Omens
Hull City, under Sergej Jakirovic, showed flashes of the spirit that has made them promotion contenders in the Championship. However, with several key players rested for their league campaign, the gulf in class eventually told.
For Chelsea, the victory maintains a remarkable historical quirk: in the last decade, every time the Blues have faced Hull in the FA Cup, they have reached the final. While the silverware remains distant, Rosenior’s ability to navigate “difficult evenings” in hostile environments suggests a team growing in maturity.