FA Cup final preview: Chelsea v Leicester + GW36 predictions

One of the biggest days in the English football calendar is upon us as Chelsea & Leicester face off in the 140th FA Cup final.

There will be 20,000 fans at Wembley on Saturday, the biggest crowd since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic at the start of 2020.

It will also be the first of two meetings between the sides in just four days as they battle in Tuesday's potentially pivotal match in the race for the top four in the Premier League.

Road to the final

Both sides began their journey in the third round of the competition and come through five round to reach this season's showpiece occasion.

Chelsea's run began at Stamford Bridge against unlikely League Two promotion hopefuls Morecambe who have had an exception season to finish fourth in the fourth tier.

The Shrimps were no match for the Blues, however, as goals from Mason Mount, Timo Werner, Callum Hudso-Odoi and Kai Havertz sealed progression with a comfortable 4-0 win.

They also welcome lower tier opposition to East London in the fourth round as they welcomed Luton Town in what turned out to be Frank Lampard's final game in charge of the club where he has legendary status as a player.

It was a winning end for four-time FA Cup winner Lampard thanks to a hattrick from Tammy Abraham, a player who Lampard had introduced into the first team at the start of the 19/20 season. Luton pulled themselves back into contention with a Jordan Clark goal after half an hour but Abraham's treble secured a 3-1 win.

The Blues were on the road in the fifth round as they travelled to Oakwell to face Barnsley, a team who are hoping to be joining Chelsea in the Premier League next season after a superb sixth placed finish in the Championship earned the Tykes a playoff spot.

Chelsea were historically beaten by Barnsley in the 2007/08 quarter-finals but Abraham's second-half tap in ensured there was no repeat as Thomas Tuchel's earned a 1-0 win in the German's first experience of the FA Cup.

The quarter-finals saw the Blues play Premier League opposition for the first time in this season's tournament as they welcomed bottom-side Sheffield United to Stamford Bridge.

It wasn't quite the walkover many were expecting but Tuchel's side claimed their place in the semi-finals through an own goal from Blades' captain Ollie Norwood and a late strike from Hakim Ziyech.

It was the Moroccan playmaker who was the hero at Wembley against Manchester City as well.

Despite being in search of an historic quadruple, Pep Guardiola made eight changes to his Citizens side and he was made to pay for that decision as Ziyech scored from Werner's low cross for the game's only goal and, with it, secured back-to-back finals for Chelsea.

Leicester's run to the final began at Championship side Stoke in the third round where they proved they could do it on a cold day in the Potteries.

It was an emphatic triumph as well with goals from James Justin, Marc Albrighton, Ayoze Perez and Harvey Barnes secured a 4-0 win.

There was second division opposition in the fourth round as well for the Foxes as they travelled to Brentford who are the favourites to win this season's Championship playoffs as they look to make it to the top flight for the first time since 1947.

The Bees stung Leicester early through Mads Bech Sorensen's goal but a second-half fightback from Brendan Rodgers' side proved decision with strikes from Cengiz Under, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison preventing the cupset.

The Foxes' fifth round tie saw them face the first of three Premier League teams on their way to the final as they hosted Brighton and Hove Albion.

They left it late but Kelechi Iheanacho's goal in the final minute of second-half stoppage time grabbed victory late on in a game that was overshadowed by an horrific knee injury to Justin which ruled the full-back out of this summer's European Championships.

Leicester then faced their toughest test of the cup run so far in the quarter-finals as they welcomed 12-time FA Cup winners Manchester United.

Iheanacho was in the middle of his best run as a Leicester player and he opened the scored after latching onto a poor back-pass from Fred to round Dean Henderson and find the empty net.

Mason Greenwood, who was about to embark on his own purple patch, drew United level before Tielemans surged forward from midfield to find the bottom corner to put Leicester back in front.

Former Manchester City striker Iheanacho then secured passage for the Foxes with a far post header to set up a tie with Southampton in front of 4,000 fans, the first crowd seen at a football match in the UK in 2021.

It was the Nigerian international who was the star again for Leicester as Iheanacho converted at the second time of asking from Jamie Vardy's cross for the second 1-0 semi-final win of the weekend and, in doing so, sent the Foxes through to their first FA Cup final since 1969.

Verdict

Chris Stott

First of a series of cup finals to come for both these sides, both literally and metaphorically. Chelsea are in the better form with Tuchel bringing a steely resilience to the group which has seen them become very tough to beat. Their key men up front have provided them with goals when they've been needed. Leicester’s form has stuttered of late but the win over United in midweek gives them huge confidence. At their best they can beat anyone. The fitness of Jonny Evans is big for them, otherwise Castagne may be forced into the back 3 again which plays into Chelsea’s hands. I expect Ndidi to have a close eye on Mount throughout, if they can stop him I think Leicester have a chance. And despite the additional flair of Chelsea’s forward line, the Foxes’ is more potent. I sense a real chance of an “upset” of sorts here, I’m backing Leicester

Prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Leicester

Chris Coughlin

Both managers deserve a lot of credit for their work this season. Chelsea's fortunes domestically and abroad by Thomas Tuchel and, whilst they've been more solid than exciting, can potentially end the campaign with a cup double. Brendan Rodgers meanwhile have done so well to regroup his squad after the heart-breaking end to last season as they narrowly missed out on a place in the Champions League. They stand a great chance of doing that this year and to add the FA Cup to their cabinet would suggest that the club is absolutely going in the right direction. I think a telling factor here could the experience in the Chelsea ranks. Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva have both had incredibly successful careers and even the younger members such as Mason Mount, Reece James and Kai Havertz have also experienced cup finals albeit being on the losing side. Tuchel has confirmed that N'golo Kante will be available for the final and the former Leicester City man will have a crucial role to play all round. I can see it being tight but I think Chelsea will edge it in a competition where they've had so much success over the last decade or so.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Leicester

Premier League Gameweek 36 predictions

Newcastle v Manchester City

Chris Stott: 0-2

Chris Coughlin: 0-3

Burnley v Leeds

Chris Stott: 1-1

Chris Coughlin: 1-3

Southampton v Fulham

Chris Stott: 2-0

Chris Coughlin: 2-1

Brighton v West Ham

Chris Stott: 1-2

Chris Coughlin: 0-2

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa

Chris Stott: 0-1

Chris Coughln: 1-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Wolves

Chris Stott: 2-0

Chris Coughllin: 3-0

West Brom v Liverpool

Chris Stott: 0-3

Chris Coughlin: 0-2

Everton v Sheffield United

Chris Stott: 2-0

Chris Coughlin: 3-0