ANTONIO CONTE’S Chelsea eased into the FA Cup fifth round after comfortably overcoming Newcastle United this afternoon.

Michy Batshuayi gave Chelsea a first-half lead with two goals, before Marcos Alonso saw off Rafa Benitez’s men with a superb second half free-kick.

After being dumped out of the League Cup during midweek to rivals Arsenal, Chelsea supporters would have been expecting a response from their side. They would have been pleased by today’s display.

“A good performance for my team,” said Conte. “After the game at Arsenal there was a bit of disappointment. I am very happy for my players.”

Conte has been critical of his club’s lack of transfer activity as we enter the final days before the window is closed.

He refused to be drawn on the future of Batshuayi, who has struggled for much of the season. As for his view on his club’s transfer business, his tone was a lot more balanced. 

He added: “When you have to play the league, the Champions League and then the FA Cup, three strikers is the minimum.

“Then we have to see what will happen during the transfer market. I don’t know if we will be able to get another player but, if we do, it doesn’t mean Michy has to go on loan. We have a lot of competition.”

The first half of this match was relatively tame. On 24 minutes, Chelsea’s Willy Caballero turned a powerful shot from Jonjo Shelvey around the post. It was the closest either side had come to forcing an opening after a quiet opening to the match.

Newcastle had not been into the fifth round of the competition since 2006 and, despite uneven results in the league, they rarely threatened the home side.

After a positive display from the west Londoners, Chelsea found the breakthrough on 31 minutes following a well-worked team goal involving Pedro, Eden Hazard and Alonso. An unmarked Batshuayi put the ball in from six yards.

Caballero was again tested before the interval, by Newcastle striker Dwight Gayle, but the Chelsea goalkeeper pushed the ball away easily. To their credit, Newcastle’s players kept up the pressure on their opponents.

Meanwhile, defender Antonio Rudiger came close with a curling left footed shot.

Chelsea added a second on 44 minutes when a shot by Batshuayi was blocked by defender Jamaal Lascelles. However, the ball looped into the air and high over goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Chelsea controlled much of the second half. Alonso secured the win with a fine left-footed free-kick over the Newcastle wall.

Benitez said: “We did well in the first half, had chances, put them under pressure. We made a mistake in the counter-attack for the first goal and after the second goal we were unlucky.”