There was little sign of the second-half deluge that was approaching during an opening 45 minutes of little action, but when it arrived Preston had no answer.

First Armando Broja opened the floodgates with a fine header from Malo Gusto's pinpoint cross, with the striker unlucky not to add to his tally as he hit the crossbar and had a shot cleared off the line in quick succession.

Our second arrived soon enough, though, when Thiago Silva headed in Cole Palmer's corner, and that was quickly followed by a third as Raheem Sterling fired a free-kick past the keeper.

There was time for one more late on too, when Sterling bundled his way through the defenders in the box, allowing Enzo Fernandez to finish from close range at the back post. That completed a comprehensive victory on substitute Michael Golding's debut and Alfie Gilchrist's first senior start.

Before kick-off Stamford Bridge paid tribute to legendary former player and manager Gianluca Vialli, who sadly passed away one year ago, with supporters in the Matthew Harding Stand displaying a large banner in his honour.

Patient start

Both sides set their stall out early, with Preston going back to their goalkeeper straight from kick-off, for Freddie Woodman to hit high and long towards the strikers. It was quickly gathered by the Chelsea defence, though, prompting a long spell of composed possession by the Blues. We seemed in no hurry, but as the half went on it may have been a little too patient at times.

Chances were few and far between, but Sterling had the goalkeeper back-peddling when he met a deflected cross with a first-time shot, which took a ricochet of it’s own. Momentarily it looked like it might loop beyond Woodman’s reach, but he managed to gather on the line.

Getting closer

Palmer did have the beating of the keeper when he was played in behind by a lovely ball over the top from Enzo, but Woodman was quick off his line and didn’t leave much of an angle for Palmer to work with, his effort bouncing just wide of the left-hand post. Still goalless but Chelsea very much on top at the end of the first half.

It was a similar story at the start of the second half. We had plenty of possession and high up in Preston's third of the pitch, but their physical back five initially stood strong to deny us any real sight of goal.

Broja sparks into life

However, just over 10 minutes after half-time, the breakthrough arrived. It was a fine goal to open the scoring too, from our striker who had worked hard for little reward up to this point.

Mykhailo Mudryk did well to keep the attack alive on the byline and find Malo Gusto wide on the left. The Frenchman's whipped inswinging cross was inviting and Broja didn't need to be asked twice, glancing a fine header across the keeper and into the far corner.

Broja seemed full of adrenaline after that goal and was twice unlucky not to get a second in the space of a few minutes. First he closed down Woodman's kick, only for the block to ricochet kindly back to the keeper's feet. Moments later he skimmed the top of the crossbar with another header, this time from Mudryk's cross.

Running away with it

We weren't to be denied further goals for long, though, and the second arrived with another header, this time by substitute Thiago Silva, who had replaced full debutant Alfie Gilchrist on the hour mark.

Cole Palmer's corner curled in towards the near post, where the Brazilian made his trademark run across the near post and got enough power in his effort to beat the keeper from an angle.

Soon it was 3-0, via the boot of Sterling. The opportunity was created when Palmer intercepted a pass in a dangerous area and charged forward on the ball, being halted by a cynical foul which saw Ben Whiteman booked. He was punished further for his misdeed, though, when Sterling stepped up and dispatched the free-kick over the wall and into the top-left corner.

The floodgates had well and truly opened and Broja was desperately unlucky not to add to his tally once again. He raced clear from Sterling's pass and did brilliantly to take it round the goalkeeper, but his left-foot finish from a tight angle was cleared off the line by a sliding Preston defender.

The icing on the cake arrived when Sterling caused chaos in the box by running at Preston and the ball broke to Enzo a few yards out. He steadied himself and buried it. The linesman initially flagged for offside, but after a lengthy check VAR confirmed it was a goal for the Argentine midfielder.

In truth, though, the win was never in doubt once Broja had opened the scoring for the Blues, although there was still time for 17-year-old midfielder Michael Golding to come off the bench to make his Chelsea debut.

What it means

Chelsea's name goes into the hat for the FA Cup fourth round draw, which will take place around 7.50pm on Monday evening.

What is next

The knock-out football continues, with the first leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final away at Middlesbrough at 8pm on Tuesday 9 January, before the Premier League returns with a home derby against Fulham, which kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday 13 January.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Gilchrist (Thiago Silva 61), Disasi, Colwill (c), Gusto; Enzo (Golding 89), Caicedo; Sterling, Palmer (Gallagher 76), Mudryk (Madueke 61); Broja (Washington 76)
Unused subs: Bergstrom, Bettinelli, Maatsen, Williams
Scorers: Broja 58, Thiago Silva 66, Sterling 69, Enzo 88

Preston (3-5-2): Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes (Best 74); Potts, Browne (c), Whiteman (Ledson 89), McCann (Holmes 89), Millar; Osmajic (Riis 64), Keane (Evans 64)
Unused subs: Cornell, Cunningham, Frokjaer-Jensen, Woodburn
Booked: Whiteman 68, Holmes 90+4

Referee: Thomas Bramall

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