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Chelsea have won seven of 11 FA Cup meetings with Liverpool, including each of the last two. The Blues though are looking to avoid becoming the first club ever to lose the FA Cup Final in three successive years. 14 of the last 20 finals have been won by the side finishing higher in the league that season. The last two finals between these clubs have been won by Liverpool via a penalty shootout, namely February’s League Cup Final and the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.
Both teams to score is 7/10.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is 11/10.
Liverpool to win and both teams to score is 3/1.
Liverpool to lift the trophy is 1/2.
Mohamed Salah has scored seven career goals against Chelsea. The Egyptian is 4/1 to break the deadlock and 6/5 to score in 90 minutes.
Match preview
150 years on from the first-ever FA Cup Final, Wanderers’ 1-0 win over Royal Engineers, the world’s oldest cup competition witnesses another showpiece occasion to savour.
This year, for just the second time ever, both the League Cup and FA Cup Finals are identical, also happening in 1993.
Liverpool and Chelsea played out a thrilling goalless draw in February with the Reds subsequently prevailing 11-10 on penalties.
Both their league meetings this season also ended all square so, 76 days after their last Wembley date, this one is just as tough to call.
With the Carabao Cup in the bag, Liverpool could yet complete the quadruple, although their Premier League ambitions are fading fast.
The Reds currently sit three points behind Manchester City, despite coming from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Nevertheless, with a Champions League Final against Real Madrid to come, this could still be one of the greatest campaigns in the club’s illustrious history.
Before this season, Jürgen Klopp’s FA Cup record was very poor, only winning six of 16 matches in the competition.
However, in this cup run, the Reds began by beating Shrewsbury Town, Cardiff City, Norwich City and then Nottingham Forest.
This set up a glamour semi-final showdown with Manchester City, in which Liverpool racing into a 3-0 lead before hanging on and advancing 3-2.
Will seven-times winners get their hands on the FA Cup for the first time since 2006?
Chelsea meanwhile have enjoyed unparalleled success in this competition in recent years, reaching ten finals since 2000, winning six of those.
Although, the Blues have lost three of their last four finals, beaten by Arsenal in 2017 and 2020 as well as Leicester 12 months ago.
Thomas Tuchel’s team have, in truth, cruised to this latest final, seeing off Chesterfield, Plymouth, Luton, Middlesbrough and then Crystal Palace.
Thus, he’s looking to lift his fourth major trophy as Blues boss, despite only arriving in January 2021.
In the Premier League, these two sit second and third, but Chelsea are a whopping 16 points below Liverpool.
Although, they did rubber stamp their top four place on Wednesday night, easily beating relegation threatened Leeds 3-0.
Mason Mount broke the deadlock at Elland Road with just four minutes played, before Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku sealed the win.
These two are clearly two of the best teams on the planet, but who will be celebrating FA Cup success at Wembley?
Chelsea team news
Thomas Tuchel might face a Romelu Lukaku-based dilemma after the Belgian scored twice against Wolves and then again at Leeds on Wednesday.
Despite this, expect Mason Mount, Tim Werner and Kai Havertz to lead the attack, as has been the case in all the big games of late.
With Ben Chilwell out long-term, Marcos Alonso will keep his place at left-wing-back.
In the middle, N’Golo Kanté is injured, so Jorginho and Mateo Kovačić are likely to start, chosen over Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
This will be the 35th cup final of Thiago Silva’s illustrious career, winning 27 to date.
The Brazilian and captain César Azpilicueta will return to the back three, alongside the departing Antonio Rüdiger.
In goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga has only made one appearance since his catastrophic cameo in the Carabao Cup Final.
So, Édouard Mendy will don the gloves the entire time, even if this match also goes to a penalty shootout.
Liverpool team news
Worryingly for Liverpool, Fabinho hobbled off injured at Villa Park on Tuesday so is a major doubt for this final.
Thus, Jordan Henderson is likely to to be deployed in a deeper midfield role, with Thiago and Naby Keïta further forward.
Thiago will be desperate to start this game having pulled up injured during the League Cup Final warm-up.
In defence, Andy Robertson sat out Tuesday’s match, but will return here, displacing deputy Kostas Tsimikas.
Ibrahima Konaté has started all five FA Cup ties to date, scoring the opening goal in the semi-final against Manchester City.
So, don’t be surprised if he returns as Virgil van Dijk’s partner, displacing Joël Matip.
Young goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher was given the nod in February’s Carabao Cup Final, but expect Alisson to be in this time.
In attack, Mohamed Salah was only on the bench in midweek, but will start this one, looking to add to his seven goals against his former employers.
Sadio Mané and Luis Díaz will complete the front three with Diogo Jota joining fit again Roberto Firmino on the bench.
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