Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has quickly turned his attention to the FA Cup final after his side secured a crucial 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. Goals from Antoine Semenyo, Omar Marmoush, and Savinho earned City three vital points in the title race, narrowing the gap to league leaders Arsenal to just two points with two matches remaining.
Guardiola Sends Message to Chelsea
Speaking after the match, Guardiola acknowledged the upcoming FA Cup final against Chelsea and warned that his team, despite fatigue, will be full of confidence. 'Of course, we have the FA Cup final, but we also have three days. Chelsea are at home preparing for the final. We have to travel to London, and they will be at home,' he said, as quoted by Mancity.com. 'That is fatigue and fatigue and fatigue. I have full confidence in all the squad. Imagine all the players that didn't play today, they are so good. It's a pleasure to go to the cathedral again to play the final. Hopefully it's better than the last two times.'
City have already won a final at Wembley this season, defeating Arsenal 2-0 to claim the Carabao Cup. However, their last two FA Cup final appearances ended in defeat: a 2-1 loss to Manchester United in 2024 and a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace in 2025. This will be City's fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance.
Chelsea's Wembley Jinx
According to Blues Champions, Chelsea's record at Wembley is even worse than City's, having lost six consecutive finals at the stadium. The losing streak began in the 2019 Carabao Cup final, when Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea lost on penalties to Guardiola's Manchester City. The Blues then lost three consecutive FA Cup finals in 2020, 2021, and 2022 to Arsenal, Leicester City, and Liverpool, respectively, followed by consecutive League Cup losses to Liverpool in 2022 and 2024. Chelsea's last three finals at Wembley have all ended in defeat, including two against Liverpool in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup.
Former Chelsea star Mason Mount also endured a streak of six consecutive final losses at Wembley, including in the EFL Championship playoffs, until he won the FA Cup with Manchester United in 2024.
Premier League Title Race
Legit.ng previously analyzed what Manchester City need to win the Premier League title with two matches left after beating Crystal Palace. Beyond the FA Cup final, Guardiola faces the challenge of overtaking Arsenal to secure the league trophy, despite the Gunners holding the advantage.
