Chelsea 4-2 Leicester: Player ratings as Blues survive scare to reach FA Cup semi-finals

FROM STAMFORD BRIDGE — Chelsea advanced to the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a nervy 4-2 win at home to Championship leaders Leicester City.

The Blues surrendered a two-goal lead before the Foxes received a red card and were unable to keep out their hosts down the final stretch of the game.

An unhappy Stamford Bridge crowd made their unhappy feelings known throughout but come full-time were relieved just to have booked a place at Wembley.

Chelsea went ahead with their first attack of note. Cole Palmer slipped in Nicolas Jackson down the right channel, and held off the advances of Jannik Vestergaard before rolling the ball on a plate for Marc Cucurella to tap in at the far post.

The hosts spurned a great chance to double their lead moments later when Leicester were caught napping at the back again, but were let off the hook when Mykhailo Mudryk's strike was blocked by teammate Raheem Sterling.

Down the other end, Chelsea were starting to look a bit nervy at the back. A deep cross from Abdul Fatawu reached Patson Daka, whose header floated narrowly wide.

Straight from the resulting goal kick, Chelsea were awarded a penalty when Fatawu went through the back of Sterling when trying to pinch the ball off his toes. Sterling stepped up but his poor penalty down the middle was kept out by goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.

Sterling's tough first half continued when he was set through one on one with Stolarczyk just before the break, but this time fired wide to the ire of the Stamford Bridge crowd.

But with one last attack prior to half-time, Sterling turned provider for Chelsea's second goal, racing away between Vestergaard and Wout Faes down the left before cutting back for Palmer to slot home.

On the other side of the interval, Leicester