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Chelsea vs Manchester City FA Cup final Predictions - City to score big to down Chelsea

Simon Lewis

Editor

Last updated: 15 May 2026

Simon Lewis 15 May 2026

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Manchester City are appearing in a record four FA Cup finals in a row.
Chelsea have lost their last three FA Cup finals in a row.
Can Man City beat Chelsea to go level with them on eight FA Cup titles?

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Nico O’Reilly scored twice in the League Cup Final (Getty Images).

Chelsea vs Manchester City Predictions - FA Cup Final

Chelsea come into the final on the back of a horror run of eight defeats in their last 11 matches. Manchester City are undefeated in their last nine matches, winning eight of them and scoring three goals in each of their last three matches.

Chelsea vs Manchester City Predictions - FA Cup Final
Head-to-Head
Chelsea Form
Manchester City Form
Chelsea vs Manchester City Team News & Squads

Chelsea have lost 8 of their last 11 matches, with just 2 wins and 1 draw.
Chelsea have failed to score in 6 of their last 10 matches.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto is 2nd on the FA Cup goals list with 4 goals in 5 matches.
Manchester City have lost just twice in their last 23 matches in all competitions.
Manchester City have scored 13 goals in their last 5 matches against Chelsea.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has 3 goals in 3 FA Cup matches and leads the EPL Golden Boot race with 26 goals in 34 matches.

Head-to-Head

Chelsea haven’t beaten Manchester City in their last 14 meetings, with the Citizens claiming 11 wins in that stretch. In their two League meetings this season the two sides drew at the Etihad in January before City claimed a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea Form

After losing seven matches in eight Chelsea bounced back to beat Leeds 1-0 to secure a spot in the FA Cup final. They lost their next match 3-1 at home to Notts Forest before scraping an away draw against Liverpool.

Chelsea have been struggling to find the net and in their last 11 matches they have scored just 12 goals, with seven coming in their home win over struggling League One side Port Vale, who have already been relegated to League Two.

Joao Pedro is Chelsea’s leading scorer in the League (15 goals, with two in the FA Cup) and Pedro Neto is their leading scorer in the FA Cup (4 goals, 5 in the Premier League), but neither have found the net much in the last two months. Enzo Fernandez has nine goals in the League and two in the FA Cup but is his side’s most consistent scorer recently, with four goals in 11 matches, as well as two in their last three matches.

Manchester City Form

Manchester City made it eight wins from their last nine matches on the back of two 3-0 wins in the League. After drawing 3-3 with Everton, City beat Brentford 3-0 and followed that up with a midweek win over Crystal Palace (also 3-0).

City made it to the quarter-final of the Champions League where they lost to European kings Real Madrid. They have already clinched the League Cup after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the Wembley final in March and are just two points behind Arsenal in the race for the Premier League title, with two matches to play.

City have so many goalscorers to bank on, from Erling Haaland (odds of 1.70) to Jeremy Doku (4.10), Antoine Semenyo (2.90), Rayan Cherki (3.60)) and Omar Marmoush (3.00). I’m backing an outsider in Nico O’Reilly (6.00), as FA Cups often throw up unusual goal-scoring heroes.

O’Reilly has one goal in this FA Cup campaign on the back of two goals in the League Cup, one in the Champions League and five in the Premier League, so he has a nose for goal and a hunger. He also has the ability to rise to the big occasion, such as scoring both of City’s goals in the League Cup final.

Chelsea vs Manchester City Team News & Squads

Chelsea will be without Estevao Willian (knee injury), Jamie Gittens (hamstring) and Jesse Derry (head injury), while Robert Sanchez (head injury), Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho (both have muscle injuries) have been part of their side’s training this week and could all see action in the final, along with skipper Reece James.

Man City’s only major injury concern is 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is still being troubled by a groin injury. City rested dangermen Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki for the win over Crystal Palace midweek to keep them fresh for the Final.

Chelsea (possible XI): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; James, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Cucurella; Pedro.

Manchester City (possible XI): Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Bernardo; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland.

Verdict

Chelsea v Man City

I am backing Manchester City to win. I am also backing Nico O’Reilly to top score for Manchester City.

Chelsea have struggled to score goals this season so I am backing Enzo Fernandez as the man in goal-scoring form for Chelsea.

Manchester City Win

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