MX23RW : Thursday, January 31 09:07:50

Zola: Club and fans are singing off the same hymn sheet over Hudson-Odoi

Zola: Club and fans are singing off the same hymn sheet over Hudson-Odoi
© Reuters
Assistant boss Zola wants the 18-year-old forward to stay at the club.

Chelsea assistant boss Gianfranco Zola hopes Callum Hudson-Odoi's goal against Sheffield Wednesday will not be his last for the club.

Hudson-Odoi scored on what could be his final Chelsea appearance and Willian netted twice as the FA Cup holders advanced with a 3-0 fourth-round win over the Championship Owls at Stamford Bridge.

Hudson-Odoi started despite submitting a transfer request ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline and the 18-year-old winger netted Chelsea's second after 64 minutes.

The Chelsea fans immediately began to sing "we want you to stay", and Zola smiled: "We want him to stay as well, we were singing too.

"He has a contract. We believe in what he can do for this team. I don't think there are many 18-year-old players around Europe that are are playing as much as him in a big team.

"If you look at Juventus, all the big teams, they don't have many 18-year-old players playing like we do. That shows that we believe in him, we think he can be an important player for us, so we will see what happens.

"We can do as much as we can do. From our point of view he has a lot of strong players next to him.  But we still find the space for him to play.

Hudson-Odoi discards a foreign object which was thrown onto the pitch
Hudson-Odoi discards a foreign object which was thrown onto the pitch (Nick Potts/PA)

"Did he look like he didn't want to play? Yesterday in training he scored a fantastic goal."

Until Hudson-Odoi scored, an official sitting 14 miles away in Stockley Park had been the most influential person on the contest, despite the fact Gonzalo Higuain was making his Chelsea debut.

When Joey Pelupessy surged through to try to meet Steven Fletcher's pass, Ethan Ampadu slid in and won the ball before being kicked by the Wednesday midfielder. Referee Andre Marriner's award of a penalty was swiftly overturned by VAR.

Play restarted with a dropped ball, as per the rules, which Wednesday did not contest. Soon they had conceded a spot-kick.

Blues academy graduate Sam Hutchinson trod on Cesar Azpilicueta. Marriner's decision was reviewed, but there was no doubt.

Willian appeared to offer the spot-kick to Higuain, who declined, before the Brazilian sent goalkeeper Keiren Westwood the wrong way for his 50th Chelsea goal.

Owls caretaker boss Steve Agnew said: "With VAR, it was obviously the correct decision but I thought we should have had a corner as a result so that seemed a strange decision. But we're all a bit wiser now.

"We're obviously disappointed but the players gave everything in terms of effort and organisation."

The hosts celebrated in front of the Shed End, packed with visiting fans, some of whom took exception, with missiles thrown.

"I wasn't aware of that. It's not the right thing to do," added Agnew.

Hudson-Odoi beat Westwood at his near post to all but end the contest and Willian added a late third as the Blues cruised into the fifth round.


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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool24194155144161
2Manchester CityMan City24182463194456
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs24180650242654
4Arsenal24145550331747
5Chelsea24145540231747
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd24136548351345
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2410593031-135
8Everton249693533233
9Watford249693334-133
10Bournemouth24103113742-533
11Leicester CityLeicester2495103030032
12West Ham UnitedWest Ham2494113037-731
13Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2475122736-926
14Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2466122132-1124
15Crystal Palace2465132433-923
16Southampton2458112641-1523
17Burnley2465132545-2023
18Cardiff CityCardiff2454152046-2619
19Fulham2445152553-2817
20Huddersfield TownHuddersfield2425171341-2811

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