Chelsea secured safe passage to the fifth round as Fikayo Tomori’s header helped end his former club Hull City’s hopes of an upset.
After last weekend’s last-gasp loss at Newcastle was compounded by a late Arsenal leveller on Tuesday, Frank Lampard’s Blues avoided a frustrating week getting any worse at the Championship play-off hopefuls.
Lampard’s muchchanged Chelsea side had started sloppily against a Hull team buoyed by a full KCOM Stadium, where Mateo Kovacic’s diagonal pass found Cesar Azpilicueta wide on the right.
Mason Mount’s effort was blocked after being found by the Chelsea skipper’s first-time cross, but Michy Batshuayi picked up the loose ball and fired home via a deflection.
Other than a Mallik Wilks cross that Willy Caballero flapped at, Chelsea were on the front foot as they switched play well and looked to expose the hosts’ vulnerability at full-back.
Long raced off his line to deny Ross Barkley, before the England international dragged wide, with the Hull keeper producing another fine stop when Mount attempted to dink the ball over him.
The volume inside the KCOM Stadium rose after that save, with Jarrod Bowen and Tom Eaves having halfhearted attempts before the first half ended with another fine George Long save as Azpilicueta got away a stoppagetime shot. Hull were fortunate to go into the break just a goal down, but Grant McCann’s team started the second period positively and pushed for a leveller.
Bowen came closest for the Tigers, underlining the quality that has led to many admiring glances. He burst forward and forced the Chelsea defence back, before taking a strike that flew just over the bar.
Kamil Grosicki was brought on as Hull scented blood and, 12 minutes from time, his 20-yard free-kick found the top corner thanks to a huge deflection.
Chelsea substitute Billy Gilmour was denied from distance, and Marcos Alonso flashed over as the game became stretched, with Hull pushing for a shock equaliser.
Grosicki put wide as Hull threw everything at Chelsea late on, but Lampard’s side held out.