Manchester United face Chelsea in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final; Team news, analysis and prediction

Manchester United will face Chelsea tomorrow at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final in a repeat of the 2018 finals, which was won by the Londoners

The duo are battling-it-out to finish in the top four of the Premier League and secure qualification to the Champions League next season but the focus today will be on booking a place in the 2019/20 FA Cup final.

United head into the game in fine form having won six of their last seven matches in all competitions and are unbeaten since football returned last month so they’ll be in confident mood.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have lost a couple of times since the restart with the most recent being a 3-0 loss at the hands of Southampton before redeeming themselves during the midweek fixture.

They will look to progress into the finals of the FA Cup and potentially win it since it seems their most realistic chance at getting silverware this season.

Team news

Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw will miss the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea after failing to recover from an ankle problem.

Shaw’s fellow defender Brandon Williams should be fit after a facial injury.

Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones remain out.

Sergio Romero has been in goal for United’s cup games, but Solskjaer refused to confirm whether he or striker Jesse Lingard, would be involved at Wembley.

Midfielder N’Golo Kante will miss a fourth successive game for Chelsea because of a hamstring injury.

Scottish midfielder Billy Gilmour, 19, is out for the remainder of the season following knee surgery.

Stats and facts heading into the match

• Chelsea have won 12 of their last 15 FA Cup semi-final matches, losing against Man Utd in 1996, Liverpool in 2006 and Man City in 2013 in that run.
• Manchester United have progressed from 15 of their last 17 FA Cup semi-final ties, losing on penalties against Everton in 2009, and losing 0-1 against Man City in 2011.
• Manchester United are playing in their 30th FA Cup semi-final – no side has ever played in more. They have reached the final on 20 occasions, which is also a joint record (level with Arsenal for both).
• This is the fourth season in a row Chelsea and Man Utd have met in the FA Cup, with Chelsea winning in the quarter-final in 2016-17 and the final in 2017-18, and Manchester United in the fifth round last season.
• Chelsea have won four of their last five FA Cup ties against Manchester United, losing the most recent encounter last season.
• Manchester United have already beaten Chelsea three times this season (2x league, 1x League Cup). Only once has a team won four games against the Blues in a single season, with Man Utd doing so in 2010-11.
• This will be the ninth meeting between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium (old and new), making it the most played club fixture at the ground in history. Both sides have triumphed four times apiece in the previous matches, including three times via penalties (1 for Chelsea, 2 for Man Utd).
• When playing at the ground as a neutral venue, Man Utd have won seven of their last eight matches at Wembley Stadium, though they did lose their last such visit 0-1 to Chelsea in the 2018 FA Cup final.
• Chelsea’s Ross Barkley has scored (3) or assisted (1) a goal in all four of his FA Cup appearances for the Blues this season.
• Odion Ighalo is Manchester United’s top scorer in the FA Cup this season (3). The Nigerian has scored four goals in his last five starts in the competition.

Prediction

Manchester United 3 – 1 Chelsea