Diego Costa put his stamp on Chelsea’s midweek League Cup semi-final victory, and left stud marks on his Liverpool opponents that could force Jose Mourinho to rethink his planned line-up for the weekend’s critical league game against Manchester City.

Accidental, insisted the Blues boss, but Liverpool gaffer Brendan Rodgers was not so sure. Branislav Ivanovic eventually clinched the two-legged tie with an extra-time header.

Whatever may happen in terms of any FA retrospective action, the Blues are through to Wembley in one competition.

But not the FA Cup. Thirty to one were the odds you’d have got for lowly Bradford City beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Oddly, though no one felt it at the time, elimination from the trophy which the Blues have won so many times is probably the best thing that could have happened, in view of all the Champions League fixtures round the corner.

A single humiliating afternoon ended the atmosphere of smug complacency which had begun to settle over SW6 like a close-knitted comfort blanket.

Superstars defeated by journeymen, millionaires humbled by minnows.

It proved that no matter how powerful Jose and his merry men believed themselves to be, when it comes to 11 against 11, the hungrier animal can still kill the king of the jungle.

After the 4-2 home defeat, the player to feel sorry for was Andreas Christensen, the Blues’ right back, elevated to the first team from the youth squad. Although Jose was quick to say that the 18-year-old had not been at fault, it will be a challenge for the young Dane to put the result behind him.

Before last weekend, Christensen had only played one first-team game, in the League Cup.

So to Man City’s visit. The fact that City were also knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend adds further spice to an already mouth-watering clash. Stand by for a score draw.