FA Cup Final Chelsea vs. Manchester City Preview, Odds & DFS Picks for Saturday, May 16, 2026

The FA Cup Final is set to take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday morning, with Chelsea and Manchester City facing off in the final for the first time.

Chelsea and Manchester City have both been frequent participants in recent FA Cup Finals, yet have miraculously never faced one another at Wembley. City has fallen short in consecutive FA Cup Finals, finishing runner-up in each of the last two editions.

Can Chelsea hand Pep Guardiola and company its third straight FA Cup Final loss? Let’s break down Saturday’s showdown at Wembley, and go over the FA Cup Final predictions, preview, and best bet below.

Saturday’s FA Cup Schedule

• Chelsea vs. Manchester City- 10:00 a.m./ESPN+

Chelsea vs. Manchester City Odds & Analysis

These two Premier League Clubs are set to face off for the third and final time this season, with City winning the most recent matchup in April. Guardiola’s squad has been in excellent form since its exit from the Champions League back in March.

Manchester City enters the final unbeaten in nine straight matches across all competitions, including back-to-back wins in the EPL leading up to this match. City technically remains in the Premier League title race, although Arsenal controls its own destiny on that front. Guardiola’s squad will likely look to lift as much hardware as it can, with the English title seeming unlikely.

The Sky Blues will have a solid chance of doing so on Saturday, going up against a Chelsea squad that is currently enduring one of the worst runs of form among England’s top sides. Since the beginning of March, Chelsea’s only wins have come in the FA Cup, losing eight matches across all other competitions, and drawing its most recent match against Liverpool in the EPL.

The Blue Lions will be led by interim manager Callum McFarlane, who took over for the recently sacked Liam Rosenior following a five-game losing streak in the English top flight. Ironically, McFarlane was also in charge when City and Chelsea played back in January, following Enzo Maresca’s exit from Chelsea. The Blues salvaged a point from that match at the Etihad Stadium after a 90’ + 4 equalizing goal by Enzo Fernández tied the game at one apiece.

Manchester City took care of business in its most recent match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Guardiola’s squad scored its three goals within a 20-minute stretch, early on in the

second half. City’s backline held Chelsea to just 12 total shots and only 3 on target in that match. The Sky Blues ended the game with 63% possession, dominating Chelsea across the board in front of its home supporters.

While the London club may show up to the final more inspired, the last match between these squads showed that Chelsea simply isn’t at Manchester City’s level at the moment. While Chelsea is bound to put up more of a fight, City should still have no trouble pulling away when the final whistle blows.

Best Bet: Both Teams to Score (-135)

Saturday’s FA Cup Final DFS Picks

Let’s break down our DFS lineup for the FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester City on Saturday morning.

Phil Foden captains our lineup after a vintage performance from the English attacking midfielder in City’s most recent match against Crystal Palace. Foden finished the match with two assists, creating two big chances, and five key passes in 82 minutes. The 25-year-old has struggled to stay on the pitch this season, but it’s clear he still has the ability to influence games with his creativity and attacking prowess.

Former Manchester City player Cole Palmer makes the lineup due to his elite record in cup finals at just 24 years old. Palmer has already stamped himself as a “big game player” with 8 G/A in five cup finals for both club and country. We saw Palmer’s excellence last summer, when

he led Chelsea to a Club World Cup victory with two goals and one assist against City’s current keeper, Gianluigi Donarumma, who played at PSG.

City’s star left winger, Jeremy Doku, makes the lineup coming off of possibly the best four-game stretch of the Belgian’s career. Doku has 6 G/A in his last four starts for City, easily making him the most dangerous attacking threat for Guardiola at the moment. Doku also scored against Chelsea when these teams met back in April.

Nico O’Reilly has quickly made a name for himself as one of the top left-backs in the EPL this season. Like Doku, O’Reilly also scored against Chelsea when these teams last met, and the English defender has been a solid option for Guardiola in both facets of the game. Expect the 21-year-old to draw the assignment on Palmer and look to get forward when City is in possession.

Saturday’s FA Cup Final will likely be captain Bernardo Silva’s final chance to lift a trophy with the club he has spent the last nine years with. Silva has already confirmed he would be leaving Manchester at the season’s end, and what better way to go out than by winning a trophy? Expect Silva to start for Guardiola, and his teammates to search for the Portuguese attacker in his final cup final for the Sky Blues.

Our lineup rounds out with Enzo Fernandez, who, like Palmer, has made a name for himself in big games despite being just 25 years of age. Fernandez has arguably been Chelsea’s most consistent player through its poor run of form. Despite playing deep into the midfield, the Argentine has scored two goals in the last three games, while finishing with 10 key passes in that span. When Chelsea has possession, much of its build-up play flows through the Argentine midfielder, making him one of the most influential players in Saturday’s final.

Photo Credit: AP/Dave Thompson