Jose Mourinho: 'Derby County fought to the end'

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has praised League Cup quarter-final opponents Derby County after the Blues sealed a 3-1 win at the iPro Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Eden Hazard opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half before Filipe Luis doubled their lead with a free kick just before the hour.

Despite Craig Bryson's strike for the Rams in the 71st minute, Andre Schurrle killed the game off in the latter stages of the game after Jake Buxton was sent off for Steve McClaren's side.

Mourinho told BBC Sport after the game: "Derby are a Championship side but not a typical one, they have more quality than that and they play good football with fantastic support.

"We played in a very professional way and controlled the game for most of the time. They fought to the end and for a few minutes after they scored they were able to put us in trouble.

"Cesc Fabregas is playing so well for us. What I like is as a person he is a professional. He is a World Champion, he comes here to play in the Capital One Cup and plays like that, That is the character I like."

The result means that Chelsea are in the final four of the League Cup alongside Sheffield United, with the remaining two quarter-final ties to be played on Wednesday.