FA Cup: Chelsea FC down Brentford, Tottenham Hotspur survive vs Wycombe

Double-chasing Chelsea Football Club registered a comfortable win over Brentford at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup. Fourth-tier Wycombe Wanderers lost to Tottenham Hotspur in a 4-3 thriller while Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Yaya Toure scored as Manchester City secured their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace

Premier League leaders Chelsea Football Club remained on course for a domestic double as they eased into the last 16 of the FA Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win at home to second-tier Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur player Vincent Janssen celebrates after scoring a penalty vs Wycombe Wanderers in their English FA Cup fourth-round match at White Hart Lane in London on Saturday. (AP)

The Blues, eight points clear at the summit of English football, were rarely tested by their fellow west London side, who advanced with goals from Willian, Pedro, Branislav Ivanovic and Michy Batshuayi.

If this was a final Chelsea appearance for Ivanovic, who has been linked with a transfer window move, the Serbia defender gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to remember him by after coming on as a substitute for the final half hour of this match.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, ahead of Tuesday’s league match away to Liverpool, made changes to his side.

Yet even with Eden Hazard and Diego Costa among those rested, Chelsea still boasted a strong-enough team to see off a mid-table Championship side with ease.

The clubs last met in 2013, with Chelsea needing a replay at the same stage of the competition to see off Brentford.

A repeat never looked likely on Saturday.

Jesus lights Man City’s path

Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Yaya Toure scored as Manchester City secured their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Gabriel Jesus, City’s £27 million ($33.9 million, 31.7 million euros) signing from Palmeiras, marked his full debut by setting up Sterling for City’s opener shortly before half-time at Selhurst Park.

Sane and Toure struck late on to rubberstamp a win that got Pep Guardiola’s side back to winning ways after their 4-0 thrashing at Everton and last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs fight back vs Wycombe

Son Heung-min scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to complete Tottenham’s incredible 4-3 fightback against fourth-tier side Wycombe Wanderers to avoid an FA Cup upset.

The League Two visitors to White Hart Lane led 2-0 at halftime of the fourth-round match through captain Paul Hayes’ double, including a penalty.

Even after Son and substitute Vincent Janssen’s penalty dragged a much-changed Tottenham level, Garry Thompson restored Wycombe’s lead in the 83rd.

But substitute Dele Alli struck in the 89th to haul Spurs level again before Son scored with virtually the final kick of the game to avoid being embarrassed by a team 70 league places them.

Lincoln ousts Brighton

Non-league side Lincoln produced an FA Cup shock in beating second-tier leader Brighton 3-1 to reach the fifth round for the first time in 130 years.

Lincoln, which leads the fifth-tier National League, has been out of England’s four professional leagues since 2011.

The eastern England club advanced the hard way, recovering after going behind to Richie Towell’s first-half strike. Alan Power’s penalty, an own goal by Fikayo Tomori, and a late strike from Theo Robinson completed Lincoln’s turnaround in the second half in front of almost 10,000 fans at Sincil Bank.

“It was a magnificent effort in the second half and our run continues,” Lincoln striker Nathan Arnold told the BBC.

Lincoln might not be the only non-league team to feature in the fifth round if fellow National League side Sutton beats Leeds of the second-tier League Championship on Sunday.