Now the latest tremor looks to have shaken Chelsea teammate Ashley Cole and Chelsea club secretary David Barnard.
"We're confident and feel we're good enough to progress, " said Ashley Cole, the Chelsea defender.
Cole is recently divorced from British footballer Ashley Cole, who plays for Chelsea and the English national team.
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The Manchester United boss was speaking in light of the Ashley Cole incident on Wednesday when the Chelsea player turned his back on referee Mike Riley.
He applied a clever finish to Ashley Cole's cross to give Chelsea a lead against the run of play that they would protect in trademark fashion.
Just 34 minutes were on the clock when Chelsea racked up their fourth - Lampard stretching to volley home Ashley Cole's cross - and Ballack, Joe Cole and Anelka again all failed to finish off flowing moves as Chelsea moved the ball about at will.
Salomon Kalou drove in a shot to put Chelsea ahead again before Ashley Cole slotted in the visitors' third.
Chelsea and England stars Ashley Cole and John Terry were there, alongside Olympian Denise Lewis and EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, whose brother Ben was stabbed and killed in London this June.
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Even with Benitez's decision to rest the likes of Eden Hazard, Ashley Cole, Ramires and Juan Mata, Chelsea was expected to see off a QPR side which had already lost 12 of its 20 league games.
Terry is set go to South Africa as captain, while Bridge, who now plays for Manchester City, is also likely to be selected in Capello's squad as understudy to another former Chelsea team-mate, Ashley Cole.
He will have been concerned by England's defensive vulnerability, but he was able to see injury-plagued Tottenham defender King complete 90 minutes and his worries will be placed in context by the knowledge he has Chelsea duo John Terry and Ashley Cole to recall.
Ashley Cole has been linked with a move away from the club following Chelsea's alleged 'tapping-up' of the England defender.
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Benfica made a bright start but when Garcia brought down Ashley Cole to concede a penalty, well-taken by Lampard, Chelsea could breath easier.
Chelsea continued to pen their rivals back after the break and Ashley Cole fizzed an angled shot wide.
The match at Stamford Bridge was decided by a 76th minute freekick awarded to Chelsea by referee Martin Atkinson who judged that Darren Fletcher had fouled Ashley Cole close to the touchline.
And as United pressed at the very end of the game, it took goal-line clearances from Ashley Cole and Andriy Shevchenko to deny first Cristiano Ronaldo and then Darren Fletcher and ensure Chelsea claimed a vital three points.
Chelsea's anger boiled over minutes later when Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were both booked for dissent after which Joseph Yobo went close for Everton as he hooked his foot around a low right-foot volley to force Cech into a smart low save.
In the 2009-10 season, Ashley Cole's return from a long-term injury for the final four games gave Chelsea the spark needed needed to win the championship.
Chelsea managed only to trouble the referee, who booked John Terry, Lampard and Ashley Cole in the first half.
Salomon Kalou put Chelsea ahead when he volleyed in from Frank Lampard's cross, and later Ashley Cole hit the bar as the Hammers were pinned back.
Matching up against Chelsea's diamond formation, with Rooney floating and Antonio Valencia pushed up against left back Ashley Cole, United stifled their opponents' rhythm and just had the better of a keenly fought first half.
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