FA Cup final: Arsenal and Chelsea dominant since 2000, but who needs cup win more in 2020?
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Updated 28/07/2020 at 16:15 GMT+1
It’s Arsenal v Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday as Frank Lampard and Mikel Arteta look to end the season with a major trophy.
Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal and Frank Lampard, Manager of Chelsea
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Both sides impressed in the semi-finals, with Arsenal beating Manchester City 2-0 before Chelsea saw off Manchester United 3-1.
But who will prevail? Who will start? And which manager needs it more? Questions, questions, questions, and all shall be answered on Saturday.
FA Cup final: The finer details
Arsenal v Chelsea kicks off at 5.30pm BST on Saturday, August 1, and will take place behind closed doors at Wembley Stadium.
Who will win?
Who will win the FA Cup final?
Lampard v Arteta: Who needs it more?
Either Frank Lampard or Mikel Arteta will be walking away with a first major trophy in their first season in charge of Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.
For Lampard, it would cap off a fine campaign which saw them finish fourth in the Premier League despite the now-overturned transfer ban hindering the start of his tenure.
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Lampard and Arteta are chasing a first major trophy as head coaches
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Meanwhile, Arsenal were eighth when Unai Emery was sacked in December and finished eighth after seven months of Arteta in charge. It would gloss over a difficult season for the Gunners, who will only reach the Europa League if they conquer Chelsea on Saturday.
In short, Arteta and Arsenal need it more, but Europe or no Europe, the head coach will have been planning big changes this summer regardless.
FA Cup records to chase or extend
Arsenal have won the FA Cup a record 13 times, and a 14th would move them two clear of Manchester United. Chelsea meanwhile are chasing their ninth FA Cup.
The two sides have dominated the cup competition since the turn of the century, winning 12 of the past 20 editions between them.
FA Cup winners since 2000
- Chelsea 6 – 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018
- Arsenal 6 – 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017
- Liverpool 2 – 2001, 2006
- Manchester United 2 – 2004, 2016
- Manchester City 2 – 2011, 2019
- Portsmouth 1 – 2008
- Wigan Athletic 1 – 2013
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Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea lifts the Emirates FA Cup trophy in celebration of his side's victory during The Emirates FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal v Chelsea: 2019-20 meetings
It is now more than a year since Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in last season’s Europa League final, and this season they have met just twice in the Premier League.
Chelsea were 2-1 winners at Arsenal in December, with the two sides drawing 2-2 at Stamford Bridge a month later.
Arsenal team news: Which front three?
There are conundrums all over the pitch given Arsenal were less than convincing during their 3-2 win over Watford, and of course the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa last week.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a certain starter, but Arteta must choose from Alexandre Lacazette or Eddie Nketiah for his centre forward, and consider whether it’s Nicolas Pepe or Bukayo Saka on the other wing.
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Mikel Arteta (R) gestures with Arsenal's English striker Bukayo Saka at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary's Stadium
Image credit: Getty Images
Emi Martinez is set to start in goal despite Bernd Leno appearing to be on the comeback trail from injury, while full-backs Kieran Tierney, Sead Kolasinac, Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Cedric Soares will all be pushing to start out wide.
Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi are unlikely to be called upon having been froze out, while Gabriel Martinelli (knee), Shkodran Mustafi (thigh), Pablo Mari (ankle) and Calum Chambers (knee) are all absent.
Chelsea team news: Restore faith in Kepa?
Whether N’Golo Kante wins his race to return from a thigh injury may not be known until the day, but for Lampard the big decision comes in goal.
Kepa Arrizabalaga was dropped for their final Premier League game against Wolves, with Willy Caballero coming into the side.
Reports suggest Kepa could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge two years after signing for £72m – should he play on Saturday then it could go some way towards sealing his fate either way.
FA Cup final odds
- Chelsea 5/4
- Arsenal 12/5
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