MK Dons vs. Chelsea: Winners and Losers from FA Cup
Chelsea booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with an emphatic 5-1 triumph away at Championship club MK Dons on Sunday.
Blues midfielder Oscar scored a first-half hat-trick as the Blues—who were knocked out by League One opponents Bradford City in the fourth round of the competition in 2015—eased through.
Midfielder Darren Potter's deflected effort got the home side on level terms at 1-1, but only some fine saves from MK Dons goalkeeper David Martin stopped Chelsea putting the game to bed before the half-time interval.
However, they didn't have to wait too long in the second half to add to their lead.
Midfielder Eden Hazard won and converted a penalty to make it 4-1 after 55 minutes at Stadium mk. The goal was the Belgian's first of the season.
It was Hazard who then set up the chance for midfielder Bertand Traore to score his first goal for Chelsea, with the second-half replacement for forward Diego Costa hitting the target just after the hour mark.
Bleacher Report has picked out the winners and losers from the high-scoring game in Milton Keynes.
Apologies in advance to Chelsea's Baba Rahman and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who both missed out on being included as winners despite excellent individual performances for the visitors.
Winner: Oscar
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Oscar’s three first-half goals made sure Chelsea would not humbled by lower-league opposition in the fourth round of the FA Cup for a second successive season.
The Brazilian broke the deadlock when he tapped home Costa’s square pass, while his second saw him convert Loftus-Cheek's through ball from the right side of the penalty area.
However, his third was the pick of the bunch.
Allowed to run across the field with the ball at his feet from the left touchline, Oscar curled home a delightful right-footed shot from just outside the box.
Per Squawka Football on Twitter, his treble was the first by a Chelsea player since Costa scored three times against Swansea City on Sept. 13, 2014.
Loser: Chelsea's Luck of the Draw
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Manager Guus Hiddink is still yet to lose an FA Cup tie during his two stints in charge of Chelsea.
The Dutchman—who returned to take up the reins at Stamford Bridge following the departure of Jose Mourinho in Dec. 2015—lifted the trophy with the Blues back in 2009 before leaving the club.
However, his unbeaten record in the knockout competition will be put to the test in the fifth round, after Chelsea were drawn to host fellow Premier League heavyweights Manchester City.
Although they have home advantage, the London club do not have a good recent record against their future opponents in the competition.
Per OptaJoe on Twitter: "Manchester City have won four of their previous five FA Cup games vs. Chelsea, knocking them out in 2013 and 2014."
Winner: David Martin
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It may seem odd to say for a goalkeeper who conceded five goals, but David Martin had an excellent game between the sticks for MK Dons.
The 30-year-old—the son of former England international Alvin Martin, who won the FA Cup in 1980 with West Ham—made two superb saves in the first half.
Costa looked certain to score when a square pass found the forward all alone in the middle of the penalty area, only for Martin to deny him with a wonderful block.
He also denied Hazard from converting a one-on-one opportunity, tipping the Belgium international's effort onto a post before before also dealing with the rebound.
Loser: Kyle Mcfadzean
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Chelsea were rampant in attack during the first half, so they really didn't need a helping hand from their opponents.
However, MK Dons defender Kyle Mcfadzean gifted the visitors their first goal.
The centre-back was under pressure when in possession in the right corner, resulting in him fluffing his pass inside to a waiting team-mate.
The error handed possession straight to the grateful Costa, who drew goalkeeper Martin off his line before laying the ball across for the supporting Oscar to break the deadlock after 15 minutes.
Winner: Eden Hazard
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Finally, finally, Hazard has managed to find the back of the net for Chelsea again.
The forward calmly converted a penalty after he had been tripped inside the area by Potter. There was a brief debate over who would take the spot kick before captain John Terry ruled in favour of Hazard.
Per WhoScored.com, it was the Belgium international's first goal for his club since finding the net against Crystal Palace on May 3, 2015.
Hiddink had challenged Hazard prior to the tie, per Rob Maul of the Express. The Chelsea boss must have therefore been delighted with what he saw from the 2014/15 PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
His return to form would be timely for his club, who have a UEFA Champions League knockout tie against Paris Saint-Germain looming on the horizon.
Winner: Bertrand Traore
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Sent on to replace Costa, Chelsea's Bertrand Traore needed just five minutes to make an impact on proceedings at Stadium mk.
The Burkina Faso international was in the perfect position to convert Hazard's cutback from the byline, as his left-footed shot went across goalkeeper Martin and into the far side of the net.
Per Rob Draper of the Mail on Sunday, Traore will be given a chance by manager Hiddink to press his claims for regular first-team football with the Blues during the rest of the season.
His goal was also a timely one considering the recent arrival of Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato, who has joined Chelsea on loan for the remainder of the season.
