Hasselbaink goal drives Chelsea to next round

Stoke 0 Chelsea 2

Like Shrewsbury before them, Stoke found out that Chelsea under manager Claudio Ranieri are no longer a soft touch.

Even without inspirational pair Gianfranco Zola and Marcel Desailly, the Premiership aristocrats were much too strong for the home side, currently struggling at the wrong end of Division One.

Chelsea took their time to break down the opposition but once Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink made the breakthrough there was only going to be one winner.

Substitute Jesper Gronkjaer added a superb second to make sure last season's beaten finalists marched on.

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri admitted afterwards he would not mind meeting Arsenal in the last eight of the FA Cup although he would prefer a final showdown.

The teams could be on course for an action replay of last season's showdown in Cardiff. Arsenal triumphed 2-0 when the sides met in the final last season but Ranieri is looking forward to another encounter with their London rivals.

"Why not?" he said. "Sooner or later we have to win against Arsenal, but I would like to meet them in the final.

"All I am looking for from the draw is a home match, like all the other managers."

Ranieri was delighted with the way Chelsea went about their business and added Stoke to their lower league scalps after disposing of Shrewsbury.

"I am very pleased we are showing good character. We are playing at the same level, no matter the standard of the opposition.

"We tried to build up some rhythm but it was very difficult. Stoke were well organised and defended well. They were dangerous from dead-ball situations.

"It was very important that we got the first goal as that gave us more space in which to work."

Stoke had a couple of good chances through James O'Connor but are now left to concentrate on a battle for survival in Division One.

Manager Tony Pulis believes the way they performed this afternoon has set the benchmark: "We have to keep this kind of performance going for our next 15 league games."

"When you are playing the top teams like Chelsea they counter-attack so well. That's what we saw in this game.

"They have plenty of quality and it wouldn't surprise me to see them go all the way in the competition."

STOKE: Banks, Thomas, Handyside, Shtanuk, Marcus Hall, Henry (Gudjonsson 56), O'Connor, Gunnarsson, Neal (Marteinsson 79), Iwelumo, Greenacre (Goodfellow 79).

CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Le Saux, Stanic (Cole 87), Lampard, Petit (Huth 84), De Lucas (Gronkjaer 61), Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen.

Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).