Chelsea set the FA Cup final date with Liverpool as they beat Crystal Palace and unlikely hero Ruben Loftus-Cheek scores the Blues’ first goal in three years

Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to set a May 14 final date with Liverpool.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount were the two goalscorers for the Blues in the second half, who finally showed their class and smashed their stubborn London rivals.

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Getty

The first half was largely uneventful as Chelsea were disappointed and Palace held firm.

The main talking point of the first 45 minutes came when Kai Havertz was booked for a simulation in a bid to win a penalty.

Replays showed that Marc Guehi had indeed made no contact with the German.

In the second half, Chelsea didn’t improve much to start, although they eventually broke the deadlock with 25 to go.

Havertz progressed to the right side of the penalty area and removed a ball that bounced into Loftus-Cheek’s path.

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Getty

The Englishman returned the ball with force – his first goal for the Blues since scoring in the Europa League semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2019.

It was Loftus-Cheek’s first goal for any team from the net while on loan at Fulham against Everton in November 2020.

Mount doubled Chelsea’s advantage in the 76th minute to secure a place in the final.

The 23-year-old exchanged passes with Timo Werner and passed goalkeeper Jack Butland from inside the box.

Chelsea will now meet Liverpool, who beat Manchester City 3-1 on Saturday, in a final at Wembley for the second time this season – having been beaten on penalties by the Reds in the League Cup in February.

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