Not much drama but Chelsea still produce an Oscar winner at Stamford Bridge

Strolls such as this offer timely reminders that, for all the upheaval of recent weeks, Chelsea will still ease into the second half of the campaign in rude health. Very few teams can boast comparable strength in depth, even after the sale of a World Cup winner for €45 million. Manchester City will presumably test that theory in the fifth round more concertedly than Stoke City did in the fourth.

If the scoreline suggested this was a squeeze, it was actually a breeze. Jose Mourinho, celebrating his 51st birthday, could bemoan familiar profligacy as having denied his team proper reward for their dominance, and this side's failure to convert the plethora of chances they invariably create could yet undermine a pursuit for silverware on three fronts.

Perfectionist
But that was just the perfectionist in him exposed. Stoke, for all their success in avoiding the concession of a cricket score, never threatened to take advantage of the slenderness of their deficit.

Progress, courtesy of Oscar’s sumptuous free-kick, ensured there was to be no mass gnashing of teeth at Juan Mata’s sale to Manchester United.

In truth, the Spaniard was not overly missed. Perhaps it was not the contest by which to judge his departure but, without him, and with Michael Essien to join Milan and Kevin de Bruyne now at Wolfsburg, the hosts merely rejoiced in the excellence of the creative talents that remain. Or, even, in confirmation of Mohamed Salah's €14.5 million arrival from Basel and the leggy purpose of Nemanja Matic in central midfield.

Physical presence
This was the €25 million Serb's first start in two spells at the club and his physical presence and ability to stride forward with purpose stamped authority on the occasion. He is unrecognisable from the wiry youth who had mustered three substitute appearances in 2009-10.

“He was very comfortable, offering big stability,” said Mourinho. “I have no statistics but he stole a lot of balls and his passing was always quality. His left foot is soft. The ball comes always sweetly and the decision is always an easy, simple decision. The team flies when somebody makes it so simple.”

Stoke, once Peter Crouch had nodded wide five minutes in, failed miserably to check it. Even in the last 10 minutes, when their resistance – personified by the excellence of Ryan Shawcross and Asmir Begovic – had earned them a chance to pour forwards in search of parity, they mustered little of note.

They can concentrate now on securing top-flight survival, with Cardiff’s Peter Odemwingie to join today as Kenwyne Jones heads in the opposite direction.

Hazard is irrepressible these days for Chelsea, his burst of pace across the turf and quality in touch and vision illuminating his side’s approach on a weekly basis. The Belgian might have conjured rewards for Frank Lampard and Oscar, while quite how neither Samuel Eto’o nor substitute Ramires could score from inside the six-yard box after another fizzed centre defied belief.

Oscar and Andre Schurrle crunched shots across the woodwork and, when David Luiz thrashed a free-kick goalwards late on, Begovic summoned a fine reflex save that took the breath away.

Curled viciously
Another Brazilian had already beaten him from a dead-ball by then. Stoke had disputed Erik Pieters' foul on Eto'o just before the half-hour mark but they were helpless once Oscar dispatched a free-kick which curled viciously towards the post Begovic was guarding but still well beyond his despairing dive.

This was a seventh consecutive win in all competitions. The Etihad stadium awaits in the fifth round.
Guardian Service