Manchester City will face Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at 16:15 UTC in the FA Cup Semi-Final.
Manchester City Form
Manchester City's aspirations of securing an unprecedented double-treble by clinching another Champions League title were shattered as they succumbed to Real Madrid, whom Pep Guardiola lauded as the preeminent force in the competition. Despite an exhilarating 3-3 draw in the first leg, City faltered in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium, settling for a 1-1 draw before ultimately losing in the penalty shootout. Guardiola bemoaned the squandered opportunities, yet City's unbeaten streaks in various competitions have reached remarkable milestones.
The setback leaves City with little time to recuperate as they set their sights on finishing the season strongly by defending their Premier League and FA Cup crowns. They will kick off their pursuit with a record sixth successive appearance in the semi-final stage of the FA Cup this weekend.
In this season's FA Cup campaign, City have already dispatched Huddersfield Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Luton Town, and Newcastle United. Notably, they have stumbled at the semi-final hurdle in three out of their last five attempts, including a defeat to Chelsea in 2021. However, Guardiola's side has since crafted an eight-game unbeaten streak against the Blues, registering six consecutive victories before encountering back-to-back draws earlier this season.
Chelsea Form
As Manchester City grapple with the aftermath of a heart-wrenching exit from European competition, Chelsea enter Saturday's matchup brimming with confidence following their resounding 6-0 victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. It marked their most emphatic win since Mauricio Pochettino took charge as head coach.
Former Manchester City prospect Cole Palmer has surged to the top of the Premier League scoring charts alongside Erling Haaland with 20 goals, courtesy of his four-goal haul, including a 29-minute hat-trick, in the demolition of Everton. Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also found the net, bolstering Chelsea's bid for European football next season.
Chelsea's unbeaten run in the top flight extends to eight matches, taking advantage of dropped points by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United, and Manchester United last weekend. They now sit ninth in the table, just three points adrift of sixth-placed Newcastle, who have played an additional game.
The Blues face a daunting series of fixtures in the coming weeks, including pivotal Premier League clashes against Arsenal, Tottenham, and West Ham following Saturday's FA Cup showdown with Manchester City. Chelsea's record against these four teams has been less than stellar, with just two victories in their last 15 encounters since last season.
In this season's FA Cup campaign, Chelsea have navigated past Preston North End, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Leicester City to set up their 27th FA Cup semi-final appearance. Only Manchester United (32) and Arsenal (30) have reached this stage more frequently in the competition's history. However, Chelsea have faced disappointment in five of their last seven FA Cup encounters with Manchester City, including a heavy 4-0 defeat in the third round last season.
Head to Head
Date | Home Team | Away Team | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
05 Jan 2023 | Chelsea | Manchester City | 0-1 | Premier League
|
08 Jan 2023 | Manchester City | Chelsea | 4-0 | FA Cup
|
21 May 2023 | Manchester City | Chelsea | 1-0 | Premier League
|
12 Nov 2023 | Chelsea | Manchester City | 4-4 | Premier League
|
17 Feb 2024 | Manchester City | Chelsea | 1-1 | Premier League
|
Team News:
Manchester City
Ahead of kickoff, Manchester City trio De Bruyne, Haaland, and Manuel Akanji will undergo assessment after requesting to be substituted before the penalty shootout due to being unable to continue. Guardiola has given an optimistic update on De Bruyne's condition, but Haaland's availability is uncertain due to a minor muscle problem.
Kyle Walker's fitness will also be evaluated following his first full 120-minute appearance since recovering from a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, John Stones and Nathan Ake, who have recently returned from injury, could feature in some capacity this weekend.
Stefan Ortega, who has started all four FA Cup matches for Manchester City this season, may step in for Ederson in goal, while former Chelsea player Kovacic and Julian Alvarez will be vying for a place in the starting lineup.
Chelsea
In terms of Chelsea's squad, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, and Levi Colwill all remain sidelined with various injuries. Additionally, Cesare Casadei is ineligible to play due to being cup-tied after featuring for Leicester on loan earlier this season.
Raheem Sterling, Robert Sanchez, Axel Disasi, and Enzo Fernandez were absent from Monday's victory over Everton due to illness or unspecified reasons and will be assessed prior to kickoff. Christopher Nkunku, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, has resumed partial team training and will also be evaluated.
It's anticipated that Palmer will start against his former team, with his position either as a number 10 or on the right flank contingent upon Fernandez's fitness. If Fernandez is fit, he is expected to partner Moises Caicedo in midfield, allowing Conor Gallagher to take up a more advanced role.
Predicted Lineup
Manchester City possible lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake; Rodri; Foden, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Doku; Haaland
Chelsea possible lineup:
Petrovic; Gusto, Chalobah, Silva, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Manchester City vs Chelsea Prediction:
In what anticipates to be an exciting FA Cup semi-final showdown, Manchester City and Chelsea are poised to revive their rivalry at Wembley Stadium. While Chelsea has challenged City closely in previous encounters this season, the Sky Blues seem to be hitting their peak form at just the right moment.
Recent performances by Manchester City suggest that they are currently operating at a higher level compared to Chelsea. With Pep Guardiola's team appearing to reach their prime at an opportune time, they go into this match as strong favorites. Despite Chelsea's resilience, the combination of City's quality and momentum could prove overwhelming.
As a result, our forecast is for Manchester City to secure a 3-1 victory over Chelsea. Expect a captivating battle, but ultimately, City's superiority might carry them to the FA Cup final.