Chelsea dispensed with Cardiff City 4-1 in the FA Cup fifth round, courtesy of goals from Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack, Daniel Sturridge and Salomon Kalou. Cardiff’s goal was, at the time, an equaliser scored by Michael Chopra, but in reality, they were never in the hunt.

It took just two minutes for the Blues to take the lead and it was Drogba’s 23rd goal of the season that did it. John Obi Mikel’s flighted ball caught the Cardiff defence flat footed, leaving Drogba to finish confidently.

Hilario, in for the rested Petr Cech, had to make a superbly acrobatic save to deny Anthony Gerrard for Cardiff. However, they were not to be denied an equalizer, Chopra heading past Hilario in the 33rd minute.

Chelsea took the lead again in the 50th minute, a lead they would not relinquish. Drogba found Ballack, who’d timed his run with the perfection of a seasoned forward. The German finished like one too, gently dinking the ball over the goalkeeper with his left foot for his fifth goal of the season.

With 22 minutes left, Sturridge made the game safe with his fourth cup goal in three matches. He played the ball into the feet of Drogba, before hedging his bets and continuing his run forward. Fortuitously the ball dropped to him, but there was nothing lucky about Sturridge’s composed finished.

There was five minutes left when Kalou completed the scoring. Ferreira, who had impressed all night, sent in a wicked cross that the forward did well to divert towards goal, his header finding the top corner. Chelsea will now be heavy favourites to defend the FA Cup.

Cardiff City travel to Stamford Bridge for an FA Cup fifth round tie against Chelsea, having won all four previous League Cup and FA Cup ties against the Blues.

As is becoming tradition, Carlo Ancelotti named his side ahead of kick off. Hilario is the goalkeeper, whilst Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho and Zhirkov make up the back four. Mikel, Ballack, Lampard and Joe Cole are in midfield and Drogba is partnered by cup specialist Daniel Sturridge in attack.

Cardiff will likely be missing Gavin Rae and Joe Ledley from their midfield whilst Stephen McPhail and Jay Bothroyd are in doubt after picking up injuries in the midweek victory over Peterborough. Peter Whittingham and Michael Chopra are fit, however, and will be two players to keep an eye on.

Cardiff’s last trip to Stamford Bridge was in 1983, for a match in the old Second Division. Pat Nevin and Colin Lee scored in a 2-0 Chelsea win. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 16 FA Cup ties at Stamford Bridge, 14 of those were victories. Arsenal were the last team to win a cup tie there, in the 2003 quarter final.

Ladbrokes has installed Chelsea as very, very short priced favourites at 1/7 for this match. The draw is paying 13/2, whilst a Cardiff upset is at very long odds, paying an immense 16/1.