Chelsea’s chances of salvaging any silverware from a turbulent season—and their only realistic route to European football—hinge on improving their performances against Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final. So far this year, they have managed a 1-1 draw at the Etihad in January under interim boss Calum McFarlane, followed by a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in April under Liam Rosenior. Those results extended a winless streak against Pep Guardiola’s side dating back to the 2021 Champions League final—their longest against any opponent in over two decades—and one they urgently need to end at Wembley.
Manchester City head into the final as clear favorites, chasing a domestic cup double and potentially a treble if they also secure the Premier League title. They have not lost in eight matches across all competitions (W7, D1), while Chelsea have lost five of their last 11 games, with their only recent wins coming in the FA Cup against Port Vale and Leeds United. Sitting ninth in the Premier League—four points off seventh and six off sixth—lifting the cup offers Chelsea their best shot at a Europa League spot next season. McFarlane, back in charge after Rosenior’s dismissal, can draw on two encounters with City from the past six months to identify what worked and what did not.
Here are the key lessons Chelsea should take from those matches.
Stay Organized Without the Ball
In January, a disciplined, detail-oriented approach limited City’s threat even without key players like Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, and Wesley Fofana. McFarlane set Chelsea to press City’s back line aggressively while keeping the rest of the team compact to block central passing lanes. Reece James and Enzo Fernandez helped organize the midfield. For example, James directed Josh Acheampong to track Tijjani Reijnders, forcing the Dutchman to pass backward, though Joao Pedro later lost track of Rodri, allowing City to advance. Earlier in the game, Chelsea executed their plan well: Acheampong stuck with Reijnders, Estevao monitored Nico O’Reilly, Joao Pedro stayed tight to Rodri, and several players blocked Erling Haaland. When Phil Foden dropped deep, Fernandez stopped him from turning,