Arjen Robben delivered the perfect response to his critics with a scintillating display as Chelsea completed a Merseyside double - just days after being cast as a villain by Liverpool.

The Dutch winger was slammed by Reds manager Rafael Benitez after his reaction to a push in the face resulted in Jose Reina's red card on Sunday.

But he was backed by Jose Mourinho before tonight's FA Cup game against Everton and produced a superb display as Chelsea coasted through the fourth-round replay, and into a clash with Colchester.

Everton's interest was effectively ended by the interval as Chelsea stormed into a three-goal lead.

And it was Robben, letting his football do the talking, who put the Barclays Premiership champions into the lead in the 22nd minute.

He rounded off a sublime Chelsea move which began with a superb long ball from Eidur Gudjohnsen which was chested down by Hernan Crespo for Robben to supply the necessary finish.

Mourinho clearly felt he could coast to a fifth-round tie against League One leaders Colchester without the aid of some of his more experienced squad members.

He rested midfielder Claude Makelele and central defender Ricardo Carvalho, as well as Czech international goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Nevertheless, the changes did not appear to hinder his side and they made their intentions immediately clear as Everton's Tony Hibbert was forced to clear Robert Huth's header off the line in the fourth minute.

Four minutes later French defender William Gallas, playing at left-back in place of the rested Asier del Horno, almost beat Turner at the near post with a 20-yard effort which fizzed into the side-netting.

The pitch was again a concern with large chunks of the turf making the ball almost uncontrollable at times.

Chelsea mastered the unpredictability of the conditions better than their opponents and in the 16th minute Shaun Wright-Phillips forced Turner to save at the second attempt from a fierce low 20-yard drive.

Having put the home side in front, Robben was enjoying one of those nights when he seemed to be at the centre of everything Chelsea did.

After half an hour, the Dutchman wriggled into space on the left before unleashing a shot which zipped across the face of the six-yard box and out of play.

In the 34th minute Chelsea were awarded a penalty when the dangerous Wright-Phillips was upended by Valente who, having been booked moments earlier, was lucky not to have been sent off by referee Phil Dowd.

Frank Lampard stepped up to convert the spot-kick for his 16th goal of the season in all competitions.

And four minutes later Chelsea put the tie beyond doubt when Hernan Crespo headed home Lampard's free-kick at the near post.

Everton squandered a chance when James Beattie sent the ball high over the bar from three yards after Matteo Ferrari's header fell to the unmarked striker.

Both sides made changes during the interval with Mourinho replacing Crespo with loan signing Maniche and David Moyes exchanging Valente and Beattie for Simon Davies and James McFadden.

But Chelsea continued to dominate and in the 49th minute Turner prevented Gudjohnsen from making it 4-0 with a fine save from the Icelander after he latched onto Robben's through-ball.

In the 62nd minute the rampaging Robben almost grabbed his second as he burst beyond the Everton defence but failed to lift the ball over the advancing Turner.

Robben was eventually removed from the action in the 64th minute and received a standing ovation as he made way for England international Joe Cole.

Everton's half-time changes were helping them to have more of the possession but they still lacked a definitive cutting edge.

However, they reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute when Mikel Arteta sent Carlo Cudicini the wrong way from the penalty spot after Huth was adjudged to have handled a shot from James McFadden.

But it took Chelsea less than two minutes to restore the three-goal margin when Huth's free-kick rebounded for captain John Terry to thump home from eight yards.

Teams

Chelsea Cudicini, Johnson, Huth, Terry, Gallas, Gudjohnsen,Wright-Phillips, Lampard (Geremi 79), Essien,Robben (Joe Cole 64), Crespo (Maniche 45).

Subs Not Used: Cech, Del Horno.

Booked: Gallas.

Goals: Robben 22, Lampard 36 pen, Crespo 39, Terry 74.

Everton Turner, Hibbert, Weir, Ferrari, Neville,Nuno Valente (Davies 45), Arteta, Kilbane, Osman (Carsley 82),Cahill, Beattie (McFadden 45).

Subs Not Used: Wright, Naysmith.

Booked: Nuno Valente, Cahill, Carsley.

Goals: Arteta 72 pen.

Att: 39,301

Ref: P Dowd (Staffordshire).