All roads lead to Wembley this Saturday as Chelsea look to salvage a rather poor season with a trophy as they take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
The Blues have been under the tutelage of Calum McFarlane, whose first win in charge came in the hard fought 1-0 win against Leeds United in the FA Cup semis.
City on the other hand, had to come from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 in the semis to book a place in Saturday’s final. Pep Guardiola’s side also still remains within reach of the Premier League title after beating Crystal Palace in midweek.
Man City lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in last year’s final and are desperate to get an eighth FA Cup title here. Their last triumph came in the 2022/23 season when they beat rivals United 2-1 in the final.
Chelsea have lifted the FA Cup eight times in their history but have not been successful in the tournament since 2018, where they also beat Man United 1-0 in the final.
These sides come into the game on the back of completely opposite runs of form but in a final we can always expect the unexpected.
Can Chelsea salvage their season and upset City to win the FA Cup, or will Guardiola guide his side to yet another title under his supreme reign? Here is our predicted outcome.
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What time does Chelsea vs Man City start?
The game kicks off at 5PM E.A.T at Wembley.
Chelsea vs Man City team news
The Blues forward troubles were eased a little by the return of top scorer Joao Pedro, who ended the clubs’ goal drought with a brilliant goal against Nottingham.
The Brazilian will lead the attacking line, with Pedro Neto expected to return to the starting XI here.
Cole Palmer has been poor in recent weeks, including a penalty miss but he will retain his spot in the starting lineup. The midfield duo of Moses Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez will start as well.
Captain Reece James returned from injury and came off the bench against Liverpool – he will also be assessed ahead of kick off and is expected to start.
Guardiola rested top scorer Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki in midweek against Palace, but the pair will return to the starting XI here.
Nathan Ake was also given a breather and will return to resume his defensive partnership with Marc Guehi. Those are the only changes expected from the side, with Antoine Semenyo maintaining his place in the lineup as well.
Chelsea vs Man City head-to-head and current form
Chelsea have been very poor in recent weeks, losing six consecutive games for the first time this century. They are coming off a 1-1 draw against Liverpool and will need to rediscover some sort of winning formula here.
They take on a City side who are unbeaten in their last eight games – winning seven. This compared to Chelsea’s one win from their last six games.
City have won four of the last five games they have played against Chelsea, only dropping points in a 1-1 draw in the Premier League in January 2025.
Current form:
Chelsea – DLWLL
Man City – WDWWW
Chelsea vs Man City previous games
Chelsea vs Man City prediction
The FA Cup magic cannot be ignored and both teams have a strong shot at the title. The last six finals have been decided by one-goal margins and the same could occur here.
City have however been dominant against Chelsea in recent seasons, and with the form the Blues are in right now they would need to be at their best to win.
Prediction – Man City to win or draw – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!