Chelsea and Manchester City will face off in the FA Cup final at Wembley this afternoon. For the Blues, a disappointing Premier League season is coming to an end with the club likely missing out on Champions League qualification. However, they have the chance to secure silverware in London today, which would be a remarkable personal achievement for interim manager Calum McFarlane.
Manchester City are still chasing a domestic treble, having already won the Carabao Cup in March. The battle for the Premier League title will conclude in the next two fixtures, with Arsenal in control of their own destiny.
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City’s upcoming challenge includes a tough trip to Bournemouth on Tuesday, but winning the trophy today could provide the momentum needed for the rest of the season.
Man City Injury News Today
Rodri’s fitness remains a major concern for City as they head into the final run-in. The Spanish midfielder has not played since the league victory over Arsenal last month, missing the last five games due to a groin injury. Manager Pep Guardiola has expressed uncertainty about whether Rodri will be ready for today’s match.
Nico Gonzalez, who scored the decisive goal against Southampton to send City into the final, is expected to replace Rodri. Tijjani Reijnders has also been in the first-team picture recently.
City has no other injury concerns, with Ruben Dias available after sitting on the bench in the last two games against Brentford and Palace.
Man City Starting XI Prediction
Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, and Jeremy Doku were left out of the starting XI against Crystal Palace midweek, allowing Phil Foden to step up and give his manager something to consider when selecting the starting XI today.
Josko Gvardiol made his long-awaited return from injury midweek, but Nico O’Reilly’s strong form should ensure he retains his spot at left-back. James Trafford has been preferred in cup competitions this season, excelling in the Carabao Cup final, and is expected to keep his place ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Chelsea Injury News Today
Chelsea had no senior wingers available during their match against Liverpool last weekend, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho joining Estevao and Jamie Gittens on the sidelines.
Neto and Garnacho have trained this week and are expected to be available, along with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who was involved in a collision of heads with Morgan Gibbs-White against Nottingham Forest.
Chelsea Starting XI Prediction
Levi Colwill, who played 45 minutes against Nottingham Forest, completed the full 90 minutes against Liverpool in a solid performance at the back. After missing most of the season due to an ACL injury, the England international could play a crucial role today.
The availability of captain Reece James will also be a significant boost for the Blues.
Alan Shearer’s FA Cup Final Prediction
Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer shared his thoughts on the upcoming final.
“It’s interesting that City have lost the last two finals as favorites,” Shearer said. “I was part of the co-comms team last year when Crystal Palace beat them. Chelsea showed slight improvement last week against Liverpool despite going 1-0 down.
“I think because of the mood City are in, their belief and confidence, they’ll edge it. I know City still give you chances, even watching the game against Crystal Palace, they missed two or three really good chances. I think there’ll be a lot of goals in this, but I think Man City will win.”
Prediction
Manchester City are predicted to win the FA Cup final.
FA Cup Final TV Channel, Live Stream and Kick-Off Time
The FA Cup final kicks off at 3pm today (Saturday 16 May). You can watch the match live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Alternatively, you can tune in on TNT Sports 1, with streaming available through the HBO Max app.
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