Chelsea v Leicester FA Cup final predictions: Blues ready to tame Foxes

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Leicester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Where to watch

BBC One & BT Sport 1, 5.15pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea to win in 90 minutes
2pts 19-20 Betfred

Team news

Chelsea
Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Andreas Christensen are doubts

Leicester
Jonny Evans is a doubt while Harvey Barnes, James Justin and Wes Morgan are long-term absentees.

Match preview

Leicester climbed back above Chelsea in the Premier League after their success at Manchester United on Tuesday but they trail the Londoners eight to nil in FA Cups won and the Blues look primed to make it nine on Saturday.

Sealing a top-four finish is far from a done deal for Thomas Tuchel's Blues, who need maximum points from their last two games - including next Tuesday's clash at home to Leicester - to make absolutely sure.

And Tuchel was quick to criticise himself on Wednesday evening after an under-strength Chelsea side, sporting seven changes, lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal.

Losing to the Gunners has made the top-four race more complicated but Tuchel was keen to give his squad the best chance to prepare properly for the FA Cup final because he recognises the importance of putting a first trophy in the cabinet.

Beating Leicester would be a major achievement in its own right – taking Chelsea into third place in the list of the most successful teams in FA Cup history – and it would set them up perfectly for their Champions League final against Manchester City on May 29.

Chelsea's loss to Arsenal was their third in 26 games under the German but their reaction to the previous two defeats – at home to West Brom (2-5) and at home to Porto (0-1) – was spot on both times.

Their bashing at the hands of the Baggies was soon followed by a 2-0 success over Porto in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, while the 1-0 second-leg loss to Porto came in the same week as their 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Tuchel seems to have the knack of getting his team mentally and physically right for the biggest games and there was further evidence last Sunday when the Blues came from behind to defeat City 2-1 at the Etihad.

Leicester have also had their moments in the highest-profile games – registering league victories over all of the big six – and are well placed with just four more points needed to make sure of Champions League qualification.

However, they have sustained three defeats since the start of April, including the recent 4-2 loss at home to Newcastle when they clearly missed the organisational skills of the absent Jonny Evans, who has been troubled by a heel injury.

Brendan Rodgers' side coped a lot better without Evans during Tuesday's 2-1 success away to a largely second-string Manchester United but they would love to have Evans back on board for their Wembley tussle.

Leicester have the worst defence among the top five but have often managed to outscore teams thanks to the goalscoring threats of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho, who have amassed tallies of 15 and 18 in all competitions this season.

However, Chelsea will be well aware of the counter-attack threat and are likely to afford plenty of protection to goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has kept clean sheets in four of five FA Cup ties this season.

Overall the Blues have kept clean sheets in 18 of 26 matches under Tuchel and another shutout should give them the platform to finish off the Foxes without the need for extra-time or penalties.

Key stat

Chelsea have won all of their last five FA Cup meetings against Leicester.

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