Chelsea got their just revenge on Manchester United beating them 5-4 after extra time to set up another potental flashpoint occasion at Leeds United in the quarter-final of the. capial One cup.
While this tie had nothing like the passion or controversy of the weekend league fixture, it more than made up for it with goals, and lots of them to boot.
Three times United took the lead through goals by Ryan Giggs, Javier Hernandez and Nani and three times the Blues responded from the efforts of David Luiz (pen), Gary Cahill and Oscar (pen).
The Brazil midfielder's strike was the last kick of the 90 minutes and Chelsea then took the lead seven minutes into extra time via a crisp Daniel Sturridge drive.
Substitute Ramires then scored when a brilliant quick counter-attack saw the Brazil midfielder cooly slot home the fifth.
United responded through a Giggs penalty after Azpilicueta upended Hernandez to set up a grandstand finish.
The first effort of goal was reserved from the unlikely left boot of Chelsea centre-back David Luiz on four minutes.
The Brazil stopper did not disappoint, blasting over Anders Lindergaard's crossbar with. Wayward effort from 25 yards.
Daniel Sturridge, in the starting line-up in place of suspended Fernando Torres, then was on the receiving end of a shocking miss pass from Darren Fletcher. The England ace should have passed left to Juan Mata but instead got himself tangled up with The Manchester United rearguard and the opportunistic chance was lost.
He then fluffed his lines a minute later on eight minutes, when he failed to collect a inch-perfect pass from Cesar Azpilicueta.
He fell over in the area in comical fashion, much to the delight of the 6,000 United fans who some of whom were holding up a mocking banner aping the famous John Terry one, this time it was called, 'Clattenberg, Referee, leader, Legend' .
The first man into Lee Mason's book went to Oriel Romeu, on 12 minutes for a foul. From the resultant free-kick, Nani expertly produced a fizzing 25-yarder, but it went straight into the midriff of captain Petr Cech.
This was closely followed up by a long-range effort from Danny Welbeck with similar response from Cech.
The visitors took the lead with a shocking piece of play on 22 minutes. Cech casually passed the ball from a goal kick to Romeu on the edge of his penalty area. He was quickly pounced on by Anderson who dispossessed him. The ball fell gleefully to Ryan Giggs who stroked home past an embarrassed Cech.
Mikel then became Mason's second booking after the midfielder tripped Welbeck. Undaunted, Chelsea continued to play the patient passing game.
And it was duly rewarded on 30 minutes when Victor Moses, always a threat on the right, was tripped inside the United area by Buttner.
Mason had no doubt that contact was made, and awarded a penalty which Luiz dispatched with unerring accuracy, giving Lindegaard little chance.
With two minutes left on the clock before the break, Chelsea self-destructed again with another defensive howler.
Luiz decided to go on a walkabout but typically gave the ball away cheaply in midfield. The ball was quickly moved forward where, Hernandez beat the weak offside tap.
The Mexican took one step forward, inside the Chelsea area and arrowed a cool left footer past a hapless Cech to put the visitors 2-1 up.
Midfielder Nick Powell replaced Buttner at half-time for the Reds, while Ramires came on for Mikel.
Powell was quick to show his worth within two minutes, forcing Cech into a diving save from a wickedly swerving 20-yarder.
Sturridge then had a marvellous chance to level the scores when a Mata corner went straight to an unmarked Sturridge, six yards out. Instead of trapping the ball, he decided on an audacious back heel which went excruciatingly wide of goal.
But the Blues restored parity on 52 minutes when Mata, again put in the perfect corner ball and it was met with the full meat of Gary Cahill's head and it powered into the net.
Rafael tried to claim he headed it clear, but the ball was a least a metre over the line.
Eden Hazard entered the fray for the home side three minutes later.
The goals just kept on rolling in as the visitors took the lead for the third time on 59 minutes.
A smart one-two between Nani and Anderson, saw the Portugal winger race though the Chelsea defence and clip a delightful right-footed chip over a prone Cech from six yards out.
Anderson wasted a fine chance to put the game to bed a minute later, kicking the ball over the crossbar with the goal gaping.
Scott Wootton was the first United player to net Mason's book on 63 minutes when a poor challenge on Sturridge saw the striker have his boot ripped off in the process.
Moses then saw his header inch over Lindegaard's crossbar as the Blues attempted to work their way back into the tie.
Azpilicueta then followed this up on 70 minutes by heading over the crossbar from close range after an excellent passage of possession play by the home side.
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo made his final change with 18 left, bringing on Brazil midfielder Oscar for Romeu.
Refereeing controversy is never far between these two sides and Chelsea could feel aggrieved when Mason failed to give a penalty when Mata's shot hit the right arm of Michael Keane inside the United area.
Moses was then thwarted by a fine save by Lindegaard.
Sir Alex Ferguson replaced Anderson with Ryan Tunnicliffe with 10 minutes left on the clock.
A clever one-two between Mata and Sturridge in the United area saw the striker get off a left-footed shot, but Lindegaard smothered the effort.
The goalkeeper was in action again, and he did well to parry away a swerving viscous shot by Oscar from just outside the area on 85 minutes.
Deep into injury time and with the ref looking to blow the whistle, Chelsea were awarded their second penalty.
Quite why Wootton decided to fell Ramires in the back, is anybodies guess, but he did.
Up stepped Oscar to cooly slot home with the last kick of the 90 minutes.
Two early extra time chances when begging for Sturridge as Chelsea forced the pace.
United's last throw at the dice saw Federico Macheda replace Welbeck on 98 minutes but that was just after the home side took the lead for the first time.
A schoolboy error by centre-back Wootton, who looks like he should still be in school, saw his weak headed clearance fall into the path of Sturridge who made no mistake by racing Clear into the United area. He zip past Lindegaard and ram the ball home into the empty net.
Cahill could have put the game beyond doubt on 103 minutes but his clipped header inched wide of goal.
Luiz then hit the crossbar as Chelsea looked to be running riot.
Lindegaard was on hand to deny Moses a goal with eight minutes of the tie remaining, kicking clear clear the Nigerian's effort.
A fantastic counter attack three minutes later saw Hazard run virtually the length of the pitch before passing to Ramires who rounded Kindegaard and clipping the ball home for their fifth.
But United would not go away and they scored their fourth on the stoke of 120 minutes when Azpilicueta upended Hernandez in the penalty area and Giggs stroked home his second of the night.
That was the last action of a night of sensational goal action and the Blues are now into the quarter-final of the cup. Teams: Chelsea - Cech, Luiz, Romeu, Mata, Mikel, Moses, Sturridge, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Bertrand, Piazon Subs- Hilario, Ramires, Oscar, Hazard, Ferreira, Marin, Saville Manchester United - Lindegaard, Rafael, Anderson, Giggs, Hernandez, Nani, Welbeck, Fletcher, Buttner, Wootton, Keane Subs - Johnstone, Powell, Macheda, Lindgard, Vermijl, Brady, Tunnicliffe. Referee: Lee Mason