By Tim Harrison
Chelsea’s U18s thrashed Arsenal’s youth team at the Emirates on Monday night to lift a trophy that they've won so often it'll soon be named after them.
A 7-1 aggregate crushing of the young Gunners means the Blues have now won the FA Youth Cup five times on the trot.
Taking a 3-1 lead to north London from the first leg, Chelsea went ahead on the night in the 11th minute... looking through Billy Gilmour’s eyes, as it were.
The midfielder scored first before super-confident Callum Hudson-Odoi contributed a brace, then provided the assist for sub Tino Anjorin to add the cherry on top.
The result means Chelsea have the chance to do an extraordinary double over Arsenal in the space of a week as Chelsea Ladies face their red rivals at Wembley on Saturday afternoon in the Women's FA Cup as well.
That’s a match with added importance after the Blues were knocked out of the Women's Champions League 5-1 on aggregate by their old bogey team Wolfsburg.
Meanwhile, Spurs’ 2-0 victory over Watford on Monday night means Mauricio Pochettino’s men have steadied their recent wobbles, and now look most likely to finish in the contested fourth European slot in the table.
The Chelsea men face an oddly familiar figure in Mo Salah this weekend, playing Liverpool in the league on Sunday after the Scousers’ European midweek adventure.
In theory, Tony Conte’s men will be fresher after a clear week following the win at Swansea, but this is the time of the season when weird results often occur, and the Blues’ form is as uncertain as a home secretary’s job security.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
