FA Cup semi-final: Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace

Chelsea set up a second Wembley meeting with Liverpool this season as they overcame Crystal Palace’s stubborn resistance to reach the FA Cup final. Liverpool won the Carabao Cup final on penalties in February but Chelsea will have the chance for revenge as second-half goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount underlined their supremacy. Unlike the first semi-final between Liverpool and Manchester City, chances were at a premium until substitute Loftus-Cheek, on for the injured Mateo Kovacic, broke the deadlock with a deflected shot after 65 minutes. Palace had their opportunities, Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saving well from Cheikhou Kouyate in the first half, but they could not come back after Mount slipped a low finish beyond Jack Butland with 14 minutes left. ‘Chelsea again show ability to thrive amid chaos’Relive Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final win over Crystal PalaceThird time lucky for Chelsea?Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace: Thomas Tuchel happy with “patient” ChelseaChelsea have deservedly reached their third successive FA Cup final and will now hope to reverse recent history after losing the previous two to Arsenal and Leicester City. Manager Thomas Tuchel has a remarkable record in reaching domestic and European finals since his appointment and Chelsea will be formidable opponents for Liverpool, who are in search of a historic quadruple. Chelsea had to work had for their triumph but they showed patience, organisation and then quality to take control after half-time. By the end, Chelsea were in complete command and only some generosity in front of goal from substitute Romelu Lukaku, who struck the post when it seemed easier to score, and the otherwise excellent Timo Werner prevented a scoreline that would have been harsh on Palace. Chelsea may be surrounded by turmoil off the pitch amid the sanctions against owner Roman Abramovich, but a winning mentality persists on it and the players showed admirable powers of recovery following the disappointment of their Champions League quarter-final elimination by Real Madrid. And if the EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool earlier this season is anything to go by, the FA Cup equivalent will be a tightly-contested affair between two high-quality sides. Palace on the right trackChelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace: Patrick Vieira praises players effortsPalace manager Patrick Vieira and his players were understandably devastated at the final whistle but the Eagles’ performance here, and over the season as a whole, gives great cause for optimism. Vieira has squad boasting several emerging young talents playing attractive football, although they were required to show a more pragmatic side here as they contained Chelsea well until their former loanee Loftus-Cheek struck with an effort that took a slight deflection. There was no way back for Palace after that but, backed by truly magnificent support, they give the impression of a well-run club on the right lines under an astute manager with an excellent structure around him. Danger man Wilfried Zaha was just too isolated to make an impression but the key component missing was the guile, quality and exuberance of England midfield man Conor Gallagher, who was unable to play against his parent club. Defeat will hurt, but Vieira and Palace can nevertheless be delighted with the progress the club is making. Player of the matchMountMason Mountwith an average of 7.04ChelseaSquad number19Player nameMountSquad number12Player nameLoftus-CheekSquad number11Player nameWernerSquad number24Player nameJamesSquad number2Player nameRüdigerSquad number29Player nameHavertzSquad number16Player nameMendySquad number28Player nameAzpilicuetaSquad number7Player nameKantéSquad number4Player nameChristensenSquad number3Player nameAlonsoSquad number22Player nameZiyechSquad number8Player nameKovacicSquad number6Player nameThiago SilvaSquad number5Player nameJorginhoSquad number9Player nameLukakuCrystal PalaceSquad number6Player nameGuéhiSquad number10Player nameEzeSquad number1Player nameButlandSquad number7Player nameOliseSquad number8Player nameKouyatéSquad number16Player nameAndersenSquad number11Player nameZahaSquad number3Player nameMitchellSquad number2Player nameWardSquad number14Player nameMatetaSquad number15Player nameSchluppSquad number18Player nameMcArthurSquad number4Player nameMilivojevicSquad number9Player nameJ AyewSquad number20Player nameBentekeLine-upsChelseaFormation 3-4-1-216Mendy24James4Christensen2Rüdiger28Azpilicueta5Jorginho8Kovacic3Alonso19Mount29Havertz11Werner16Mendy24James4ChristensenSubstituted forThiago Silvaat 82’minutes2Rüdiger28Azpilicueta5JorginhoSubstituted forKantéat 77’minutes8KovacicSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 26’minutes3Alonso19MountSubstituted forZiyechat 77’minutes29HavertzBooked at 38minsSubstituted forLukakuat 77’minutes11WernerSubstitutes1Arrizabalaga6Thiago Silva7Kanté9Lukaku10Pulisic12Loftus-Cheek17Saúl22Ziyech31SarrCrystal PalaceFormation 3-5-21Butland8Kouyaté16Andersen6Guéhi2Ward10Eze18McArthur15Schlupp3Mitchell14Mateta11Zaha1Butland8KouyatéSubstituted forMilivojevicat 85’minutes16Andersen6Guéhi2Ward10Eze18McArthurSubstituted forOliseat 72’minutes15SchluppSubstituted forBentekeat 72’minutes3Mitchell14MatetaSubstituted forJ Ayewat 55’minutes11ZahaSubstitutes4Milivojevic5Tomkins7Olise9J Ayew13Guaita17Clyne20Benteke22Édouard34KellyReferee:Anthony TaylorAttendance:76,238Live TextMatch ends, Chelsea 2, Crystal Palace 0.Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Crystal Palace 0.Attempt missed. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.Attempt blocked. Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Tyrick Mitchell.Attempt blocked. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) hits the right post with a right footed shot from very close range. Assisted by Timo Werner.Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.Foul by Michael Olise (Crystal Palace).Substitution, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic replaces Cheikhou Kouyaté.Substitution, Chelsea. Thiago Silva replaces Andreas Christensen.Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Tyrick Mitchell.Attempt saved. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Timo Werner.Attempt missed. Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Jordan Ayew following a corner.Attempt missed. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross following a corner.Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Reece James.Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).