It’s the showpiece of the English football season on Saturday, as Premier League rivals Chelsea and Leicester scrap it out to win the FA Cup final.
The EPL top four contenders meet at Wembley with the famous trophy at stake despite the league season still having a week left to go.
Such is life in a Covid-19 world, with the pair still jostling for final positions in the Premier League top four and qualification for the Uefa Champions League.
But it’s all eyes on the action under the arch this weekend, as the Blues seek to reclaim the trophy they last hoisted in 2018 thanks to victory by the only goal over Manchester United.
The Foxes are looking to go one better than their four FA Cup final visits to the home of football, having lost every single one.
Even more incredibly, the shock 2016 EPL champions’ last final appearance was all the way back in 1969 when Frank O’Farrell’s side were edged out by Manchester City.
The 2021 City edition may have won the Premier League, but they were denied at the semi-final stage by Thomas Tuchel’s men.
Hakim Ziyech’s second half goal proved enough as the Blues booked a return to Wembley, having already seen off EPL opposition in Sheffield United in the quarter-finals.
Second tier duo Barnsley and Luton were no match for the Stamford Bridge club along the way, with League Two Morecambe swept aside in the Third Round back in January.
The Foxes booked their fifth final appearance in identical fashion against Southampton, as Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal of a nervy semi.
Nigerian international Iheanacho had already fastened up his striking boots to knock out heavyweights Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
Brighton, Brentford and Stoke were the earlier victims as Brendan Rodgers’ side picked their way through the competition.
Chelsea number one Edouard Mendy looks set to miss out on the final, with Tuchel keeping faith with Kepa Arrizabalaga in the cup competitions.
Timo Werner looks likely to replace Christian Pulisic, who has a knock, while N’Golo Kante faces a reunion with his former club in the heart of the midfield.
Injury problems have hampered Leicester’s run in to the finish line, with starlet Harvey Barnes and James Justin among those sidelined.
James Maddison should at least be fresh after being rested for Premier League duty in midweek, although the steady presence of Jonny Evans at the back may be missed as he struggles for fitness.
Chelsea vs Leicester Prediction
Prediction methodology explained: The expected win percentage is based off publicly available odds. For example, if a team’s odds are 2.30, the expected chance of winning is 43%. If the odds are 1.62 the expected chance of winning is 62% and so on. These are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change. Where there is no value listed, the odds were not available at the time of writing.
Chelsea vs Leicester: FA Cup starting XI prediction
Probable Chelsea Starting XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Timo Werner, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz.
Probable Leicester Starting XI: Kasper Schmeichel, Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira, Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, Timothy Castagne, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho, Jamie Vardy.