Chelsea vs Manchester City: FA Cup final preview
Preview, team news, head-to-head, probable line ups, tactical analysis and where to watch Chelsea vs Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley
The historic Wembley Stadium hosts the showpiece event of the English football calendar this Saturday as Chelsea and Manchester City battle for the FA Cup with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 BST.
Manchester City are aiming to to secure a domestic cup double following their EFL Cup triumph over Arsenal in March. Chelsea, now under interim head coach Calum McFarlane, are desperate to end a run of three consecutive FA Cup final defeats and rescue a challenging campaign with major silverware.
Remarkably, despite both clubs featuring in each of the last nine FA Cup finals, this is the first time they have met in the showpiece match. City reached the final by defeating Southampton 2-1 in the semi-finals, while Chelsea booked their spot with a 1-0 victory over Leeds United.
Team news & injury updates
Chelsea
Calum McFarlane has a number of tactical dilemmas after a spirited 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield. Robert Sanchez, Alejandro Garnacho, Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens are doubtful, while Jesse Derry and Estêvão are out for the season.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s side is in a tense Premier League title race and must manage the fitness of several vital players. City will make a late decision on Rodri, who is still recovering from an injury sustained against Arsenal last month. Joško Gvardiol is line to play after making his long-awaited return to action in the 3-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Abdukodir Khusanov, who missed out against Brentford last weekend with a knock, is expected to be fine.
Head-to-head (H2H) record
Manchester City hold a significant psychological advantage, remaining unbeaten in their last 13 matches against Chelsea (W10 D3) since the 2021 Champions League final.
Last five meetings:
- 12/04/2026: Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City (Premier League)
- 04/01/2026: Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- 25/01/2025: Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- 18/08/2024: Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City (Premier League)
- 20/04/2024: Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea (FA Cup Semi-Final)
Probable line-ups
Tactical analysis: The Wembley showdown
The tactical focal point is the battle in central midfield. If Rodri is fit, City will look to suffocate Chelsea with a high possession game, utilising the creative flair of Rayan Cherki and Bernardo Silva. Chelsea’s path to victory lies in a disciplined mid-block and the speed of Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho on the counter-attack in the event they are fit to start. Cole Palmer, facing his former club, will be the creative force for the Blues.
Manager insight
McFarlane will highlight the motivating factor of a Wembley final for his young squad. Guardiola, meanwhile, could emphasise that City’s recent unbeaten run against Chelsea counts for nothing in a one-off final, particularly with City also distracted by a crucial league game away at Bournemouth next Tuesday.
Where to watch the FA Cup Final
In the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live and free-to-air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, as well as on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
Radio coverage is provided by BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT. Coverage begins at 14:00 BST. In the United States, the game is available exclusively via ESPN+, with kick-off at 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT.
Market insights & probability
According to current sports data and performance models, Manchester City are the firm favourites to lift the trophy at Wembley.
City’s dominance is reflected in a 55% win probability, bolstered by a 13-match unbeaten streak against the Blues.
Chelsea enter as significant underdogs with a 21% chance of victory in regulation time, while the probability of the match heading into extra time via a draw stands at 24%.
