That’s it for our FA Cup final blog, but you can read David Hytner’s match report and discuss the game via the link below. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!
Now the Liverpool players go up to collect their medals. They wait patiently, looking down at the supporters below, until Jordan Henderson receives the trophy and gleefully lifts it skywards. Liverpool have won the FA Cup for the eighth time!
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The Chelsea players are collecting their medals. They’ve lost three FA Cup finals in a row, a new and entirely unwanted record.
They didn’t do much wrong today - they had as many chances as an exceptional Liverpool side and could easily have won.
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The winning moment
TSIMIKAS SCORES FROM THE SPOT - AND LIVERPOOL HAVE WON THE FA CUP FOR THE EIGHTH TIME IN THEIR HISTORY! 🏆@LFC | @EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/oKC50vZGeo
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 14, 2022
Liverpool’s honours under Jurgen Klopp
They’ve completed the set.
- 2018-19 Champions League
- 2019-20 Super Cup, Club World Cup, Premier League
- 2021-22 Carabao Cup, FA Cup
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The thoughts of Virgil van Dijk
“It’s a trophy that we haven’t won as a group - it’s been too long in my opinion. [The crowd are so loud that we can barely hear him.] We kept the faith after Sadio’s penalty; we have the best goalkeeper in the world so we were confident.
“I felt a little twinge behind my knee in the first half. I played on but I couldn’t risk it in extra-time. Hopefully it will be fine.”
Him, again
“Never in doubt, Rob,” says Matt Dony. “I don’t feel sick at all!”
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The only downside for Liverpool is that Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz and Andy Robertson were all taken off. Diaz and Robertson looked like tiredness, but Salah hurt his groin and we’ve yet to find out what happened to van Dijk. But all that can wait for tomorrow. Right now it’s about celebrating trophy No2 of an astonishing season.
Mason Mount, whose miss was decisive, has eyes of glass. It wasn’t a good penalty, especially for such a beautiful technician, but that can happen to anyone in a shootout.
Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool (5-6 pens)
Tsimikas calmly sent Mendy the wrong way to complete a domestic double - and keep the quadruple alive! It’s seriously cruel on Chelsea, who were Liverpool’s equals in both cup finals, but Liverpool have won the FA Cup for the first time since 2006!
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LIVERPOOL WIN THE FA CUP!
Kostas Tsimikas wins it for Liverpool!
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ALISSON SAVES FROM MOUNT!
Chelsea 5-5 Liverpool A poor penalty, and Liverpool are on the brink again!
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JOTA SCORES!
Chelsea 5-5 Liverpool Another outstanding penalty. He gave Mendy the eyes in the build up and then stuck it in the top corner on the other side.
ZIYECH SCORES!
Chelsea 5-4 Liverpool After an excruciating delay while a flare is removed from the pitch, Hakim Ziyech steps forward... and whacks a magnificent penalty into the corner! Alisson went the right way but had no chance.
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MENDY SAVES FROM MANE!
Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool It’s going to sudden death! Mendy has saved from his international teammate, diving low to his left, and Tuchel slaps the ground in celebration!
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JORGINHO SCORES!
Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool No stutter this time - he scores coolly, but Liverpool are still one kick away. Sadio Mane will take it.
ALEXANDER-ARNOLD SCORES!
Chelsea 3-4 Liverpool A fine penalty, and Liverpool are one save away from winning the FA Cup!
BARKLEY SCORES!
Chelsea 3-3 Liverpool An emphatic penalty, smashed into the net. Alisson went the wrong way.
FIRMINO SCORES!
Chelsea 2-3 Liverpool Mendy got a hand on it, diving to his right, but he couldn’t keep it out!
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JAMES SCORES!
Chelsea 2-2 Liverpool James flips it gently down the middle as Alisson dives right.
THIAGO SCORES!
Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool An absurdly nonchalant penalty, steered in off the post.
AZPILICUETA HITS THE POST!
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool He struck it well but it smacked off the outside of the right-hand post.
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MILNER SCORES!
Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool A fine penalty. Mendy went the right way, to his left, but it was lifted over him.
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ALONSO SCORES!
Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool A good penalty; he sent Alisson the wrong way.
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The penalties will be taken in front of the Chelsea supporters. And Chelsea will go first, Marcos Alonso to be precise.
The Carabao Cup final shootout was Kepa v Kelleher. Today it’s Mendy v Alisson.
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“I’ve been thinking about it,” says Nath Jones, “and I reckon if I’d’ve been brought on instead of Firmino, I don’t think I’d’ve had less of an impact.”
Henderson gave him a spectacular volley at one point for his lack of movement. I think it was Firmino anyway.
As 0-0 draws go, that was pretty good. Extra-time was a non-event, with both teams obviously tired, but the first 90 minutes were excellent. Marcos Alonso, Luis Diaz (who was marvellous) and Andy Robertson all hit the woodwork, and both teams can make a reasonable case that they deserved to win.
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Full time in extra time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
For the second time this season, a cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool will be decided by a penalty competition.
120 min The last FA Cup final to go to penalties was in 2006; that’s also the last time Liverpool won the competition.
119 min Loftus-Cheek isn’t chuffed but he seems to understand and accept the decision.
119 min: Chelsea substitution Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who only came on at half time in extra time, is replaced by Ross Barkley. He’s not injured, as far as I can tell, so it must be with penalties in mind.
116 min James is penalised for holding Tsimikas down the Liverpool left. The resulting free-kick amounts to nowt. Even with nine substitutes on the field, the game has ground to a halt.
114 min Nothing much is happening. I don’t think the teams have consciously settled for penalties; they’re just knackered.
114 min “This is now like a chess match played on a really, really big board,” sighs Ian Copestake.
113 min Chelsea still have one substitution left, in case you’ve got money on Kepa.
111 min: Liverpool substitution Kostas Tsimikas replaces Andy Robertson at left-back.
109 min Chelsea’s front three is now Ziyech left, Mount right and Loftus-Cheek at centre forward. Ziyech tries to tease Matip, who dispossesses him expertly just inside the area.
107 min Ziyech appeals again for a penalty, this time after an off-the-ball challenge from Alexander-Arnold. The referee isn’t interested. Alexander-Arnold definitely pulled him back by the arm, but again it was just outside the area so it’s none of VAR’s business.
106 min Liverpool begin the second period of extra-time. Chelsea have made a double substitution: Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta for Trevoh Chalobah and Christian Pulisic. It looks like Loftus-Cheek has gone up front.
Half time in extra time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
This is going to penalties. Both teams are shattered.
105 min Milner wins a corner for Liverpool. Both teams look weary now. Alexander-Arnold’s outswinging corner is punched away with authority by Mendy, and that’s that.
103 min Alonso’s corner is headed over by Thiago in front of the near post. Not much of a chance.
102 min Ziyech’s free-kick is missed by the stretching Pulisic and headed behind for another corner by Milner (I think).
102 min Mount is fouled on the left wing by Thiago, an unnecessary free-kick to give away. Ziyech strolls across to take it...
100 min Ziyech’s terrific inswinging cross is carefully cushioned behind by Alexander-Arnold, a good piece of defending. Mount’s corner is headed away by Milner.
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99 min Firmino has gone up front, with Mane moving left. At the other end, Mount curls wide from 20 yards after receiving a deep cross from James.
98 min: Liverpool substitution Roberto Firmino replaces the quite outstanding Luis Diaz, who gets a meaty hug from Jurgen Klopp. I think that might be fatigue rather than injury.
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97 min Mane slips Thiago superbly on the halfway line, but Rudiger zooms back to muscle him off the ball and clear the danger. Great defending.
95 min Chelsea appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Ziyech goes over after a shoulder charge from Konate. It was a slightly risky challenge from Konate, though it was probably just outside the area.
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94 min James surges forward and stabs a pass to Pulisic, who moves into the area and is about to line up a shot when Matip comes across to make a fine interception.
93 min If this goes to penalties, I wonder whether Thomas Tuchel will bring Kepa on again. Thing is, despite everything, there is a case for it. Not that I’d do it, mind.
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91 min Peep peep! Chelsea begin extra time, and Liverpool have replaced Virgil van Dijk with Joel Matip. That’s another worry for Liverpool with the Champions League final in mind, not to mention the ongoing FA Cup final.
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Full time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
In a surprising development, Chelsea vs Liverpool is going to extra-time. Both teams hit the woodwork in a lively second half, Liverpool twice in a minute, but somehow the scorers remain untroubled.
90+2 min Three minutes of added time. Chelsea are hanging on. A quick free-kick is taken to Alexander-Arnold, whose deep cross is helped back across goal by Diaz. Mendy blocks that and then dives in front of Konate to grab the loose ball.
90 min: Just wide from Diaz! Sheesh, that was so close to a winning goal from arguably the best player on the pitch. Diaz picked up a loose ball in the centre circle and hared away from the last man Thiago Silva. Thiago did well to keep pace, so Diaz cut back inside on his right foot, 20 yards from goal, and shaped a lovely curling shot that drifted just wide of the far post. I don’t think Mendy would have got there.
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89 min Liverpool look the likelier winners in normal time. With one or two exceptions, Chelsea have struggled to get out in the last 10-15 minutes.
88 min Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick is headed over by the stretching van Dijk. It was about an eighth of a chance, if that.
87 min Chelsea’s front three is now Ziyech on the right, Mount on the left and Pulisic in the middle.
86 min “Cognitively I’m shot,” writes Ian Copestake. My brain needs substiting.”
85 min: Chelsea substitution Hakim Ziyech replaces the disappointing Romelu Lukaku.
84 min: Now Robertson hits the post! Diaz drives a crossfield pass to Milner on the right. He takes a touch and curves a wicked, deep cross that is volleyed onto the post by Robertson! That was a great chance. He was only a few yards out, but I think the ball hit the bottom of his shin rather than his boot.
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83 min: Diaz hits post! Jota and Mane combine to find Diaz on the right side of the area. He drags the ball away from Rudiger with a superb first touch and hits an instant shot that beats Mendy and thumps the outside of the near post.
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80 min Jota seems to be fouled by Chalobah 20 yards from goal, but the referee Craig Pawson disagrees.
78 min “Watching Pulisic is sometimes a little frustrating,” says Shiladitya Pandit. “The movement and playmaking are top notch, perhaps some of the very best in the world. But the shooting boots are generally absent, and even the timing of the final passes are a bit off, like the one in the first half to Alonso.”
I know what you mean. At his best he is devastatingly efficient, but a lot of the time he promises more than he deliveers. He’s only 23 though, so there’s plenty of time for him to become more clinical.
77 min Liverpool break five on four from a Chelsea corner. Jota’s pass towards Diaz is cut out by the heroic James, who then takes one for the team by taking out Thiago. He’s booked.
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76 min Pulisic twists away from Konate in the area and is about to shoot when Alexander-Arnold comes on the blind side to make a really good tackle.
75 min Milner’s first notable contribution is to flatten Reece James, who beat him to a loose ball in the area.
74 min: Liverpool substitution Naby Keita is replaced by James Milner in midfield.
73 min “I bet Vinicius Jr. is loving Alexander-Arnold’s performance,” says Phil Podolsky.
That duel is going to be utterly fascinating.
71 min Chalobah is down holding his face after a hand-off from Mane. He definitely caught Chalobah, though not with enough force or intent to interest the Stockley Park Massive.
69 min Luis Diaz receives Thiago’s pass 20 yards from goal, almost in line with the left edge of the area. He moves onto his right foot, uses Robertson by not using him and cracks a curling shot just over the bar. Never mind the skill; Diaz’s imagination alone makes him a joy to watch.
68 min Mount’s cross is just behind Lukaku in the middle. James retrieves it and calmly picks out Pulisic, whose first-time shot from the edge of the area flashes a few yards wide.
Reece James is having a storming game.
67 min Here’s Marcos Alonso hitting the bar at the start of the second half. I think he meant it, though I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
😯 Almost the perfect start to the second half for @ChelseaFC...
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 14, 2022
You won't want to miss the second half of the @EmiratesFACup final - catch it live here 👇
66 min: Chelsea substitution N’Golo Kante replaces Mateo Kovacic, who put in an admirable shift without getting close to his eyecatching best.
65 min Thiago lifts a nice pass to find Keita in space in the inside-right channel. He chests it down and rattles a low shot from 18 yards that is comfortably saved by Mendy as he falls to his right.
64 min N’Golo Kante is about to come on for Chelsea, presumably for Kovacic.
65 min A couple of corners in quick succession for Liverpool, though nowt comes of either.
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62 min “Liverpool HAVE to get the ball to Thiago,” says Richard McGahey. “Chelsea doing a good job of restricting him.”
60 min: Chance for Liverpool! Keita has room to turn and play a good angled pass to Jota on the edge of the area. His first touch is immaculate, but he drives just wide of the far post with his second.
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57 min Diaz tries to run James, and finds it’s not quite as easy as doing the same to Chalobah. Reece James has become a phenomenal all-round full-back.
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55 min Vital defending from Alexander-Arnold, who stops James’ low cross reaching Pulisic on the six-yard line. Moments later, James’ curving cross just evades the stretching Alonso.
55 min As with the Carabao Cup final earlier in the season, this is one of the better 0-0s.
52 min: Just wide from Diaz! More high-class play from the popular Luis Suarez tribute act known as Luis Diaz. He receives a short pass on the edge of the D, turns smoothly away from Kovacic and reverses a low drive that goes this far wide. Mendy didn’t move.
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51 min A wicked cross from Alexander-Arnold hits Robertson - who was unsighed by James missing a header in front of him - and dribbles wide. Alexander-Arnold has simultaneously been one of the best and worst players on the field. His passing has been genuinely awesome, yet almost all of Chelsea’s chances have come on his side.
48 min: Alonso hits the bar! It’s been a spectacular start to the second half from Chelsea. They won a free-kick on the right wing, pretty close to the corner flag, and Alonso whipped an extravagant curler that beat the leaping Alisson and hit the face of the crossbar!
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47 min: Good save from Alisson! Alonso plays the ball into Lukaku, who does well to back into Konate and feed Pulisic. He hits a good shot from about 15 yards that is pushed away by the diving Alisson. That was much better from Lukaku.
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46 min: Just wide from Alonso! Chelsea almost score after 36 seconds of the second half. Pulisic played a pass to Mount, who thought he was offside (wrongly as it happened) and ignored it. That allowed Pulisic to run onto his own pass and cross deep towards Alonso. He pulled it down on the chest, away from Alexander-Arnold, and drove just wide of the far post.
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46 min Peep peep! Liverpool begin the second half.
Half-time reading
Half time: Chelsea 0-0 Liverpool
Peep peep! No goals at Wembley, though both teams had chances in an unyielding arm-wrestle of a first half. Edouard Mendy and Alisson made excellent saves from Luis Diaz and Marcos Alonso respectively, while Diogo Jota, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku all missed good opportunities.
Jota is on as substitute for Mo Salah, who went off with a groin injury/
45+2 min “Chelsea deserve lots of credit for how they handled an awful season,” says Phil Podolsky. “I thought that before the serious injuries to James and Chilwell that disrupted their entire setup, they looked close to unstoppable, certainly up there with the top two. As a Barca fan, I’m impressed with clubs whose DNA is ‘we’ll do the best with the hand we’ve been dealt’ as opposed to ‘we can only perform when we’re safe in the knowledge that we’re the best team in the world by quite a margin’.”
45+1 min: Chance for Lukaku! At the other end, Romelu Lukaku misses a decent opportunity. Jorginho stunned a nice pass down the inside-left channel to find Lukaku, who got half a yard on van Dijk but wafted over the bar from 10 yards. A relaxed Lukaku would have buried that.
45 min: Chance for Jota! That’s more like it from Liverpool. Robertson curves a superb cross to the near post, where Jota gets away from Thiago but flicks a volley over the bar. It wasn’t the easiest ball to take first time, but he was only six yards out.
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43 min Konate blooters over from 30 yards. Since their explosive start, Liverpool haven’t looked particularly threatening.
41 min Mount plays a promising pass to find Lukaku in the area, but he’s instantly surrounded by defenders and the attack peters out.
40 min Jurgen Klopp has a moan to the fourth official about something or other. If he says what he really thinks, he’ll be suspended for six months.
39 min “If Liverpool were to be regarded as failures, then supporters of most clubs would take failure every season,” says Richard Hirst. “Seeing Fulham at Wembley in 1975 and in Hamburg for the Europa League final in 2010 are the highlights of my time as a supporter. Losing wasn’t failure; simply being there was success beyond anything I ever expected. A bit of perspective is required.”
38 min Pulisic and Mount look increasingly bright, Lukaku less so. Liverpool have dealt with him comfortably so far, almost contemptuously.
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36 min It’s a more even contest now, and Thomas Tuchel will be happy at how Chelsea have recovered from such a difficult start. They’ve probably had the better chances.
34 min Chelsea are starting to look dangerous on the break. Mount angles an excellent pass to Pulisic, whose cross-shot is blocked by Konate. That’s not the first time a Chelsea player has run off Alexander-Arnold into the penalty area.
33 min: Liverpool substitution Diogo Jota replaces Mo Salah. It’s the same shape for now, with Jota on the right and Diaz on the left. They played on opposite sides at Villa Park on Tuesday.
Salah going off injured
32 min Now Mo Salah is down and it looks like he won’t be able to continue. It’s a groin problem, and Diogo Jota is preparing to replace him. The Champions League final - against Real Bloody Madrid - is 14 days away.
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31 min Alisson is okay.
“One could argue that, even if Liverpool were to finish runner-up in the three remaining competitions, it’s still been a successful season for playing in every possible game, making every final, and running the budget behemoth of City so close,” says Rob Moore. “To get to all three finals is a season already full of successes. On the other hand, you could argue that losing in two of three finals would be a failure, though I’d call it a disappointment instead.”
That’s probably the word I’d use. It’s an interesting question, though. How, for example, do you define Bayer Leverkusen’s 2001-02 season? Failure doesn’t feel like the right description for a team who provided joy, fags and booze for all.
30 min Alisson is still being treated, but I think he’ll be okay. Alonson studded him on the side of the leg in his follow-through.
28 min: Big save from Alisson! That’s the best chance so far. Mount guides an excellent pass into Pulisic, who has space to turn and run at a backpedalling Liverpool defence. He gets to the edge of the area and plays in Alonso, whose slightly heavy first touch allows Alisson to come out and block the shot.
It’s a brilliant save, but Alisson has hurt himself in a collision of legs with Alonso.
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26 min I can’t remember seeing Mane drop off as much as he has at the start of this game, and it’s causing Chelsea a lot of problems.
23 min: Chance for Chelsea! Thiago is still on the field, and seems to be moving okay. His crossfield pass sparks Chelsea’s best attack so far. Eventually James finds Mount, whose low cross is screwed just wide of the far post by Pulisic. That was a pretty good chance, though there wasn’t much pace on the ball for him to work with.
21 min Robertson darts inside James, uses Diaz by not using him and then shoots wide from 25 yards.
21 min Mendy comes to the edge of his area to head clear a through ball intended for Mane. It’s been a slightly calmer spell for Chelsea, though Liverpool are still the more dangerous side.
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19 min “Hi Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I’m with Klopp, and yourself. It’s the experience that matters. And of course there’s also the whole reality > expectation = happiness thing too. Celtic fans were protesting last season at not winning their tenth league title in a row. Dundee United fans in Dingwall today were on the pitch dancing like idiots after a fourth-place finish and qualification for Europe. One of our most memorable ever seasons was 1986-87 when we finished third in the league and lost both the UEFA and Scottish Cup finals. Anyway, let’s hope football is the winner today. It’ll be memorable one way or another…”
I’m sure you’ve seen it but there’s a really enjoyable documentary on that European run that appears sporadically on BBC Alba. In fact, here it is.
18 min Thiago fouls Kovacic on the right wing, just outside the area. Alonso’s free-kick is muck, straight into Alisson’s hands.
16 min Pulisic shoots just wide, though it wouldn’t have counted because of a handball from Lukaku in the build up.
“I hesitate to say it out loud but I was glad the opposition picked Lukaku,” says Ian Copestake. “But have we ever won with Fabinho not in our team? Get me STATS!”
15 min The incontrovertible state of this pass.
😎 What a pass
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 14, 2022
😲 What a chance
🧤 What a save
The @EmiratesFACup final is off to a blistering start - and you can watch it LIVE 👇
13 min Mane curves an excellent pass around Chalobah to find Diaz. He cuts back inside and has a shot blocked by Chalobah; then Alexander-Arnold has a shot blocked on the other side.
Chelsea might have to swap James and Chalobah for a while because Diaz is running riot.
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12 min Thiago wants to continue but he’s limping heavily.
11 min A problem for Chelsea: Thiago Silva is down, and it doesn’t look great.
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10 min “The reason for the yellow kit is that Chelsea consider it their lucky kit (for semis or finals),” says Ed Wall. “They’ve chosen to wear it above the blue kit in a final whenever possible over the last couple of seasons. Enjoy the match!”
Is that right? I love that even now, with all the data analysis and marginal gains and £97.5m signings, big clubs still believe in things like lucky kits.
8 min: Good save from Mendy! Alexander-Arnold spins an unbelievable pass with the outside of the right foot to put Diaz through on goal. He shoots too close to Mendy, who makes a partial block with his feet. The ball dribbles behind him and is booted off the line by Chalobah. Keita picks up the loose ball and rams it wide from the edge of the area.
That pass from Alexander-Arnold was despicable.
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8 min Diaz beats Chalobah again, and this time his cutback is just behind Salah. Liverpool have started really well, Mane and Diaz in particular.
7 min Alexander-Arnold’s corner is headed away by Lukaku.
6 min Salah accidentally hoofs the ball straight into the face of Jorginho, with the ball deflecting behind for a corner. Salah checks that Jorginho is okay, and he is so she is.
4 min The first dangerous attack comes from Liverpool. Diaz runs Chalobah and crosses just in front of the stretching Thiago, and then Salah loops a header over the bar from Alexander-Arnold’s cross.
2 min Both teams have lined up as expected: 3-4-3 v 4-3-3.
1 min Peep peep! Chelsea kick off from right to left.
“You can talk about the human experience all you want,” writes somebody nameless, “but winning only the League Cup will definitely be seen as a failure for Liverpool’s season considering the gargantuan levels of hype that the media has subjected them to. The hype giveth and the hype taketh away. They aren’t even the best team in England.”
It’s a pointless argument, because it all depends how you define ‘failure’. Some of my favourite seasons where we were my team won bugger all, but then I am a Gillingham fan.
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It’s time for the 150th FA Cup final!
Let’s have a peedie reminder of the teams.
Chelsea (3-4-3) Mendy; Chalobah, Thiago, Rudiger; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Lukaku, Pulisic.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Kante, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Sarr.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Keita, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz.
Substitutes: Kelleher, Milner, Firmino, Gomez, Jones, Jota, Tsimikas, Origi, Matip.
Referee Craig Pawson.
The national anthem is being booed, which is a tremendous start.
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“Absolutely gutted that Havertz isn’t playing today,” says Gareth Vaughan. “I may be being ridiculously over optimistic but I have a feeling that Lukaku is going to have an absolute stormer today. The front three of Lukaku, Mount and Pulisic makes me think of Belgium’s front three of Lukaku, Hazard (also once of this parish) and Mertens. Fingers crossed I’m right!”
Havertz is a huge loss. He was so good in the Carabao Cup final, with his ghostly movement and resting heart rate leading to most of Chelsea’s best chances. Lukaku, on a good day, is a nightmare for any defence in the world. I still think Liverpool would rather be facing him than Havertz, though.
“With Liverpool’s squad,” says Sean Orlowicz, “how could winning only the Carabao Cup not be a failure?”
Sport is about human experience; it’s not a stocktaking exercise. Klopp puts the case far better than I ever could.
No Kante leaves here till we find out wh- oh never mind
“Hi Rob,” says Mike MacKenzie. “This time last year, if you had told me that N’Golo Kante would only be on the bench if Chelsea made the FA Cup final, I’d have said you were daft.”
He might not be fully fit. Though he hasn’t had his greatest season and may not have been picked anyway. You’re right: this time last year I thought he was on course for the Ballon d’Or.
“I’m all for traditional colours, but I think there should be as much contrast between the two teams as possible,” says Matt Burtz. “It really irks me when a team in red is playing a team in black, for example. Plus yellow is a great colour for a football kit, so that’s always a welcome sight.”
And that Chelsea away kit is very stylish, very Pat Nevin.
Predictions department
“Hey,” says George Yiannakis. “Wondering what your prediction for the game is?”
I hadn’t really thought about it, as it’s such a hard game to call. I’ll say… Chelsea to score first and Liverpool to win 2-1 after extra-time.
Old traditions meet modern conventions in FA Cup final of promise, writes @jonathanliew https://t.co/nQMHnVUcw3
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) May 13, 2022
“Not wishing to defend any club’s greed but aren’t Chelsea banned from getting money from kit sales?” says Lloyd Mills. “I suspect those charmers from TV are responsible: blue and red are very similar aren’t they?”
Oh, you might be right. I automatically assume any deviation from the norm is on some level driven by avarice.
“Is Klopp’s season a failure,” begins Sean Orlowicz, “if he ends up with nothing but a League Cup?”
No.
“Banter!” is the ominous subject line of Matt Dony’s email. “Two European Cups? Adorable. Up there with Benfica and Nottingham Forest. (Disguising nerves with swaggering hubris. That’s healthy, right? Ignore how you’re actually feeling and just project a fake self-image? Definitely a sustainable coping mechanism for life.)”
Team news: Havertz out, Lukaku in
The Liverpool team is as expected. The Chelsea team is not: Trevor Chalobah has been preferred to the club captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Romelu Lukaku starts up front. Chelsea’s big-game specialist Kai Havertz must be injured as he isn’t even on the bench
Mateo Kovacic is also fit enough to start - well, he starts - and N’Golo Kante is among the subs.
Chelsea (3-4-3) Mendy; Chalobah, Thiago, Rudiger; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Lukaku, Pulisic.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Kante, Werner, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Sarr.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Keita, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz.
Substitutes: Kelleher, Milner, Firmino, Gomez, Jones, Jota, Tsimikas, Origi, Matip.
Referee Craig Pawson.
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In precisely five minutes, we’ll find out whether he’ll be on the pitch at kick off.
This is the second of three FA Cup finals this week. Chelsea play Manchester City in an equally exciting women’s final tomorrow - read all about it - and Manchester United have already beaten Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup final. My colleague Tim de Lisle wrote about that game with his usual flair and expertise, and came up with one of the year’s better headines.
“I see Chelsea will be wearing their yellow away kit today,” says David Hancock. “Why? I’ve never understood why a team that doesn’t have a colour clash with their opponents end up wearing their away kit. What’s the point?”
I’m not r£ally $ur€.
Threads. 🟡#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/puWMLXM5vK
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 14, 2022
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Happiness is... a warm gun called Hamlet. It’s also remembering when your side won the FA Cup. A couple of years ago, when we all had bugger all to do because of Covid, liveblog genius Scott Murray wrote retro MBMs on two famous FA Cup final victories for Chelsea and Liverpool. They are brilliant, funny and evocative, and you’re very welcome.
Pre-match quotes, part 2
In his press conference, Jurgen Klopp’s cited the little-known Del Amitri B-side “Don’t Come Home Without a Quadruple”.
Pre-match quotes, part 1
Thanks for putting a Billie Eilish worm in all our ears, Thomas.
Twenty-five years ago today, Chelsea’s trophy cabinet was dusty. In their 92-year history they had won only one league title, one FA Cup, one League Cup, one Cup Winners’ Cup, a couple of Full Members’ Cups and one Community Shield.
Then, on 17 May 1997, they beat Middlesbrough in the FA Cup final to win their first major honour in 26 years. Roman Abramovich’s takeover in 2003 took the club to another level, but the Boro game was the birth of Modern Chelsea.
In the last 25 years Chelsea have won five league titles, two Champions Leagues, a Club World Cup, a Europa League, a Cup Winners’ Cup, seven FA Cups, four League Cups, two Super Cups and three Community Shields.
They’re still chasing that elusive third Full Members’ Cup, though.
“It is not for show when Tuchel says that he loves his job”
At some stage today, a Chelsea player will have a one-on-one. But there are one-on-ones, and one-on-ones with Alisson.
“Leisurely build up,” muses Matt Dony. “Yes. That sounds about right. No nerves, no fear, no gnawing doubts echoing around my poor, broken brain(!) Just nice and relaxed. What could possibly go wrong? I now have two hours to put together an incredibly fiddly bed for my son before kick-off. I don’t rate my chances. Hope he’s happy with a mattress on the floor tonight…”
Chelsea, along with Arsenal, have dominated this competition in modern times. Since Liverpool last won the FA Cup in 2005-06, Chelsea have lifted it f-i-v-e times. One of those was a 2-1 victory over Liverpool a decade ago, when Petr Cech made one of the great FA Cup final saves.
👑 @DidierDrogba the King of Wembley
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) May 11, 2022
⚡️ Fine feet from @AndyTCarroll
😱 How does @PetrCech keep that out?!
𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙊𝙒𝘽𝘼𝘾𝙆 to the last FA Cup Final between Chelsea & Liverpool back in 2012 🏆 pic.twitter.com/GuSacNaM0O
Jonathan Liew’s preview
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley. Broadly speaking, there are two types of FA Cup final: David v Goliath or Goliath v Goliath. This is emphatically the latter, a heavyweight clash between two of the elite. This is the 150th FA Cup final; none of the previous 149 have involved one recent world champion, never mind two.
Football moves pretty fast. So even though Chelsea are current world champions, Liverpool have a stronger case to be the best team on the planet, and indeed in the solar system. (That lot on Neptune are still playing the W-M formation FFS.) The recent form of both clubs makes them odds-on favourites today, though Chelsea looked a lot perkier when they dismantled Leeds in the week.
All three games between Chelsea and Liverpool this season have been hard-fought draws. The last of those, the Carabao Cup final, ended in glory for Liverpool after a never-ending penalty shootout. They are still sniffing an unprecedented cup treble, maybe even a quadruple. Chelsea are hoping for a less celebrated treble: European Super Cup, Fifa Club World Cup, English FA Cup. By completing one hat-trick, they would avoid another. No team, not even Newcastle in the late 1990s, has ever lost three FA Cup finals in a row.
We’ll have a leisurely build-up to the game, with team news expected around an hour before the 4.45pm kick off. Both managers have difficult decisions to make. Thomas Tuchel needs to make a call on the fitness of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, neither of whom are 100 per cent fit. “It’s the moment to take risks,” said Tuchel yesterday, repeating a phrase that suddenly seems to be coming out of every football manager’s mouth. Tuchel also has to decide whether to start Romelu Lukaku, and which posiutions Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta should assume.
Jurgen Klopp’s main dilemma is in midfield, with the borderline irreplaceable Fabinho out through injury. The likeliest scenario is that Jordan Henderson drops into the bouncer role and Naby Keita comes into the side. Or rather stays in it, as he started at Aston Villa on Tuesday, but you know what I mean.
Possible teams
Chelsea (3-4-3) Mendy; James, Thiago, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Kante/Kovacic, Jorginho, Alonso; Mount, Havertz, Werner.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Keita, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Mane, Diaz.
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