Chelsea 3 Sheffield United 0:Saturday brought a familiar sight: Chelsea fans cheering while one of their players lifted a trophy laden with blue ribbons. But it was only Michael Essien with the League Cup, a lesser prize in every way than the other three they still hope to win this season, and the fun ended prematurely when the sprinklers came on and a startled and dampened Essien made a run for the dressing-room.

Although in the league Chelsea remain stuck in second, the Ghanaian will be confident of getting his hands on at least one more trophy this season. His best chance is surely the FA Cup and Essien, ruled out of this game with a knee injury, could return for tonight's quarter-final replay at Tottenham.

Having come back from a two-goal deficit at half-time to draw the first game 3-3, Chelsea are confident Spurs have missed their chance, particularly given the lack of effort expended in this game. "The first match was like a victory for us," said Jose Mourinho. "I think we were out of the FA Cup at half-time. Nobody believed we could still be in, only us. The spirit is great, the confidence is high. We are not stupid people, we know it will be a difficult game against difficult opponents but we firmly believe we are going to win."

After two goals in the first 17 minutes Chelsea were able to conserve their energy with tonight in mind. Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack played one half each, Didier Drogba just 25 minutes. "It's good we had a game like today, when we scored after a few minutes," said Ballack.

"That's the best thing for every team, when you score early so you can control the game. I feel in good condition but it is new for me to just have one day off between games. There was no Christmas break either but I'm fine."

If anything spoiled Mourinho's satisfaction, it was that the league leaders had won with equal ease at lunchtime: the Portuguese admitted to feeling the pressure as his side chase the champions elect. "It's no different, if they win or lose we have to win," he said of the title race.

"Last season, when we were leading, people said the pressure was on us. I said the pressure was on second place and my analysis hasn't changed."

Sheffield United will spend this week enjoying a mini-break in the sunshine, although it seemed here that for some players it had already begun. When Andriy Shevchenko brilliantly scored Chelsea's first goal in the fourth minute he was totally unmarked on the right of the Blades' penalty area; if their right-back Derek Geary was not yet on an aeroplane, he certainly had his head in the clouds. A short while later Salomon Kalou scored the second, Geary once again having lost his man.

When Ballack headed in the third from Shaun Wright-Phillips' free-kick his marker Phil Jagielka was three yards away with his hand in the air, appealing for a mystery offence.

With his side now four points clear of the relegation places Neil Warnock feels their fate will probably be decided during forthcoming home fixtures against Newcastle, West Ham, Watford and Wigan. But they will end the season without their top scorer Rob Hulse, who suffered a double fracture of his left leg after a collision with Petr Cech.

"We've got to try to make sure of our status just for Rob," Warnock said. "It would be my biggest achievement if we stay up."

Chelsea's sights are set somewhat higher. Tonight Tottenham will try to rain on their parade, which at least makes a change from an errant sprinkler.