Chelsea U18s captain Mason Mount hit a stunning hat-trick as the all-conquering FA Youth Cup holders beat Birmingham City 5-0 in Solihull.
Seven-times winners Chelsea, who have won the last three FA Youth Cups, dominated from the outset as they booked a fifth-round tie at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
It took Mount until the 38th minute to get the breakthrough as he scrambled through the Birmingham defence to thunder home, but once the goal came, his second followed before the half was up when he netted with a well-hit low free-kick.
Cole Dasilva was the man to finish off a free-flowing Chelsea move after 55 minutes before Mount – an FA Youth Cup winner in 2016 – completed his hat-trick with a brilliant effort from the edge of the box.
Reece James then completed the emphatic win with a fifth thanks to fine build-up play from Harvey St Clair, ensuring Chelsea’s title defence continued in dominant fashion.
Lee Carsley’s young Manchester City side booked a fifth-round tie at home to Southampton after turning in a superb performance to beat Liverpool 3-1.
Jadon Sancho was the star of the show for City – who have lost out in the past two finals to Chelsea – and it took a moment of excellence from the 16-year-old to set up Tom Dele-Bashiru up to fire home from 18 yards for the opener.
Though Liverpool equalised through Rhian Brewster, Sadou Diallo put City ahead after the break before Sancho’s drive down the left side freed up Demeaco Duhaney who in turn found Lukas Nmecha in space, the forward shaping a header home to put the finishing touches on a superb performance.
Leicester City beat Carlisle 2-1 at the King Power Stadium thanks to two goals in the first 25 minutes from Calvin Ughelumba and Elliot Webber.
Cameron Salkeld did pull a goal back for Carlisle in the first half, but City shut up shop and ensured they would travel to Middlesbrough in the fifth round.
Preston North End held on to stun Everton 7-6 on penalties and book themselves a spot in the next round to face AFC Wimbledon.
The two sides were poised at 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra-time at Deepdale, but it was Preston who held their nerve to win a mammoth shootout.
