Apparently set for the Stamford Bridge exit door this summer after ending last season on a low ebb with his Champions League dismissal in Moscow before falling out of favour with new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari this season, Drogba suddenly looks a man reborn.

The Ivorian has responded to Hiddink's arrival and even Arsene Wenger was forced to acknowledge the impact he made at Wembley, far beyond the 84th-minute winner that booked an FA Cup final appearance against either Manchester United or Everton on May 30.

And Hiddink weighed in with a special tribute of his own.

"It is amazing," said the Dutchman.

"Didier Drogba is playing a lot of games, every three or four days, and he is producing all the time.

"You do not just judge a striker by his goals. He can do a lot of other things for the team.

"But now Didier is scoring decisive goals in almost every game."

Far from the sullen, moody star Hiddink might have expected when he arrived to rescue the Blues from their alarming slump in February, Drogba presented a positive image.

Like most of the Chelsea players, he responded to the arrival of Hiddink on a short-term agreement with Russia, and the results are startling.

"I had no single criticism about his attitude from the first day I came," said Hiddink.

"What we made very clear was that we didn't want to give ourselves excuses but sometimes you have to do less to be more productive.

"Drogba was in a position of not playing frequently. It was logical that he would not be smiling every day.

"But you have to make a commitment to the team and that is exactly what he has done."

It was another reason for Wenger to regret not shelling out a paltry £100,000 to sign Drogba from Le Mans when he had the opportunity in 1998.

"Drogba is a killer," said the Arsenal boss.

"We made it a little bit easier for him but he never stops and is always focussed. Look at the number of goals he has scored in big games.

"He dives a little bit too much sometimes but he is a great player."

Wenger did however acknowledge Arsenal made life easier from Drogba than they needed to.

Chelsea had already dragged themselves level before half-time when Florent Malouda equalised Theo Walcott's early strike but extra-time seemed certain until man-of-the-match Frank Lampard launched a long ball downfield.

First Drogba shrugged off Mikael Silvestre before skipping round Lukasz Fabianski, who had needlessly charged to the edge of the area.

"Maybe this was not the best of days for Fabianski but I still believe he will be a great goalkeeper," said Wenger.

"We have to lift his confidence because he will feel guilty.

"But I don't want to blame any individual. We need to respond very quickly against Liverpool on Tuesday."

While Arsenal go away to lick their wounds, Chelsea know they have the perfect present to give Hiddink for his intended departure on May 31 in their grasp.

The Dutchman continues to insist he will not remain beyond the agreed date, although owner Roman Abramovich will surely attempt to find a compromise with the Russian football federation.

"I am enjoying myself very much," he said.

"I enjoy working with these players. There has been a very positive atmosphere since the day I arrived.

"I hope to leave on May 31 with a bottle of champagne, maybe even a crate if we win all three."

While all the talk has been of United's pursuit of multiple trophies and Liverpool's attempt to land a first Premier League title since 1990, Chelsea have quietly moved into contention for a treble.

But it seems Hiddink is intent on keeping his side under the radar just now.

"We can only go one step at once," he said.

"We have Barcelona in the Champions League and they are a beautiful team.

"In the Premier League the pressure is more on Liverpool than us because Manchester United are still in a luxurious position."