FA Cup final preview: Chelsea and Leicester face off in tight battle for silverware

The 140th FA Cup final has Chelsea and Leicester City fighting it out to be crowned winners of the world’s oldest cup competition.

Who will come out on top? Here is our look ahead to Saturday’s encounter at Wembley.

Chelsea hoping to avenge last year’s final

With eight FA Cup title to their name, Chelsea are the third most successful club in the tournament’s history. The Blues lifted the famous trophy in 2018 and last season they got mighty close – reaching the final, but falling short to rivals Arsenal, losing 2-1.

Amazingly, Chelsea have managed to reach this FA Cup final by only conceding a single goal in total en route, which came against Luton Town in the fourth round, when they won 3-1. All other matches have seen clean sheets from Chelsea, and they are 2/1 to keep Leicester goalless here. Chelsea’s success under Thomas Tuchel has been based on a defiant defence, although they have conceded in their last two games.

FA Cup semi-final hero Hakim Ziyech, who netted the winner in the last round against Manchester City, can be found at 27/10 to find the scoresheet anytime, after being rested midweek.

Foxes looking to win their first FA Cup

Leicester City, meanwhile, have never lifted the FA Cup, and they will need to overcome potential European champions Chelsea at Wembley to make history.

The Foxes are playing their fifth FA Cup final on Saturday and head to the game in confident mood after a morale-boosting 2-1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

It has been another superb season for Brendan Rodgers and Leicester, with the Foxes now hoping to cap a fine domestic campaign with a top four-finish – plus, with Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho in their ranks, they can trouble any side.

Vardy has been in the shadow of Iheanacho this season but remains a man for the big occasion. The veteran striker is 12/5 for a goal anytime on Saturday.

Tight affair predicted at Wembley

Chelsea and Leicester have only met each other once this season in the Premier League and are set to meet again next week, just days after this FA Cup final. Leicester won the last meeting 2-0 at home, with first-half goals from Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison.

Brendan Rogers’ side come into this one having all but nailed down their Champions League spot after beating a below-strength Manchester United at Old Trafford. Chelsea, meanwhile, faltered in midweek losing 1-0 to Arsenal. That will have been a shock to the system for Team Tuchel but it will hardly dent the confidence of the Champions League finalists.

Neither of these sides are overflowing with goals and FA Cup finals are notoriously cagey low-scoring affairs so we should expect the same and possibly extra time – and even penalties.

Leicester are 3/1 to keep to the TV schedule and win the trophy inside 90 minutes and 6/4 to win outright. Chelsea are a skinny-looking 10/11 inside 90 minutes and 1/2 to win outright. Would you like to work out your potential winnings? Try our online betting calculator.

Leicester to win after extra-time is 14/1, with Chelsea 9/1 to get the job in the extra 30 minutes. Only two FA Cup finals have ever gone to penalties and it’s 10/1 each for either side to hold their nerve in spot-kicks.

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