FA Cup Final betting tips: Selections for Chelsea vs Man City

The most famous knockout prize in football is on the line at Wembley on Saturday as Chelsea take on Manchester City.

The Blues are looking for a trophy success to salvage some pride at the end of another tough season, while the Citizens are still hoping it could be the first leg of a league and cup double. 

They are also looking to make amends after being the beaten favourites in the last two finals against Manchester United and Crystal Palace.

At least one of these teams has featured in the last nine finals, but this is the first time they have met each other in the Wembley showpiece.

Our three best bets for Saturday’s FA Cup final are below.

TRIPLE YOUR WINNINGS ON THE CUP FINAL

Chelsea vs Manchester City Tips

• Manchester City to win & over 1.5 goals @ 19/20

• Moises Caicedo to receive a card @ 29/20

• Nico O’Reilly anytime goalscorer @ 23/5

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City can make up for recent final losses

City have won only two of their last five FA Cup finals, but Chelsea have been defeated in their last three finals, against Arsenal, Leicester and Liverpool, and the Citizens can consign them to receiving the runners-up medals again.

Reaching this fixture with a 1-0 semi-final success over Leeds has been the highlight of Calum McFarlane’s second spell as Chelsea interim manager, while former coach Liam Rosenior’s final success in charge was the 7-0 quarter-final win over League One back-markers Port Vale.

Otherwise, Chelsea’s recent form has been miserable with only one point taken from their last seven Premier League games and they have slipped to ninth place.

The Blues scored a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw with City at the Etihad in January which could end up having a major effect on the destination of the title, but Pep Guardiola’s side made no mistake in the return match at Stamford Bridge last month, winning 3-0, and they are unbeaten in 13 meetings with Chelsea since the 2021 Champions League final.

To enhance the odds of a City win, which would be their ninth in their last 10 games, add over 1.5 goals in the match. All four meetings between the teams over the last two seasons have produced at least two goals and seven of City’s last eight outings have generated at least three goals.

Caicedo is a card magnet

Referees issue cards as a signal to players that they have crossed a line and need to adapt their behaviour but the message still hasn’t sunk in with Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The Ecuadorian has been carded an almost impressive 20 times this season for club and country with 18 yellow cards and two reds.

He is finishing the season in much the same manner as he has spent most of it, with three successive yellow cards in the matches against Leeds on his last visit to Wembley, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, and receiving four bookings in consecutive matches would be nothing new to him as he has done it twice before this season in November and December.

Back Caicedo to fall foul of referee Darren England, who has cautioned at least three players in each of his last 15 matches and issued 10 yellow cards in Brighton’s recent 2-1 win over Liverpool.

O’Reilly the man for the big occasion

Nico O’Reilly has become a regular in the City team this season and those looking for a bigger-priced bet on the final should consider him for an anytime goalscorer wager.

O’Reilly has picked his moments well to pop up on the scoresheet this season, most notably when scoring both goals in his team’s 2-0 EFL Cup final win against Arsenal in March.

As well as recent experience of scoring at Wembley, O’Reilly knows what it takes to breach Chelsea’s defences having broken the deadlock in the Citizens’ 3-0 Premier League win in west London last month.

His nine total goals this season include an equaliser against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League in December, so he is not as likely to be fazed by the big occasion as other players might be.

TRIPLE YOUR WINNINGS ON THE CUP FINAL

Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change*

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