Manchester City and Chelsea lock horns at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in a tasty FA Cup semifinal.
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Pep Guardiola’s City will have less than 72 hours to prepare for this game after being knocked out of the Champions League on penalty kicks by Real Madrid. That quarterfinal exit will hurt for the reigning European champs as their hopes of a double treble have now been dashed. How will Guardiola’s side respond? They outplayed Real but couldn’t find the finishes needed in normal time and that damaging exit could hit them in this FA Cup semifinal and the Premier League title race. City still sit two points ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table but this weekend the reigning FA Cup champs will look to lick their wounds by reaching the final.
But the side they face, Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea, are in a good moment. Cole Palmer scored four in their 6-0 demolition of Everton on Monday and despite all of their injuries Chelsea have found a mixture of personnel that works for them in midfield and attack and they’re unbeaten in eight games in the Premier League. Chelsea have drawn at home and away against Manchester City this season and they’ll look to hit City on the counter and press to win the ball back in midfield when they can. Pochettino’s tactics have always worked well against Guardiola. After losing in extra time to Liverpool in the League Cup final, Pochettino badly wants to win his first piece of silverware in England. Whoever wins this semifinal will be heavy favorites to win the FA Cup.
How to watch Manchester City vs Chelsea live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 12:15pm ET Saturday (April 20)
Online: ESPN+
Manchester City lineup
Ortega, Walker, Stones, Akanji, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish, Alvarez
Chelsea lineup
Petrovic, Gusto, Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Gallagher, Madueke, Palmer, Jackson
Manchester City focus, team news
City have no injuries and it will be intriguing to see how much Guardiola rotates after the exertions of Wednesday night. The likes of Alvarez, Kovacic, Doku, Stones and Ake could all start. The trio of Manuel Akanji, Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne all came off against Real Madrid and Guardiola said they all asked to come off as they couldn’t continue. That is something to keep an eye on.
Chelsea focus, team news
Chelsea’s injury issues have continued throughout the season but they now have a settled defensive and midfield unit and look comfortable in the way they are playing. Penalty kick squabbles aside, the trio of Palmer, Jackson and Madueke have linked up really well in the attacking third of the pitch, while Mudryk and Gallagher also provide plenty of drive from midfield.
OUT: Christopher Nkunku (thigh), Levi Colwill (foot), Reece James (thigh), Romeo Lavia (hamstring – out for season), Wesley Fofana (torn ACL – out for season), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Robert Sanchez (illness), Axel Disasi (fitness), Enzo Fernandez (undisclosed), Raheem Sterling (fitness)
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