Guus Hiddink may be the ultimate managerial mercenary, but the well-travelled Dutchman is no miracle-worker. Chelsea’s interim manager has conjured a magic act of sorts in transforming a demoralised squad and keeping them fighting on three fronts, but even he conceded last night that the biggest domestic prize is now beyond them. At this stage of the season, Manchester United’s lead of six points over them — with a game in hand on both their main rivals — is less of a gap, more a yawning chasm.

The Champions League still looms on the horizon like a tantalising dream, but on this evidence winning the FA Cup will not be as straightforward as many imagined. An Everton team missing several key players gave as good as they got and not until stoppage time, when Didier Drogba turned in the penalty area before lashing a shot against the crossbar, did Chelsea look like finding a winner. Indeed, without a series of outstanding saves from the Petr Cech, they would have been beaten long before.

Chelsea’s title hopes last season were effectively killed off at Stamford Bridge 53 weeks ago by Wigan Athletic’s injury-time equaliser and although this setback lacked such drama, the feeling of anticlimax was familiar. There were a few isolated boos from some supporters at the final whistle, but in the main Chelsea fans were as lacking in energy as their players.

Chelsea recovered from dropping points against Wigan last year to earn one last chance by beating United at Stamford Bridge, but another twist looks unlikely in the coming weeks. David Moyes, the Everton manager, suggested that they may have been distracted by the prospect of facing Barcelona on Tuesday and Hiddink could be forgiven for resting players against West Ham United on Saturday.

The Dutchman took the opposite approach last night, sticking with the team who beat Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-finals, a gamble that backfired as many of his players were short of sharpness. Nicolas Anelka has not scored for 11 matches, while even Michael Essien was lacking his customary boundless energy.

Just like last season, Chelsea came up short in the Barclays Premier League when it mattered most, — although a glance at a bench featuring Jacob Mellis, an unknown teenager, for the first time revealed that Hiddink had few options. Their lack of depth has been evident all season, particularly on the flanks, a problem that they will try to solve with an extensive recruitment drive in the summer.

Everton’s squad, by contrast, stood up to the task of two matches in the space of four days and created more chances than they managed against United on Sunday. The front two of Tim Cahill and Jô were particularly potent, each playing the other through on goal in the first half only to be denied by good saves from Cech, and the Brazil forward contriving later to lose his footing with the goal at his mercy. They could also have had a penalty for Alex’s challenge on Leighton Baines.

For the second successive week, Hiddink was required to utter an expletive-strewn half-time team-talk at Stamford Bridge, although it failed to have the same effect as during last week’s 4-4 draw with Liverpool. There was a noticeable increase in Chelsea’s intensity, but they still needed Cech to keep them in the game. The goalkeeper made a smart save from a header by Cahill and dived in head-first at the feet of Jô, a remarkable show of bravery given that he suffered a fractured skull 2½ years ago.

Chelsea’s best chance was wasted by Anelka, whose form has dipped just as Drogba’s has revived, suggesting that Luiz Felipe Scolari may have been right about their incompatibility. Hiddink appeared to think so, bringing on Salomon Kalou for the France striker after an hour, but his finishing was equally erratic as he shot straight at Tim Howard. The Everton goalkeeper is likely to be equally difficult to beat at Wembley next month.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — B Ivanovic, Alex, J Terry, A Cole — M Essien (sub: J O Mikel, 61min), M Ballack — N Anelka (sub: S Kalou, 61), F Lampard, F Malouda (sub: F Di Santo, 77) — D Drogba. Substitutes not used: Hilário, J Belletti, M Mancienne, J Mellis.

Everton (4-4-1-1): T Howard — L Jacobsen (sub: P Jagielka, 88), J Yobo, J Lescott, L Baines — L Osman (sub: J Rodwell, 89), P Neville, S Castillo, S Pienaar — T Cahill — Jô (sub: L Saha, 90). Substitutes not used: C Nash, A Hibbert, J Vaughan, D Gosling. Booked: Neville.

Referee: M Halsey.