LONDON - CHELSEA striker Nicolas Anelka gave new manager Guus Hiddink the perfect welcome as his hat-trick clinched a 3-1 win over Watford in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.

Hiddink doesn't officially take charge until Monday after replacing sacked Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari earlier this week, but the Dutchman was watching from the Vicarage Road stands alongside owner Roman Abramovich as Anelka's late treble denied Championship strugglers Watford a famous victory.

Hornet striker Tamas Priskin had threatened to give Hiddink a headache when he chipped the hosts ahead. But Anelka equalised in the 75th minute, struck again two minutes later and put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time.

Watford took the lead in the 69th minute as Priskin beat Chelsea's offside trap and dinked a cool finish that deflected over Petr Cech and looped into the net.

But Anelka saved Hiddink from an embarrassing introduction to English football. The France striker scored the equaliser in the 75th minute with a bicycle kick from Frank Lampard's corner.

With Watford on the back foot, Ashley Cole lofted in a cross towards Anelka, whose header bounced once before beating Scott Loach. Anelka confirmed Chelsea's place in the quarter-finals with a low finish in the final moments.

Anelka insisted the change of managers was never going to destablise his team.

'We are still strong. Even at a goal down we are capable to come back and win the game. Now we have to do it in the league,' Anelka said.

'The most important thing is not changing the manager, it is to win. We did that so it is good.' -- AFP