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Manchester City battle for their eighth FA Cup crown on Saturday, needing to overcome Chelsea at Wembley to claim their second piece of silverware this season.
The Cityzens are appearing in a record fourth consecutive FA Cup final, looking to avenge losses in the showpiece to Manchester United and Crystal Palace over the previous two campaigns. Having already lifted the trophy at Wembley this term—defeating Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final—the squad's morale could not be higher.
Man City are widely tipped to dismantle a struggling Chelsea side, though they must guard against complacency at the national stadium. Pep Guardiola will insist his players keep their levels up after recording eight victories from their last nine outings.
Rodri Dilemma Persists
City's sole genuine fitness concern ahead of Wembley is Rodri. The Spanish midfielder has been sidelined with a groin problem since the Premier League victory over Arsenal last month, and remains questionable for this weekend despite recently returning to training.
Abdukodir Khusanov made his return from a minor injury during the midweek victory over Crystal Palace, a match in which Guardiola rang the changes considerably. Joško Gvardiol also made his comeback against the Eagles, marking his first outing since suffering a leg fracture against Chelsea in early January.
James Trafford is set to take over from Gianluigi Donnarumma as City's preferred cup goalkeeper, while Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki are all poised to reclaim their starting spots after being left on the bench on Wednesday evening.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
GK: James Trafford—Guardiola will continue to trust backup stopper Trafford, who proved his worth with an outstanding triple save in March's Carabao Cup final.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes will spend his afternoon at Wembley surging up and down the right flank, though he will need to keep a close eye on fellow Portuguese international Pedro Neto.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—Khusanov's City debut was marred by a shaky display against Chelsea, but the young centre-back has improved considerably since then. He merits a starting berth at Wembley despite competition from Rúben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Aké.
CB: Marc Guéhi—Guéhi faces his former club as he bids to win consecutive FA Cup titles. The Englishman played a pivotal role in Palace's victory over City in last season's final.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—City's Carabao Cup final hero will look to shine on the grand stage once more. His powerful attacking runs into the box will demand careful monitoring from Chelsea's defence.
CM: Bernardo Silva—A 19th major honour as a City player awaits Silva on Saturday in what is expected to be his final cup appearance for the club. It would be a memorable send-off for the Portuguese playmaker.
CM: Nico González—Guardiola would ideally turn to Rodri for the final, but may need to rely on Nico, City's semifinal match-winner, to control the midfield in his absence.
RW: Antoine Semenyo—Semenyo registered his 19th goal of the season against Palace in midweek, with the Ghana international also earning a well-deserved nomination for Premier League Player of the Season.
AM: Rayan Cherki—Cherki's flair and creativity turned heads in the Carabao Cup final, and he certainly possesses the ability to be the standout performer at Wembley this weekend. A brief substitute appearance on Wednesday leaves him fresh and ready.
LW: Jérémy Doku—Doku has been at the forefront of City's recent push for trophies, with the dynamic Belgian winger now contributing seven goal involvements in as many games. He scored in the 2023–24 FA Cup final defeat and netted a vital equaliser in this season's semifinal.
ST: Erling Haaland—Haaland's record in cup finals is far from impressive, having yet to score in one for City. That could well change on Saturday, particularly given his current goalscoring form and Chelsea's questionable defensive record.