LONDON -- The FA Cup final is here as Chelsea and Leicester will square off in the final of the famous competition.
[ LIVE: Follow FA Cup scores here ]
Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 and Leicester City beat Southampton 1-0 at Wembley in the semifinals and ProSoccerTalk was on-site at the home of English soccer to bring you coverage of both games.
Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers will now lock horns on May 15, as over 21,000 fans will attend the final as part pf a UK government test event.
Leicester and Chelsea also square off in the Premier League a few days after the final as both clubs push for a top four finish (Leicester sit third on 66 points with Chelsea fourth on 64 points) late in the season.
With Chelsea also reaching the UEFA Champions League final, against Manchester City in Porto, the next few weeks could be huge for Tuchel as he aims to win two trophies and finish in the top four in his first few months in charge at Stamford Bridge.
As for Leicester, they have never won the FA Cup and Rodgers’ side are so dangerous to play against with Kelechi Iheanacho in fine form in recent months, plus the duo of Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans so solid in central midfield.
USMNT star Christian Pulisic scored in the FA Cup final last season (and then severely injured his hamstring) as Chelsea lost to Arsenal, with the American winger keen to lift his first piece of silverware in England this weekend.
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This should be one heck of a game as the Blues and Foxes collide.
How to watch, stream FA Cup final
When: Saturday, May 15 at 12:15pm ET
TV Channel/Stream: ESPN and ESPN+
Live updates, stats: Online via NBCSports.com
Team news
Chelsea have a few players struggling with knocks as Mateo Kovacic remains out, while Andreas Christensen is also out but N’Golo Kante returns to the team.
Your Chelsea side for this afternoon! 🔵#FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/8rDHli3QbF
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 15, 2021
Leicester City have star center back Jonny Evans fit to start, while Harvey Barnes and James Justin are out for the season.
Team news is 𝗜𝗡! 🦊
— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 15, 2021
Brought to you by @eToro 🤝#FACupFinal
FA Cup final schedule
Saturday, May 15, 12:15pm ET: Chelsea v. Leicester City
FA Cup final betting odds - Provided by our partners Pointsbet
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(-110) Chelsea v. Leicester City (+300). Draw: +260
FA Cup final score prediction
All signs point towards a fairly comfortable win for Chelsea, but they struggled against Arsenal in midweek as they lost and Tuchel bemoaned rotating his squad. Leicester won at a much-changed Man United so they go into this game full of confidence. I’m going for a Chelsea win, though. It will be close but Mason Mount will be the difference. Chelsea 2-1 Leicester.
Live analysis on Leicester - Southampton, semifinal
FULL TIME! Deserved win for Leicester, as they beat Southampton 1-0. Kelechi Iheanacho’s second half goal was enough to set up a final against Chelsea. That should be a beauty of a game!
Thanks for joining me at Wembley, and here are three things we learned.
James Maddison twice goes close for Leicester, as they look to kick on. The fans are then thanked for turning up for this test event and there is a lovely round of applause as the announcer looks forward to more supporters coming back soon. Lovely moment here at Wembley!
Theo Walcott on as a sub for Southampton. Chants of “Theo, Theo” from the fans here at Wembley as he comes on. Seems like a lot of Arsenal fans are among the locals here for this test event!
CLOSE! Ibrahima Diallo twice goes close, and Che Adams and Danny Ings have chances. Saints pushing hard for an equalizer. This is a really good game now and the fans are getting into it!
GOALLLL! Kelechi Iheanacho puts Leicester City 1-0 up, and there is a stroke of luck about it. Jamie Vardy does superbly to race down the left and crosses for Iheanacho. His first shot was blocked, but the clearance went straight to him and he tucks it away and wheels away in celebration. Iheanacho has scored 10 in his last seven games in all competitions. What a run!
🤩 Super Kelechi Iheanacho 🤩#EmiratesFACup @LCFC pic.twitter.com/3j0nn9ZyCg
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 18, 2021
Southampton have had the better of it so far in the second half. They are starting to see more of the ball. Ralph Hasenhuttl will be happy with what he has seen. The subs coming on will be huge in this game. James Maddison to come on soon for Leicester? Che Adams and Theo Walcott on soon for Southampton?
HALF TIME! A few Leicester corners cause Southampton problems, as they just managed to clear but left Wilfred Ndidi open. Leicester had the better chances in the first half, but Saints are hanging in there. Intriguing second half coming up.
CLOSE! Diallo gave the ball away and Vardy raced through after a great ball from Tielemans, but Vardy clipped his shot just over the bar from a tight angle. Unlike him. First big chance of the game.
Leicester spring a counter as Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez link up and the latter crossed for Kelechi Iheanacho but overhit it. Poor from Perez.
That game has calmed down here. Few chants going up from the fans, and Southampton had a chance over the top but Schmeichel rushed out to deny Ings.
BOOKING! Ibrahima Diallo picks up an early yellow card as he caught Jamie Vardy, that was a nasty one. Lots of robust tackles flying in. Tasty start!
KICK OFF! 2,000 fans for each team at each end. ‘Foxes Never Quit’ reads a Leicester banner. ‘We March On’ reads the Southampton banner. Which side will prevail to reach the final?
🦊😇Teams are out here at Wembley!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 18, 2021
Leicester v Southampton, let’s go! #LCFC #SaintsFC #LEISOU
I’ll have live updates and analysis here ➡️ https://t.co/auuSn4eVU2 pic.twitter.com/eFCnJnpiG5
Boy, did that applause from the supporters here for Leicester and Southampton sound good. 4,000 locals and key workers in attendance at Wembley for this UK government test event. Biggest crowd for a football game in England for over 12 months
Sun is shining, fans are walking up towards Wembley and the atmosphere is building. Remember, 4,000 fans will be here today. They are key workers and local residents of Wembley, as the UK government is testing how fans can return safely.
Team news is here, as Maddison is left out for Leicester after his off-field issues last week. Soyuncu and Perez start. Djenepo replaces Walcott for Southampton.
Semi-final team news 🦊🏆
— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 18, 2021
Brought to you by @eToro 🔵
Here's how the Foxes line up for #LeiSou 👇
Our #EmiratesFACup semi-final line-up 😇 pic.twitter.com/dXsHg8eeBO
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 18, 2021
Hello from Wembley!
🙌☀️❤️ Welcome to a sunny and bustling Wembley Stadium! #LCFC v #SaintsFC kicks off soon in the #FACup semifinal #LEISOU pic.twitter.com/gdPsCrkdIk
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 18, 2021
ANALYSIS ON CHELSEA - MANCHESTER CITY
- Player ratings
- 3 things we learned from Nick Mendola
- Pulisic v Steffen watch: How did USMNT stars perform?
FULL TIME! Aside from a late chance Sterling smashed over the bar, City created nothing and their quadruple hopes are over. Chelsea reach the FA Cup final for the fourth time in the last five seasons, and they were sharper and hungrier throughout.
NO GOAL! Pulisic scores a beauty in stoppage time, but the offside flag goes up, correctly. What a goal that was, and Pulisic can’t believe he was just offside.
SUB: Pulisic comes off the bench to replace Mount, as the two Pennsylvanian natives who grew up 50 miles apart collide with Steffen in goal for City. USMNT, assemble!
WHAT A SAVE! Zack Steffen denies Ziyech, who is clean through, brilliantly. The USMNT goalkeeper stands tall to stop Chelsea, and Ziyech, grabbing a second goal in quick succession. Big, big stop.
GOALLLL! Timo Werner sets up Ziyech to make it 1-0. Chelsea get the goal they deserve, as Cancelo was caught out by Timo Werner, and Zack Steffen caught in nomansland as Werner squares to Ziyech.
INJURY! Oh no, Kevin de Bruyne comes off with an injury. Phil Foden replaces him. Big blow for Man City, as De Bruyne seems to have jarred his ankle. KDB looks furious as he hobbles off here at Wembley, but the injury doesn’t look too serious. City have some huge games coming up, so surely that is just a precaution. City will hope so...
HALF TIME! A half Chelsea had the better of, as Ziyech had a goal disallowed and James and Chilwell both went close. City started to wake up before the break, but Pep will not be happy with that.
Not many chances as half time nears. James flashed a shot just wide, then was booked for a foul on Fernandinho. The City midfielder should have been booked for a foul on Mount before that.
Chelsea looking so calm on the ball and playing in-behind Cancelo and Mendy easily out wide. Manchester City sluggish, but Chelsea have had an extra day of rest compared to City. That is showing, so far. This FA Cup semifinal is just starting to bubble into life, and Pep Guardiola has taken his big jacket off on the sidelines. It is warming up.
WIDE! Ben Chilwell bobbles a shot wide after a great ball from Reece James to the back post. Ziyech influential in that too. Chelsea look really dangerous on the counter. City haven’t got going, yet.
CHANCE! After a nice run over the top, Gabriel Jesus curls towards goal but Kepa saves easily.
NO GOAL! Ziyech finishes but Werner was flagged for offside, and the decision stands. No goal, but a good move down the left from Chelsea.
🙌 Ready to roll here at Wembley! #FACup semifinal time. Chelsea v Manchester City. #CFC #MCFC #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/Pm4mA9aYue
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 17, 2021
Kick off!
Christian Pulisic warming up ahead of the #FACup semifinal. He’s on the bench today for Chelsea.
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 17, 2021
After the battering he took v Porto in midweek, the 🇺🇸 #USMNT star deserves a bit of a rest! #CFC #MCFC #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/j4FJRMfOIU
Team news: The big team news is Kepa starting in goal for Chelsea, who also start Ziyech and Werner in attack. Man City start USMNT goalkeeper Steffen in goal, while Dias and Laporte start at center back with Stones on the bench. Sergio Aguero isn’t in the squad.
Atmosphere is building among the very small number of people inside the stadium. Both teams out warming up. Helicopters buzzing overhead. What a game this should be.
Man City going for the quadruple and Chelsea in fine form under Thomas Tuchel. Something has to give!
🙌 Hello from Wembley Stadium!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) April 17, 2021
Chelsea v Manchester City kicks off soon with 🇺🇸 #USMNT stars on each team.
Zack Steffen starts in goal for #MCFC, in what is the biggest game of his career.
Christian Pulisic on the bench for #CFC.#CHEMCI live, here ➡️ https://t.co/hvIL2VqpnQ pic.twitter.com/Ger71kX3dF
Hello from Wembley! A stunning day here in London, and some really intriguing team news.
Team news is in! 🔢📝#FACup #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/c5RiOGW4Se
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 17, 2021
Your semi-final squad! 🤩
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 17, 2021
XI | Steffen, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, Rodrigo, Fernandinho (C), De Bruyne, Torres, Sterling, Jesus
SUBS | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Zinchenko, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden
⚽️ @HaysWorldwide
🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klUGiM pic.twitter.com/G57Y7TA4BZ
