Half-time: Walsall 1 Chelsea 2

Goals from Ramires and Loic Remy put Chelsea firmly on course for the fourth round of the League Cup before James O’Connor pulled one back just before half-time.

Kenedy, making his full debut, crossed from the left for fellow Brazilian Ramires to head past former Fulham keeper Neil Etheridge.

Remy missed a chance to make it 2-0 on 36 minutes when he was unable to force the loose ball home after Paul Downing’s goal-line clearance had denied Radamel Falcao.

But the Frenchman made no mistake when Ramires ran at the Walsall defence and teed him up five minutes later.

Remy walloped past Etheridge and into the roof of the net – the striker’s first goal of the season.

League One side Walsall battled on and were rewarded when O’Connor’s scuffed follow-up trickled over the line after keeper Asmir Begovic had parried a free-kick from former Chelsea youngster Milan Lalkovic.