LONDON: Chelsea exploited Manchester City`s decision to field a weakened team by reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 5-1 victory on Sunday as London rivals Tottenham Hotspur were knocked out by fellow capital club Crystal Palace.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini showed that the focus was on his side`s Champions League last 16 first-leg match against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, handing five players their debut at Stamford Bridge.

And second-half goals by Willian, Gary Cahill, Eden Hazard and Bertrand Traore, after the teams went into the break level at 1-1 after City`s David Faupala cancelled out Diego Costa`s headed opener, underlined Chelsea`s dominance.

Chelsea face a stiffer task in the next round away to Everton who they beat in the 2009 FA Cup final.

Martin Kelly was Palace`s unlikely hero at White Hart Lane as his first goal for the south London side and first for anyone since he scored 1,545 days previously for Liverpool at Chelsea in November 2011 on the stroke of half-time proved the difference.

Palace`s reward was a quarter-final away to second-tier Reading, a club once managed by Eagles boss Alan Pardew.-Agencies