Two young rookie managers, looking for their first piece of silverware, will square off in a London derby FA Cup final this weekend. Yes, on Saturday evening, either Chelsea’s Frank Lampard or Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, two men now leading the club with which they built their football legacy, will have a trophy to point to as tangible progress of their rebuilding project.
The FA Cup trophy represents more than just glory for these first year bosses, it can be used as an argument to procure nore funding in the summer transfer window. Let’s preview this clash, focusing on the Chelsea team news here.
N’Golo Kante is the club’s most undroppable player, but he’s unfortunately suffered through a very injury plagued season. He hasn’t played since the win over Watford at the beginning of the month, due to a thigh/hamstring injury. He faces a late fitness test here, and should he return, it will most likely be as just a substitute.
Meanwhile Billy Gilmour remains out for the season having underwent knee surgery. Brazilian international Willian missed Chelsea’s final league contest, a win over Wolves through injury. While he’s supposedly fit now, he could miss out for an entirely different reason.
The winger is out of contract once this season is completed and his future with the club remains a question mark. According to his agent, there are five offers on the table, two in the Premier League and the leading suitor, supposedly, is actually Arsenal! So it’s understandable why Lampard may not want to select him for this match. Furthermore, with Chelsea beefing up their attack this summer transfer window, Willian may or may not want to move on anyway.
FA Cup Final FYIs
Kickoff: Aug. 1, Wembley Stadium, 5:30 pm
Starting XI Predictions: Arsenal Chelsea
Head to Head: Arsenal wins 76 Draws 59 Chelsea wins 65
TV/Stream: Sky Sports/Sky Go (UK) None/ESPN+ (U.S.)
Odds: Arsenal win 5/2 Chelsea win 5/4
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Arsenal 1
Yes, this competition is certainly Arsenal’s house, so to speak, historically, but we’re picking Lampard’s side to hoist the trophy.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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