The FA Cup returns to our screens this weekend with English football’s top teams in action and some mouth-watering all-Premier League fixtures. The main attraction of the weekend comes from the home of the EPL champions where Manchester City host Chelsea from 16:30 GMT on Sunday. This match will be played out before a bumper crowd at the Etihad Stadium with millions more worldwide following the action live on television. Which team will come good and book their slot in the next round of this famous competition? We can’t wait to find out.
Our team of football writers preview the best of this weekend’s matches, offering vital stats, form, and predictions on how we expect the results to go in the various competitions. We couldn’t let such a huge game in England pass and with so much excitement around Man City v Chelsea, we offer our in-depth preview on the game. This may only be the Third Round, but Man City and Chelsea both boast success in this competition. The Cityzens and Blues will want to go all the way and lift the FA Cup in spring, but they’ll also be determined to avoid such an early exit from a tournament that means so much to the fans.
The head-to-head stats associated with this game show Man City and Chelsea have played some memorable games in this competition. Man City and Chelsea have met seven times in the FA Cup with the home side winning four and the visitors on three. They have never produced a draw and armchair fans hope this renewal follows that trend, giving us a winning side without the need for another match added to an already packed fixture list. Will we see the home fans cheer, or will victory be heading back to London? Let’s find out.
Hosts unbeaten in three
Manchester City enter this match on the back of a decent spell of form that has seen them go unbeaten in their last three league matches. That purple patch consists of two wins and a draw, but the champions continue to trail Arsenal in the EPL. Will Pep Guardiola’s side make it three league titles on the bounce, or can the Gunners hold their ground between now and the end of the season? It’ll be a fascinating title run-in, but City must plan for the worst-case scenario. If they don’t win the league, they must find success in the FA Cup and Champions League.
We last saw the home team in action on Thursday when they collected three Premier League points thanks to an away win over Sunday’s opponent. Man City won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the league thanks to a stunning strike from Mahrez who found the net not long after the hour mark. It was a deserved win in London for the league champions and everyone connected to the club would dearly love to do a quickfire double over the Blues. Back-to-back wins would provide a shot in the arm for Man City’s season while hurting their opponents on both fronts.
The most recent cup game between Man City and Chelsea produced a narrow 1-0 defeat for Man City when they went down 1-0 in the capital. The strike that made the difference that day back in 2021 came from Ziyech early in the second half. When following the stats we expect another competitive match with little between the teams. When Man City and Chelsea meet, viewers are often treated to a tight, competitive, and nervy match. Will this game follow the trend with just one goal separating the pair at full-time?
Blues are out for revenge
Chelsea is quickly running out of options to nail silverware this season as their chances of winning the Premier League title fade fast. The Blues are always respected in the pre-season predictions of respected pundits, but even the club’s fans didn’t expect them to end with the title. There is still much work needing done at Stamford Bridge to turn the team into champions again. It has also been a difficult first half to the season on and off the field of play for Chelsea and fans would love to see them steady the ship and rescue a top-four finish to secure involvement in next season’s UEFA Champions League competition.
No one connected to the Blues camp will be ready to give up on the league and will keep fighting until the finish line. But they’ll also know if they don’t win the title, they must deliver a trophy or two to their loyal supporters. The FA Cup isn’t the highest profile competition Chelsea participate in this season, but the famous cup does mean a lot to the fans. It’s a chance to finish the season on a high at Wembley. Making the final of this competition would be a reward for the supporters who have stuck with the team through good and bad this term.
Chelsea’s last five Premier League matches show the club has managed just one win, three defeats and a draw. That has dragged them to 10th in the Premier League table and they could fall into the bottom half. Is Chelsea too big of a club to endure a midtable finish? But the best-performing teams aren’t in the mood to hang around and wait on Chelsea finding their feet. The visitor’s poor form in the league simple piles the pressure on them to go well in this competition.
Man City v Chelsea prediction
We are lucky when making predictions on this match that the teams played earlier this week when Man City won 1-0 in London. Another competitive 90 minutes lies ahead and with Man City aiming to make their home advantage count, they will be a popular pick with backers. Chelsea seeks revenge but know they must improve in all areas of the field to stand any chance of going through.
FA Cup odds
The pre-match betting odds available at 22bet has Man City priced at 1.365 for victory with Chelsea trading at 8.1 and the draw 5.05.
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