The Blues battled past our old rivals courtesy of the Argentine’s first-half header, with a well-earned clean sheet at the other end ensuring we advanced to the FA Cup final for the 17th time in our history.

Fernandez makes his mark

Fernandez was Player of the Match on the Chelsea Official App with over half the Blues fans who voted choosing the midfielder as our star performer on the day. It is easy to see why.

Fernandez had both our shots on target on the day, with the second of those his powerful header that put us in front. His determination to get in the box and ability to find space between a pair of Leeds defenders showcased his goalscoring nous – he now has 13 for the season in all competitions.

Excluding the win over Port Vale, it was our first goal since he scored away to PSG on 11 March, and it booked our place in next month’s showpiece.

But there was more to Fernandez’s performance than that goal. Much of our best play went through him. He created a game-high three chances, and played more passes in the final third – 25 – than anyone else on the pitch. He had 80 touches, the most of anyone in blue, and carried the ball into the final third on eight occasions.

Fernandez was typically combative out of possession, too. He won nine of the 15 duels he contested, drew a Chelsea-high four fouls, and recovered the ball on another four occasions.

On a day when doggedness and a solitary moment of quality proved the difference, Fernandez well and truly delivered.

Sanchez mixes it up

Fernandez’s goal stemmed from a long Robert Sanchez kick. Our keeper was not afraid to go longer when the situation dictated it, with ten of his passes played into the final third.

From one, Pedro Neto contested the initial duel and after we stole possession back, the winger darted into space before crossing for Fernandez to head home.

In the second half, a Sanchez chip to halfway ended in an Alejandro Garnacho shot that was deflected just wide. The keeper’s diagonal switches, meanwhile, helped us play through Leeds’ press and use the width of the Wembley pitch to our advantage.

Of course, saving efforts on goal is the primary objective of any keeper and Sanchez made a couple of vital stops, denying Brenden Aaronson with an outstretched right foot when the game was goalless, and tipping Anton Stach’s shot over the bar with a strong hand early in the second period. No wonder Calum McFarlane said the Spaniard was a ‘massive part of our win’.

Tosin embodies rearguard action

Sanchez was backed up by a solid defensive performance in front of him as we secured our first clean sheet against Premier League opposition since January.

Tosin Adarabioyo embodied that rearguard action, bringing physicality and experience to the heart of our defence.

The big centre-back registered a game-high 11 clearances and won seven of the nine duels he contested, limiting the threat posed by Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Tosin went up for eight headers and won the ball seven times.

He also recovered possession on three occasions and when Leeds gained some momentum, Tosin and the rest of those in blue ‘dug in, fought, competed and defended our box unbelievably well’, as McFarlane put it after watching his team book a return ticket to Wembley in a few weeks’ time.