Hire, fire, final - Chelsea's player power may be ugly, but it wins

Central to it all was match-winner Fernandez, the game's outstanding performer. The Argentine's first half-header, planted firmly past Lucas Perri after 23 minutes, turning out to be the decisive moment.

It ended a run of 498 minutes without a Chelsea goal against Premier League clubs in all competitions. Victory was secured with their first clean sheet against top-flight opposition since 17 January.

This was the same Fernandez recently given a two-match suspension by Chelsea after Rosenior said he had "crossed a line" following their Champions League exit against Paris St-Germain by giving an interview hinting at a departure.

The assumption was that he was fluttering his eyelashes at Real Madrid.

At Wembley, what should be normal service for the World Cup winner was resumed. Fernandez was the inspiration behind Chelsea's win, not just with his goal but all-round effort.

He took his goal tally this season to 13. The only midfielder to score more for a Premier League club in 2025-26 is Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White with 16.

Former England goalkeeper Rob Green, who had a spell at Stamford Bridge towards the end of his career, reflected on how the Wembley displays of Chelsea and Fernandez contrasted sharply with those produced in Rosenior's final days.

"They're a product of the system they are in and in modern-day football," Green said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's ugly but they have all the power and it was epitomised by Fernandez. He ran the game. It was down to him how they played. That is not healthy for a football club but for Chelsea it gets them to finals.

"Give a player an inch, they take a mile.

"Chelsea do what Chelsea do. They had one big moment in the game, Leeds had three or four, but didn't take them and that was the difference."

And what a difference a new face in the technical area makes - especially amid the dysfunction and turbulence that characterises Chelsea.