Chelsea make clear £439m FA Cup statement as Liam Rosenior faces biggest test yet

CHELSEA 7-0 PORT VALE: The Blues cruised to their biggest-ever FA Cup quarter-final win against their League One opponents at Stamford Bridge

This was precisely what eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea needed to blow away the cobwebs. But ending a four-match losing streak against League One's basement boys does not mean they have turned the corner, however sweet it feels to book another trip to Wembley.

Port Vale's valiant starting XI did not cost a penny while inclusive of add-ons, Chelsea's star-studded line-up was worth a whopping £439.8million.

The Blues merely exposed the contrast in financial power as this one-sided quarter-final tie was a procession from the get-go when Jorrel Hato broke the deadlock after just 64 seconds.

Further strikes from Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estevao Willian and Alejandro Garnacho fired Chelsea to their biggest-ever win in the last-eight of this competition but it was a victory that told us very little about the trajectory of Liam Rosenior's tenure, which still feels rather gloomy.

The international break - on the back of a string of dismal results - was disastrous for the 41-year-old as key stars Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella cast doubt over their long-term futures and raised awkward questions about the BlueCo project.

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This time around, Chelsea's players did their talking on the pitch as the anticipation that had built on packed-out coaches and tube carriages amongst 6,000 Port Vale supporters cruelly evaporated after just one minute.

Goalkeeper Joe Gauci twice failed to deal with Pedro Neto's in-swinging corner and Blues defender Hato was on hand to convert smartly through a cluster of bodies.

It felt rather fitting that left-back Hato, who scored the first goal of the Rosenior era at Charlton back in January, was on target following fellow left-back Cucurella's bombshell interview.

Given Cucurella scrutinised the club's youth-heavy transfer policy, the Spaniard could consider himself fortunate to be among the substitutes, as banned teammate Fernandez watched on from behind the dugout.

While the quick-fire goal and eventual scoreline both suggested differently, Vale were no soft touch following the opener. Rhys Walters was their beating heart in the centre of the park and was involved in several moments of promise before Pedro doubled the hosts' advantage.

Liam Gordon got too tight to Neto, the winger slipped his bamboozled marker and squared to the Brazilian, who controlled, shimmied and applied a ruthless finish.

Chelsea then killed the tie just before the interval when Pedro ghosted in behind Vale's startled backline and fired towards goal, Gauci then spilled the effort straight into the pathway of stand-in captain Palmer and he tapped home.

The onslaught continued after the break. Estevao twice kissed the post before Tosin Adarabioyo showed him how it was done, powering in Malo Gusto's cross.

Midfielder Santos then got in on the act before Estevao's perseverance was rewarded with his team's sixth after Alejandro Garnacho had also thumped the woodwork. There was still time for the Argentine to have a say, slotting home a stoppage-time penalty to complete the rout.

All hope is not yet lost for EFL strugglers Vale, either despite the brutality of this defeat. Another giant-killing was never really on the cards, this was more a reward for their efforts and with eight games to play, they have to claw back a 15-point deficit to preserve their League One status.

After announcing £6.1million losses last week, £614,250 in FA Cup prize-money and memories that will last a lifetime can inspire even brighter days under Jon Brady.