In truth, the narrow margin of our victory on the scoreboard hardly reflected the extent to which we controlled the game on the pitch. Leeds carried a threat on the counter-attack, but for the vast majority of the match Chelsea were in full control, while Robert Sanchez was on hand to deal with anything which got through.

The Spaniard was called into action early on to deny Brenden Aaronson, but then Joao Pedro struck the post as we began to take charge with some controlled passing play and the occasional display of flair in the final third.

That paid off midway through the first half, when Fernandez timed his run to perfection to meet Pedro Neto's cross and head us into the lead from close range. Joao Pedro and Alejandro Garnacho both went close to extending our advantage either side of half-time, while Sanchez produced another good save to deny Anton Stach as Leeds tried to fight back in the second half.

However, from the moment we took the lead there only ever looked like being one winner of this semi-final, and it will be Chelsea who return here to Wembley in a few weeks to make our 17th appearance in an FA Cup final.

The selection

Calum McFarlane made three changes to the line-up as he returned to the dugout as interim head coach. Robert Sanchez continued between the posts and was protected by a back four of Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Cucurella.

Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia started in midfield, while Alejandro Garnacho came into the attack, alongside Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto. Joao Pedro, after missing our last two matches, was back to spearhead the Chelsea front line.

Big day on the big stage

The match started to a huge roar all around a packed Wembley Stadium, as these two old rivals did battle in the FA Cup once more. It was a typically feisty start, as we have come to expect from games between these two teams, whatever the occasion.

The Leeds supporters were lifted when they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position, but it looped harmlessly over Sanchez’s crossbar. Before long it was Chelsea who were stamping our authority on the game, and Pedro Neto drew the game’s first save with a low drive from outside the box, but it was too close to Lucas Perri to trouble the goalkeeper.

A series of fouls made it difficult to fall into our rhythm during the opening exchanges, although to the referee’s credit he tried to play advantage when he could. Joao Pedro was on the receiving end of some particularly heavy-handed defending, but helped us start to show our threat by lifting an audacious touch over his own and Ao Tanaka’s head to open up play.

Moises Caicedo chipped a clever pass into the box which drew a few gasps around Wembley, but Garnacho just ran out of pitch chasing it down. Just as we were starting to gather some momentum, though, we were grateful to Sanchez, who produced a brilliant save with his legs to keep out Aaronson when the American got in behind the Blues defence.

Making the pressure count

With 20 minutes on the clock and our dominance demonstrated by our 81 per cent of possession so far, Joao Pedro went a whisker away from opening the scoring. It was a slick, quick couple of passes by Romeo Lavia and Fernandez which set the Brazilian haring towards goal. From an angle he beat Perri, but not the woodwork, has his low left-footed shot came back off the near post.

However, just moments later, Chelsea did have the lead our performance deserved, this time Fernandez getting the final touch. The goal came from us applying pressure high up the pitch, forcing Pascal Struijk to cede possession in a dangerous area. From there, Neto lifted a teasing cross and Fernandez was only too pleased to ghost in unmarked and head in the opener.

Joao enjoying himself

Joao Pedro was continuing to show why his return to the team was such a big boost for the Blues. His hold-up and linking play had been excellent, while he continued to demonstrate his own individual threat with an instinctive chest-control and volley on the swivel, although it drifted just wide to deny him a brilliant goal.

As we edged towards the half-time break with a narrow 1-0 lead, we were still firmly in control of possession. The stadium held its breath when Garnacho drove the ball across the six-yard box after a strong run by Neto opened up space in the final third, but there was nobody there to meet it and Leeds were let off the hook. And so it remained advantage Chelsea with 45 minutes played at Wembley, but that advantage was still a slender one.

Daniel Farke looked to change things up after seeing his team second best so far, introducing Joe Rodon and Anton Stach during the break. It nearly had an instant impact, when the ball dropped for Stach on the edge of the box and he smashed it towards the top corner, but Sanchez reacted brilliantly with a strong hand to tip it over the bar.

Before long the Blues were back on the offensive, when a lovely piece of skill by Gusto was followed by a smart Fernandez flick, but Joao Pedro was eventually crowded out in the box before he could get a clean shot away. Garnacho then had an effort deflected over the bar as we continued looking for a second goal, but we had to remain wary of a Leeds side showing more fight since the break, with Sanchez called into action again by a Dominic Calvert-Lewin header.

Keeping a tight grip

The Yorkshire side definitely started to show more threat as the second half went on, especially on the counter, while they began to press higher up to pitch, trying to cause us more problems. There was also a worrying moment when Sanchez went down needing treatment, but thankfully he was back up and ready to continue in time to watch a Leeds free-kick drift wide of his near post.

However, as Leeds became increasingly desperate, we were able to keep them largely at arm's length during the final 20 minutes of the match, helped by the introduction of Andrey Santos and Cole Palmer from the bench.

With control of the possession and the combination of Tosin and Chalobah keeping the Whites' strikers well marshalled, Sanchez was hardly called into action. A few hopeful efforts from range which drifted high and wide was the best our opponents could muster, as we saw things out through eight minutes of added time to book our return ticket to the national stadium in the FA Cup.

What it means

Chelsea will return to Wembley in three weeks' time to take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday 16 May, with silverware up for grabs for the winner.

What is next

The Blues have a bit of time to recover and work on the training pitch with no midweek fixture, before we get back to Premier League action on Monday 4 May, with a 3pm bank holiday kick-off against Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia (Santos 65); Neto, Fernandez (c), Garnacho (Palmer 71); Joao Pedro (Delap 90+8)
Unused subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Fofana, Hato, Essugo, Derry
Scorer: Fernandez 23
Booked: Caicedo 60, Palmer 78, Neto 90+4

Leeds United (3-4-2-1): Perri; Justin (Rodon h-t), Bijol (Stach h-t), Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu (c), Tanaka (Nmecha 74), Gudmundsson; Aaronson (Longstaff 86), Okafor (Gnonto 74); Calvert-Lewin
Unused subs: Darlow, Bornauw, James, Piroe
Booked: Struijk 75, Ampadu 78, Nmecha 84, Bogle 90+4

Referee: Jarred Gillett

Crowd: 82,542