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Chelsea have a chance to rescue some dignity from a turbulent season when they take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final this weekend.
Having suffered six consecutive domestic cup final defeats—the only English club to endure such a streak—fans will be desperate for a better result at the end of their latest Wembley visit. Sadly, the club finds itself at one of its lowest points in recent memory, and must overcome a sharp and confident Man City side to do so.
Calum McFarlane has been thrown into the deep end to guide Chelsea through the remainder of the season, but could the caretaker boss cap his latest spell in charge with a trophy? Thankfully, he has an exceptionally gifted squad at his disposal capable of rising to the occasion.
Chelsea Handed Timely Injury Boost
McFarlane's task has been eased by the timely comebacks of skipper Reece James and key center back Levi Colwill. Both Englishmen featured against Liverpool last weekend and look set to start at Wembley as Chelsea look to contain City's array of attacking threats.
Further good news comes with the anticipated returns of Robert Sánchez, Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto, all three of whom missed the trip to Anfield. Sánchez will slot straight back into goal, while Neto also looks set to reclaim his starting spot given Chelsea's limited options out wide.
Mykhailo Mudryk continues to serve a ban for a doping violation and is joined on the injury list by fellow wide players Estêvão, Jamie Gittens and Jesse Derry.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Man City
GK: Robert Sánchez—Cup finals are frequently settled by standout goalkeeping performances, and the returning Sánchez will need to be at his very best to deal with City's dangerous attacking unit.
RB: Reece James—Chelsea must take a chance on James despite his limited match sharpness, with the captain's qualities seen as a vital counter to the dangerous Jérémy Doku.
CB: Wesley Fofana—Fofana has rarely impressed this season and now faces his sternest test yet in Erling Haaland. That said, he looked more assured with the steadying influence of Colwill beside him in the last outing.
CB: Levi Colwill—Colwill impressed on his first start back from an ACL injury, though City's dynamic attackers will present a far greater challenge than Liverpool's depleted forward line did on Merseyside.
LB: Marc Cucurella—Cucurella was deployed at left wing against Liverpool, handling the role well despite Chelsea's injury problems on the flanks. The Spaniard reverts to left back at Wembley, where he'll be tasked with keeping Antoine Semenyo quiet.
DM: Andrey Santos—The Brazilian has yet to fully realise his potential at Chelsea, but he still has the chance to claim a second piece of silverware in his first full season with the club.
DM: Moisés Caicedo—Rayan Cherki could cause real problems at Wembley, just as he did in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Chelsea will need Caicedo at his tenacious best to keep the tricky Frenchman in check.
RM: Cole Palmer—A win would mean so much to Palmer against his former club, a side he has yet to beat in seven outings for Chelsea. As in the Club World Cup final, the Blues will need their star man to deliver when it matters most.
AM: Enzo Fernández—A summer departure appears increasingly likely for Fernández, with the Argentine potentially even making a move to City amid uncertainty over his future in west London.
LM: Pedro Neto—Neto is expected to return to the starting lineup after training throughout the week. Chelsea will rely on his speed and directness in possession given the number of injuries in their wide forward positions.
ST: João Pedro—If Chelsea can count on any one player at Wembley, it is Pedro. The Brazilian's outstanding debut campaign has largely stood apart from the struggles around him, and the Club World Cup final showed he can perform on the biggest stages.