Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane expressed delight after his side halted a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats without scoring to beat Leeds United 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. A first-half header from Enzo Fernández proved decisive, with goalkeeper Robert Sánchez making vital saves to secure victory.
McFarlane, who replaced the sacked Liam Rosenior this week, acknowledged the psychological importance of the result. “It was important to break the momentum and the form that we were in,” he said. “That completely changes the feel in the group and gives us confidence going into the next five games.”
The interim manager praised Fernández, who had been dropped for two matches by Rosenior after being linked with Real Madrid. “He’s a winner, he’s got so much talent, so much fight and he’s massive for this group,” McFarlane added. “He was exceptional today.”
Sánchez, who denied Brenden Aaronson and Anton Stach with fine saves, said the players were desperate to respond after their poor league form. “The boys reacted in the way they should have,” he said. “We’ve tried to keep everyone positive in training and it’s the chance to be in another final.”
Leeds manager Daniel Farke admitted his side were nervous, failing to score at Wembley for the fourth consecutive visit. “You could feel the boys were a bit too nervous today to be at their free-flowing best,” he said. McFarlane will now lead Chelsea in the final against Manchester City next month, aiming for the club’s first domestic trophy since 2018.
