The 137th FA Cup is having its final moment this weekend at the Wembley when Chelsea take on Manchester United. Both sides had big plans for this season but failed to achieve most of them. This is why winning the FA Cup trophy seems like their last chance to salvage the season. That said, we’re expected to see a fierce battle on Saturday, but who will get to lift the trophy? Find out in this Chelsea vs. Manchester United match preview!
Chelsea
The final of the FA Cup is likely to be the last game of Antonio Conte in the role of the Chelsea manager. It seems that the Italian has already given up on the team, which you could see Chelsea’s performance in the closing round of the Premier League, in which they got demolished by Newcastle 3:0. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Conte wouldn’t love to win the FA Cup trophy with Chelsea. After all, such an achievement would look very nice in his portfolio.
The fact that their manager is likely leaving the club this summer means that the morale among Chelsea players isn’t at the highest level. Eden Hazard, their best player this season, has voiced his concerns about the lack of quality players in the squad. He urges the club management to sign new players as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would have to pack his bags as well.
The atmosphere might be terrible in Chelsea’s locker-room, but history has shown us that even depressed players can win trophies. The Blues definitely have the quality to beat Manchester United in London, something that they’ve done six times in the last seven duels played in the country’s capital.
Now that we’re on the subject of the stadium, Wembley is a 90,000-seater located in the north-west part of London. This is the venue where Chelsea have played 24 competitive matches in history, nine of which were FA Cup finals. After the stadium was reconstructed in 2007, Chelsea won the first ever FA Cup played at the New Wembley, beating Manchester United 1:0.
Manchester United
Manchester United is currently the second team with the most FA Cup trophies, after Arsenal. The Gunners have one trophy more, meaning that the Red Devils can even the score if they win on Saturday. That certainly won’t be the only motivation for them to win the trophy. Mourinho’s side wants to take this title to show everyone that their ambitions for the next season are high.
Manchester United ended the 2017/2018 season as the runner-ups of the Premier League, but their success hasn’t been too praised by the pundits. In fact, many people still believe the Red Devils have been disappointing under Mourinho’s lead. Their reasoning is that the club has spent so much money on signings that they ought to win each game by a large margin. However, this team scored more than two goals per game only in nine matches in the Premier League, out of 38 matches they played.
Another fact that shows how defensive-minded Mourinho’s Manchester have been is the fact that their goalie, David De Gea, was voted their best player of the season. Surely, he’s a great player, but this team has spent €105M on Pogba, €84.7M on Lukaku, €50M on Martial, €44.7M on Mata, and a few dozen million on other signings.
That said, you got to understand why the fans are demanding more from this team. Winning the FA Cup trophy would certainly not silence the critics, but it would probably give Mourinho more confidence (as well as more support from the board) to continue with his footballing philosophy.
Team News
Chelsea absentees:
- Danny Drinkwater (injury)
Manchester United absentees:
- Marouane Fellaini (injury)
- Romelu Lukaku (doubtful)
Probable Lineups
Chelsea:
Courtois – Luiz, Rudiger, Cahill, Apilicueta, Alonso – Kante, Fabregas, Bakayoko – Hazard, Giroud
Manchester United:
De Gea – Bailly, Smalling, Valencia, Young – McTominay, Matic, Pogba – Sanchez, Rashford, Martial
Chelsea vs. Manchester United Match Prediction
The game is gonna be a close one, there’s no doubt about that. Still, I think the Red Devils will be the ones celebrating at the end.
Chelsea vs. Manchester United Betting Tips
- Double Chance X2 @1.41 (bet365)
- Manchester United to Win Trophy @1.80 (Unibet)