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      Chelsea verdict: Blues well and truly prove their Prem title credentials by outplaying champs in waiting Man City

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      CHELSEA started the day with their manager claiming that his side will be closing the gap on the game’s top sides from the start of next season.Manchester City are THE top side, but tonight proved that Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea are maybe not quite as far behind them as they first thought.
      Thomas Tuchel may have some title challengers on his handsCredit: PA
      Chelsea confidently beat Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finalCredit: Reuters
      The Blues showed their professionalism, pragmatism, quality, and raw desire to win matches and grind out a result against a team that many believe to be the best in the world right now.
      City, despite attacking with a bit more intent as they chased the equaliser, really didn’t look a threat for Chelsea for the whole match and Tuchel’s side were the better team and deserved their 1-0 win.
      Tuchel, as he has been very successful in doing since replacing Frank Lampard, set hi side up to be difficult to break down.
      And City has no answers as the Blues became just the second English side this year, after Manchester United, to shut City out.
      And, in truth, Chelsea didn’t need to step up too many gears to achieve it.
      They just did what they needed to do, found the goal which they deserved, and then defended superbly to see the game out late on.
      Before the match Blues fans, including myself, were not expecting too much at all from it.

      Like many, I believed the gap between the Blues and City right now is too far apart, and I still do to a certain extent.
      But the ease of Chelsea’s win today, and the way they went about getting the result, and being so confident and comfortable whilst they did it. They did the job, but they did it thoroughly and professionally.
      Tuchel has really instilled a belief in this set of players and rather than folding under pressure as we have so often seen them do in recent times, they stood up and actually believed that they will win this game and believed that they are just as good as this City team.
      The gap has not been closed, but it has certainly been reduced.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Chelsea star Ben Chilwell reveals he is ‘different player’ since Thomas Tuchel arrived More

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      Chelsea player ratings: Silva and Jorginho star as faultless Blues stifle free-flowing Man City

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      CHELSEA ended Manchester City’s quadruple dreams and made yet another FA Cup final at Wembley.Hakim Ziyech’s winner was enough for the Blues to progress in a week which also saw them make the Champions League semi-finals.
      Hakim Ziyech scored the winner at WembleyCredit: Andy Hooper-The Daily Mail
      Thomas Tuchel celebrates with his players after reaching the FA Cup finalCredit: Getty
      The Moroccan winger was in fine form and was named man-of-the-match after being recalled to the side.
      Timo Werner also did well and provided the assist for the goal before both were replaced late on.
      But it was Chelsea’s solidity at the back that won the day with Thiago Silva and Jorginho instrumental in a hugely impressive performance as they kept City’s star-studded attack quiet.
      SunSport hands out ratings for Thomas Tuchel’s Blues stars.
      Kepa Arrizabalaga – 7/10
      Made a couple of comfortable saves early on to settle his confidence and had a competent game.
      Cesar Azpilicueta – 8
      Played well on the ball and made some vital interceptions at the back.
      Was an important part of keeping Chelsea tight and strong at crucial moments late on.
      Thiago Silva was a towering presence until he succumbed to a back injury late onCredit: Getty
      Thiago Silva – 9
      Went down early doors holding his back but went on to have a commanding performance at the back, winning everything in the box and in the air.
      Succumbed to his back complaint late on.
      Antonio Rudiger – 8
      Tidy on the ball and a threat going forward.
      Used his pace well at the back and helped protect Chelsea’s lead with his defensive colleagues.

      Reece James – 8
      Was harshly booked in the first-half and other than that put in a good shift out on the right.
      Ben Chilwell – 8
      Always a threat going forward and his energy getting up and back was always a danger for Manchester City.
      N’Golo Kante – 8
      Worked well alongside Jorginho keeping hold of the ball and moving Chelsea forward.
      Was colossal defensively as usual and made many essential interceptions and blocks.
      Jorginho put in a stellar performance in the middle of the parkCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Jorginho – 9
      Looked up for this and showed a lot of desire to win the game and helped control possession.
      A great selfless performance orchestrating things from the middle throughout.
      Mason Mount – 8
      Targeted by Fernandinho who escaped punishment for an apparent stamp in the first-half.
      But Mount was still Chelsea’s main guy driving forward with the ball and a real threat.
      Limped off on 70 minutes after one too many rough challenges.
      Timo Werner teed up Ziyech for the game’s only goalCredit: AFP
      Timo Werner – 8
      Some nice football from Werner and his passing was good.
      Right on cue, he stepped up with a great run and provided an assist for Ziyech.
      Hakim Ziyech – 8
      Played well in the first-half and was looking to create a lot on the ball.
      Did well to adjust his body to score Chelsea’s goal, but should have scored a second soon after missing a one on one with the keeper.
      SUBS
      Christian Pulisic (on for Mount, 70) – 7
      Looked sprightly off the bench, unlucky to have a nice finish ruled out for offside which would have sealed things late on.
      Kai Havertz (on for Werner, 79) – N/A
      Emerson (on for Ziyech, 79) – N/A
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Thomas Tuchel delighted as Chelsea beat Porto to march into the Champions League semi-final More

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      Chelsea 1 Man City 0: Hakim Ziyech fires Thomas Tuchel’s Blues into FA Cup final and ends Pep Guardiola’s quadruple bid

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      THEY think it’s all over… it is now.Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel had waxed lyrical about the 1966 World Cup Final ahead of his first visit to Wembley.
      Chelsea beat Man City to book their place in the FA Cup finalCredit: Getty
      Hakim Ziyech swept Chelsea past Man City with his second-half goalCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      And the German coach and his team ended Manchester City’s hopes of their own once-in-a-lifetime achievement: the Quadruple has gone.
      Hakim Ziyech’s second-half goal was enough to win the game but Chelsea should have scored more to reflect their superiority over lacklustre City.
      Pep Guardiola had claimed in the build up not to care less about the prospect of a clean sweep.
      The selection of an under-strength side suggested he wasn’t joking.
      Guardiola left some of his stars of the season on the bench and those he did pick failed to take their opportunity to guide City a step closer to history.
      Most crucially, second-string goalkeeper Zach Steffen was at fault for the winning goal, but Guardiola’s side were second best all over the pitch.
      Even Kevin De Bruyne looked human before his game was cut short prematurely by an injury to his right ankle.
      City will be hoping that their talisman recovers in time for next Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final, just as Spurs are praying for Harry Kane to shake off a problem with the same part of his body.
      Guardiola’s team as a whole will have to raise their game from this level.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Manchester City’s quadruple hopes ended with the semi-final defeatCredit: Getty
      Kevin De Bruyne needed medical attention before being forced off early in the second halfCredit: AP
      At a ground that has become their second home in recent years, they failed to turn up for an FA Cup semi-final for the second year in a row.
      The two teams were contesting not only a place in the final but the chance- if all goes well with the easing of restrictions – to play in front of 21,000 people back here on May 15.
      Judging by the line-ups, Chelsea were more up for the cup than City.
      Guardiola retained only three players from the side that had beaten Borussia Dortmund to reach the last four of the Champions League, while Tuchel made only two outfield changes from the game against Porto.
      It was little surprise, then, that Chelsea started with more cohesion and purpose. Ziyech had the ball in the net inside six minutes, but Timo Werner had been offside in the build-up.
      When Steffen dealt unconvincingly with a Reece James cross, the thought occurred that the game might be decided by which team had the better back-up man second-string player between the posts.
      Thomas Tuchel’s men got the better of Pep Guardiola’s soon to be championsCredit: PA
      Steffen should have been tested again when James sent in another delivery but fellow full-back Ben Chilwell met it with a Sunday league shin that sent the ball bobbling wide.
      It was a pretty low-key first half, overall.
      At times it was as if you were watching a group of senior citizens play walking football, such was the lack of intensity – especially from City as they failed to test Blues stand-in Kepa Arrizabalaga.
      The circumstances gave Mason Mount a good opportunity to try to win over the cranks, weirdos and Jack Grealish cult members who doubt his qualities.
      Without being outstanding, Mount at least tried to inject energy into the flat occasion. His willingness to take players on and attack space, rather than simply retain possession for possession’s sake, was a breath of fresh air in a sometimes stale encounter.
      In contrast, even the maestro De Bruyne was struggling to get a tune out of Guardiola’s reshuffled orchestra.
      City exerted a little pressure late in the half but not enough to require Kepa to add to the early routine save he had made from Gabriel Jesus.
      De Bruyne’s evening ended moments after the restart, following a tussle with N’Golo Kante.
      Wembley was empty but there will be 4,000 fans in for Sunday’s second semi-final between Leicester and SouthamptonCredit: Getty
      A minute’s silence was held before kick-off on the day of Prince Philip’s funeralCredit: Getty
      On came Phil Foden, the hero of Dortmund and City picked up the pace a bit.
      But Chelsea soon took the lead.
      Werner timed his run on to Mount’s pass perfectly, but Steffen got his own dash forward badly wrong. The City ‘keeper was in no man’s land and the German squared the ball for Ziyech to scoop home.
      The former Ajax winger struck the turf in frustration moments later after he fluffed the chance to make it two.
      Ruben Dias made an uncharacteristic mistake, misjudging a high ball, and Ziyech was clear, only to mishit his shot enough to allow Steffen to save.
      Dias redeemed himself slightly with a fine challenge to stop Werner converting the follow-up.
      The City centre back had an opportunity to really make amends in the opposite penalty area, but mistimed a close-range header after a corner and sent the ball over the bar.
      Guardiola’s team took up residence in the Chelsea half without creating a clear-cut chance.

      With 12 minutes left, Chelsea could have sealed it. Werner ran most of the length of the pitch on the break but his finish, not for the first time this season, was weak.
      It mattered not. Kepa just about managed to keep out a stoppage-time header from Rodri, but it was too little, too late from City.
      The Quadruple dream had lasted all the way to mid-April, but ended with a whimper.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Thomas Tuchel delighted as Chelsea beat Porto to march into the Champions League semi-final More

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      Watch Fernandinho escape punishment despite appearing to aim studs at Mason Mount’s face in Man City’s clash vs Chelsea

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      FERNANDINHO escaped any punishment for appearing to aim his studs at Mason Mount’s FACE in the FA Cup semi-final. The Manchester City midfielder was done by Mount’s sharp turn and knocked the England man to the ground with an outstretched arm.

      Fernandinho’s boot came very close to Mason Mount’s face
      Mount motioned that he was caught in the face
      Mount’s turn had beaten Fernandinho who sent him crashing to the deck
      The 35-year-old then appeared to try and hurdle over Mount, only to catch his oppenent in the face with his dangling right boot.
      Mount clearly seemed to believe the act was deliberate, and could be seen mouthing that he had been caught on the face.
      However referee Mike Dean did not produce a card.
      And, speaking at half-time, BBC pundits agreed with Dean’s decision.
      Host Gary Lineker said: “There was an element of a stamp on Mount.
      “It looks like he’s actually tried to avoid stamping on him as much as anything.”
      Alan Shearer added: “You can see him just try to pull his foot out of the way.
      “I think he thinks about it for a split second… he just does enough to pull his foot out of the way.”
      Former Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole agreed and said: “It could have been totally worse.
      “I don’t think Mason is touched. Or at least not touched hard enough.
      “It’s one of these things, you’re playing in a semi-final, tempers will flare up.”
      Fernandinho’s foot made a stamping motion but it appeared to be unintentional

      The Blues dominated possession in the first-half but neither side could force an opener in an uneventful 45 minutes.
      Hakim Ziyech did have the ball in the net only for Timo Werner to be belatedly flagged offside.
      But man-of-the-match Ziyech did go on to get the winner after the break with Werner providing the assist to send the Blues to a Wembley final and crush Pep Guardiola’s quadruple dreams.
      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel excluded Tammy Abraham from his 18-man squad despite the forward being fully fit – a move which is said to have left his team-mates ‘shocked’.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Mason Mount reacts to grabbing his first Champions League goal in Chelsea’s 2-0 away win against Porto More

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      Chelsea stars ‘shocked’ by Thomas Tuchel’s snub of Tammy Abraham with striker dumped from squad for Man City clash

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      CHELSEA players were reportedly left ‘shocked’ by Tammy Abraham’s FA Cup axe.The Blues forward was left out of the squad for today’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley.
      Tammy Abraham was left out of Chelsea’s squad for the FA Cup semi-final against Man CityCredit: Reuters
      Tammy Abraham has been frozen out by manager Thomas TuchelCredit: Getty
      Despite being fully fit and the competition’s top scorer with four goals in three matches – there was no place for him in Thomas Tuchel’s picks.
      And the Telegraph report that players were ‘shocked’ by his Wembley omission.
      The striker has not featured for Chelsea since February 20 where he was subbed at half-time in a 1-1 draw with Southampton.
      Abraham, 23, has been frozen out of the first-team picture after recovering from an ankle injury.
      The striker was an unused substitute against Crystal Palace and in both Champions League quarter-final legs against Porto.
      Abraham is understood to be upset at his lack of game time under Tuchel and could be ready to move on.
      He was a fixture under former manager Frank Lampard, and scored 18 goals last season.
      The England striker is still the club’s top scorer this season with 12 goals, despite being frozen out since Tuchel took charge in January.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      But the German warned Abraham, who faces missing out on a place in England Euro squad, that there is no easy way back into the Blues line up.
      Tuchel said: “I don’t think he’s the top scorer since I arrived.
      “So I can only judge what I see and what we have together from the first minute when I arrived.
      “I have seen a bright young man in front of me. A guy who is self-confident, who has a lot of talent.
      “But it cannot be that in a period of such good results that suddenly the guys who don’t play are the winners.
      “This cannot be. Because first of all, you need to be in the squad and if you are in a winning squad, you have your part in this winning squad.
      “And it cannot be that sometimes the people who don’t make it to the squad are in the end the winners, although the team is winning many games. This is not logical to me.
      “We are aware that he scored, we are aware that he scored a lot in the cup.
      “We had some tactical changes he had to accept. We accept that he was injured.

      “OK, so now it’s a difficult time to try things out because while he is injured the engine keeps on running.”
      Abraham’s current deal expires in two years, but with Chelsea rumoured to be in the market for a new striker, there has been no talk of a contract extension.
      Erling Haaland, Sergio Aguero and Romelu Lukaku are among the names the Blues have been linked with.
      It leaves Abraham’s future uncertain, having already been overlooked for Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Olivier Giroud.
      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says Tammy Abraham faces a tough task to break back into his side More

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      Chelsea vs Man City LIVE: Stream FREE, TV channel, team news as Kepa STARTS semi-final, Foden benched – latest updates

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      CHELSEA take on Manchester City this evening in a huge FA Cup semi-final, both sides’ second successive last-four clash at Wembley in the competition.The Blues beat Sheffield United in the quarter-finals while City overcame Everton at Goodison Park.

      Start time: 5.30pm GMT
      TV/Live stream: BBC One/iPlayer
      Chelsea XI: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, James, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell, Ziyech, Werner, Mount
      Man City XI: Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (C), De Bruyne, Torres, Sterling, Jesus

      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      TUCH AND GO
      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has a lot to prove today as he is facing a manager he has never been able to beat.
      Tuchel has faced Guardiola a total of five times throughout his coaching career and lost four of those meetings.
      All four of those victories took place while the Manchester City manager was in charge of Bayern Munich.
      The Spaniard beat Tuchel twice when he was at the helm of Mainz in the 2013-2014 season and prevailed again in their next two meetings when the German replaced Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund in the 2015-2016 season – they also had a goalless draw in between.
      This will be the first time the two men face off while in charge of an English team
      GETTY IMAGES
      LAST DANCE
      Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero has confirmed that he will be leaving the club in the summer after his contract expires.
      Aguero won’t play any part at Wembley today due to a muscle injury and that makes for quite an absence as the star striker has enjoyed a dominant past against Chelsea.
      The Argentina international has scored a staggering 15 goals in 21 matches against the Blues across all competitions ever since 2011 when he moved to Manchester from Atletico Madrid.
      The 32-year-old has also produced three assists, meaning he has been part of a whopping 18 goals against the west Londoners
      GETTY IMAGES
      LOOKING FOUR-WARD
      Manchester City are still alive for an unpresented quadruple title this season.
      City are 11 points clear at the top of the table, have made the semi-finals of the FA Cup as well as the Champions League and are also set to take on Tottenham at the Carabao Cup final on April 25.
      If the Citizens manage to win all of the aforementioned titles then they will become the first ever team to complete such a triumph.
      But if Chelsea beat Pep Guardiola’s men today then that will officially mark the end of their quadruple hopes once more
      GETTY IMAGES
      MAN CITY FORMATION
      Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola appears to have opted for a 4-3-3 formation with eight changes to the team that beat Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday in Germany.
      Zack Steffen takes Ederson’s place in goal for yet another FA Cup match.
      Joao Cancelo, who takes Kyle Walker’s place, starts at right-back with Benjamin Mendy, on for Oleksandr Zinchenko, playing on the other side, while Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte, who comes on for John Stones, team up in defence.
      Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and captain Fernandinho, who takes Bernardo Silva’s place, link up in midfield.
      Raheem Sterling, Ferran Torres and Gabriel Jesus lead the attack as they replace Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden respectively
      CHELSEA FORMATION
      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel appears to have opted for a 3-4-3 formation with three changes to the team that lost to Porto on Tuesday in Seville.
      Kepa Arrizabala takes Edouard Mendy’s place between the sticks.
      Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and captain Cesar Azpilicueta link up in defence.
      Reece James plays at right wing-back with Ben Chilwell on the other side while Jorginho and N’Golo Kante team up in midfield.
      Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, who replaces Christian Pulisic, and Timo Werner, tho takes Kai Havertz’s place, lead the attack
      MAN CITY SUBS
      Ederson, Walker, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden
      CHELSEA SUBS
      Caballero, Alonso, Emerson, Zouma, Gilmour, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Giroud
      MAN CITY XI
      13 Steffen; 27 Cancelo, 3 Dias, 14 Laporte, 22 Mendy; 16 Rodri, 25 Fernandinho, 17 De Bruyne; 21 Torres, 7 Sterling, 9 Jesus
      Your semi-final squad! 🤩XI | Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (C), De Bruyne, Torres, Sterling, JesusSUBS | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden⚽️ @HaysWorldwide 🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klUGiM pic.twitter.com/G57Y7TA4BZ— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 17, 2021

      CHELSEA XI
      1 Kepa; 28 Azpilicueta, 6 Silva, 2 Rudiger; 24 James, 5 Jorginho, 7 Kante, 21 Chilwell; 22 Ziyech, 19 Mount, 11 Werner

      THE TEAM SHEETS ARE IN!!!
      CITY STATS
      Manchester City made it to the FA Cup semi-finals by eliminating Birmingham, Cheltenham Town, Swansea and Everton along the way.
      City won all of their matches and scored a whopping 11 goals, while conceding a mere two in the process.
      The Citizens have enjoyed tremendous success in the FA Cup semi-finals as they have prevailed in nine of their last 11 appearances in the final four.
      But the last time the Manchester giants made it to Wembley they lost 2-0 to Arsenal last year
      GETTY IMAGES
      CHELSEA STATS
      Chelsea made it to the FA Cup semi-finals by eliminating Morecambe, Luton Town, Barnsley and Sheffield United along the way.
      The Blues won all four games by scoring a total of 10 goals and conceding a mere one throughout the entire competition this season.
      The west Londoners are looking to win their ninth FA Cup but will have to beat a team they have only been able to defeat twice in their last nine meetings across all competitions.
      Thomas Tuchel’s men might still be feeling confident as they have won seven of their last eight FA Cup semi-final matches at Wembley Stadium
      GETTY IMAGES
      HEAD TO HEAD
      Chelsea and Manchester City’s first ever encounter took place way back in 1907 in a First Division match that ended 2-2 in London.
      Since then, the two sides have faced off a total of 164 times with the Blues amassing a mere majority of 66 wins compared to City’s 58 victories.
      But they’ve only faced off six times in the FA Cup, which saw the Citizens winning four of the exchange and only losing twice.
      However, their most recent meeting in the competition took place in 2016 when Chelsea thrashed a below-strength City team with a score of 5-1.
      This is going to be only the second time they battle at Wembley Stadium with their inaugural encounter taking place in the semi-finals of the 2012-2013 season when the Manchester giants won 2-1 thanks to goals by Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero

      GOOD AFTERNOON FROM WEMBLEY
      Welcome to our live coverage of the FA Cup semi-final clash between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
      Both teams made it through to the Champions League semi-finals earlier this week when the Blues eliminated Porto and City offloaded Borussia Dortmund.
      Now the two Premier League sides, who could also face off in the Champions League final, are looking to make it to the FA Cup final where they will face either Leicester or Southampton.
      Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Mateo Kovacic is sidelined due to a hamstring injury he suffered during training.
      Tuchel will also be without Andreas Christensen, who missed the midweek Champions League clash with Porto, due to a muscle injury.
      City boss Pep Guardiola will be without club legend Sergio Aguero, who has announced he will be leaving the Citizens at the end of the season after 10 years of remarkable service.
      Aguero has been dealing with a muscular problem that will not allow him to compete at Wembley tonight against Chelsea.
      However, Guardiola could have Aymeric Laporte back into his starting line-up after the star defender overcame a hip problem.
      Stay tuned as we expect the starting line-ups from both squads in about half an hour
      GETTY IMAGES
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      Man City 8 Aston Villa 0 – Chloe Kelly on fire as City crush Villa in FA Cup before title battle with Chelsea

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      CHLOE KELLY’S hat-trick helped Manchester City put Aston Villa to the sword to line up an FA Cup clash with West Ham or Chichester.Three clinical strikes from the winger were among the goals that sealed an 8-0 win for rampant City before their title duel with Chelsea. 
      Chloe Kelly scored her first hat-trick as Man City brushed Aston Villa aside in the Women’s FA CupCredit: Getty
      US star Sam Mewis was also target for Gareth Taylor’s teamCredit: Getty
      And the game saw Kelly register her first hat-trick. 
      The City winger, 23 said: “I feel like I’ve really flown in this game and it was great to start on the front foot and not really to take our foot off the gas.
      “We really want to win this trophy and we’ll keep pushing every round to become better and our eyes are set on Wembley. 
      “This is a crucial time of the season and we want to push on and be at our best. 
      “It just about taking each game as it comes but really looking after each other, looking after our bodies and getting our recovery right. 
      “Every game is huge for us now and we know what it will take for us to win the title. 
      “We’re really going to focus on how we can break down Chelsea and what we can do on Wednesday night to get a result.”
      Aston Villa had to weather pressure as early as the third minute with a Kelly cross narrowly close to being headed in
      But Villa stopper Sian Rogers pulled off a fine save to keep the scoreline level. 
      Rose Lavelle and her team-mates will take on Chelsea next in the WSLCredit: Getty

      But the hosts took the lead in the 16th minute via a stunning hooked effort from Kelly following Lauren Hemp’s in-swinging corner. 
      City doubled their lead minutes after the half-hour mark with Ellen White on target.
      Kelly made it three close to half-time with a fine show of strength to hold off her marker to register her brace.   
      The second period saw no let-up on Villa’s defence with Georgia Stanway, Janine Beckie and Rose Lavelle coming on as substitutes. 
      Beckie netted a superb curled effort from near the touchline minutes into the second-half. 
      And Stanway made it five with her strike through a crowded Villa penalty box.  
      Georgia Stanway scored for City who will play West Ham or Chichester in the fifth round of the Women’s FA CupCredit: PA
      A Rose Lavelle effort and Kelly poking home late for her hat-trick sealed a convincing win for the hosts. 
      And Sam Mewis got on the act in the final minutes to net City’s eighth goal. 
      West Ham are up next for Villa in the league with the Irons two points and two places above the Midlands outfit. 
      And Villa boss Marcus Bignot made it clear WSL survival is the priority for his side who are bottom of the table. 
      Their Tuesday night clash with the Hammers will be followed by relegation-battling games against Birmingham and Bristol City. 
      And the Villa will take on the Irons again on May 2 in what could be a decisive contest to beat the drop. 
      Bignot said: “I know the beauty of the FA Cup and it is the best competition.
      “But we had to sacrifice it. For our squad the importance is Tuesday (and the game against West Ham).
      Aston Villa are due to play West Ham next league as they battle to beat the dropCredit: Zuma Press
      “I judged today on individual performances in terms of one or two or three or four getting into the reckoning for the starting eleven on Tuesday.
      “People will see this from afar and think, ‘8-0, Villa are down’. 
      “Let’s hope they have that mindset and that thinking when they come and play us because I know what’s in this group.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Marcus Bignot says WSL survival is Aston Villa’s priorityCredit: Rex
      YouTuber Tekkerz Kid challenges Jamie Redknapp and Alex Scott to some insane football challenges More

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      Man City boss Taylor hails versatile Stanway but says position changes can frustrate players

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      GARETH TAYLOR praised Georgia Stanway’s knack for playing in multiple positions for club and country. However, the Man City boss reckons covering different roles can be ‘frustrating’ for players with Stanway and her team-mates set to battle Aston Villa in the Women’s FA Cup. 
      Gareth Taylor believes Georgia Stanway’s versatility on the pitch has been a boost for Man City this season
      Stanway’s swashbuckling performances for Man City have won her praise this seasonCredit: Sportimage
      Stanway, 22, has performed in various areas on the pitch for England and Man City this term including at right-back and further up the field in attack. 
      The midfielder has netted 29 goals in 71 appearances across all competitions for City since her 2015 move from Blackburn Rovers Ladies. 
      And Lancashire-born Stanway hopes her adaptability, which has won her plaudits, could land her place in Team GB’s squad before the Tokyo Olympics. 
      Taylor, 48, said: “We have players like Georgia who are able to play in a number of positions, and not just play there but really bring things and Georgia certainly does that.
      “Sometimes for these players who are versatile, it can be quite frustrating because you never really get to play in one position for a period of time. 
      “I think at the turn of the year she was playing as an attacking midfielder for a consistent run of games. 
      “I always say to my players that as frustrating as it can be, I think it’s about taking it as a compliment that we trust individuals like Georgia to be able to play in various positions.”
      Taylor, whose City side are fighting to win the FA Cup for a second successive season, says he has no intention of underestimating Aston Villa in their fourth round clash.
      This is despite the last encounter between the sides ending in a 7-0 drubbing of Marcus Bignot’s team at the Academy Stadium. 
      Taylor added: “You can’t underestimate teams. For Villa, it is a free hit.
      “They are playing away and will have a game plan to try and beat us. 
      “We want to defend our trophy, it’s the first trophy I won. It was an amazing moment and we want to win it again.”
      Man City hope to notch up their third win of the season against Aston VillaCredit: Rex

      A home match against title rivals Chelsea will be up next for Taylor’s side following their duel with Villa 
      And it could prove a pivotal game in the battle for the WSL crown for City who are currently without skipper Steph Houghton who is recovering from an Achilles injury.
      Taylor added: “People are naturally going to have an eye on our remaining WSL games, but for us, the most important game is the Villa game.” 
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      Man City will face Aston Villa in the Women’s FA Cup without skipper Steph Houghton who is recovering from an Achilles injuryCredit: Getty
      Lionesses in training More