If it had gone wrong yesterday, nothing could have spared Benitez from the full force of Stamford Bridge outrage, omitting Frank Lampard and John Terry deemed further incitement.
Yet not only did Benitez beat his old nemesis to earn a semi-final with Manchester City, he did it with a display all about the old-style Chelsea virtues.Solid defending, capped by the save of the season from Petr Cech, the sort of stop that inspires a team and left Javier Hernandez laughing in disbelief.
Effort and commitment, snuffing out a surprisingly flat United, for whom only Danny Welbeck shone.Creativity and ingenuity up front, with Juan Mata and Eden Hazard interchanging with bewildering subtlety.
And, in a game that was determined by the key moments and fine margins, a goal of consummate, breathtaking brilliance, Mata's clip forward steered magnificently home by the outstretched foot of Demba Ba.Enough to see off United. Enough to take some of the heat off Rafa. Enough to keep Chelsea's season on track and take some of the shine off Sir Alex Ferguson's.
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