Derby County 1–3 Chelsea
Chelsea advanced to the League Cup semis with a battling win at Pride Park but injuries to two players will cause concern for Jose Mourinho.
Kurt Zouma was carried off after a nasty clash of heads with Petr Cech and Didier Drogba limped away with an ankle problem to deplete Blues stocks at a time when games come thick and fast.
The opening was even with Chelsea applying more meaningful pressure than their hosts.
But it was credit enough to Steve McClaren's side that it took the Premier League's top team 23 minutes to open up the side from a league below.
When that came, it was essentially a self-inflicted wound – with Rams captain Richard Keogh fluffing a back pass.
Eden Hazard took on Cesc Fabregas' umpteenth assist of the season, before weaving this way and that, turning, and scoring with a fierce low ball.
Derby had a chance shortly before the break, when a corner caused consternation in the box. Both Cech and Zouma went for the aerial ball, and the pair appeared to clash heads – leaving the sizeable young defender flat out on the pitch.
Players surrounding him showed greater and greater concern, with them beckoning on a stretcher – and Mourinho trying to chivvy the bearers of it towards the injured player.
So frustrated did Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta get at the delay, they grabbed the stretcher and attempted to drag it to their team mate lying injured on the pitch.
That was the end of Zouma's involvement, as he was finally carted off after a delay of some minutes – news later suggesting the loss of a tooth being the worst of it for Zouma.
Ten minutes from the restart came a moment of brilliance from a man yet to make a major impression on the Chelsea first team.
Filipe Luis sent a free kick, 25 yards out, spinning and turning as it went, arcing around the wall into into Lee Grant's goal.
Chelsea, though, eased up – and Derby did finally manage to take advantage.
A period of sustained pressure from the Rams bore fruit on 71 minutes, when Craig Bryson drilled home from the edge of the D to give the home side hope.
That hope was all but dashed six minutes later, when a Derby man saw red, with the whole place in a state of confusion.
Loic Remy, on for the injured Drogba, piled forward and found himself sandwiched between keeper Grant and centre half Jake Buxton on the edge of the box.
The assistant referee flagged like crazy – and most were expecting Grant to go for what looked like handball out of his area. But it was the defender who went for a tug of Remy's shirt.
Chelsea quickly took advantage – Remy's shot on 82 minutes blocked by Grant, but Andre Schurrle rifling in the rebound.
At least two more games are added to the Blues’ schedule, and two players look set for at least some rest. But crucially, Mourinho takes another step closer to his first piece of silverware since returning to Stamford Bridge.
