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Chelsea vs Leicester, FA Cup final 2021: What time is kick-off, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?

Telegraph Sport
·5 min read
Chelsea vs Leicester, FA Cup final 2021: What time is kick-off, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction? - Leicester City FC 

What is it?

The 140th FA Cup final, between Chelsea and Leicester City. Chelsea ended Manchester City's quadruple hopes with their semi-final victory, while Leicester are in the final for the first time in 52 years.

When is it?

Saturday, May 15.

What time is kick-off?

The match at Wembley is set to kick-off at 5.15pm.

What TV channel is it on?

The match will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. Alternatively, you can follow the match on Telegraph Sport in our live minute-by-minute rolling blog.

Simply bookmark this page and return on matchday for all the build-up, team news and, of course, live commentary followed by post-match analysis from our team at Wembley.

What is the team news?

Chelsea will have a fully-fit squad for the FA Cup final. Mateo Kovacic has shaken off a hamstring injury and N'Golo Kante is back after Achilles tendon pain. Andreas Christensen has also beaten a leg tendon issue.

Leicester are hopeful Jonny Evans will have recovered from injury in time for the club's first FA Cup final since 1969. The defender has been nursing a heel problem which has forced him to miss the last two games and he will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.

After Tuesday's win over Manchester United, Brendan Rodgers said: "We’re just going to assess it over the next few days. It was just too big a risk for him this evening, he’s still in pain.

"But he’s very determined to be out there at the weekend for us, so we just have to assess that over the next two or three days...We’re hopeful. He’s a warrior, Jonny, he’s a tough guy. Sometimes you can have an injury and play with it, but this is one where it’s at the bottom of his foot and he can’t put pressure on his foot."

James Justin and Harvey Barnes (both knee) are sidelined while Cengiz Under has been nursing a hip problem and Wes Morgan is out with a back issue.

Is anything extra taking place on the day?

Yes, a choir of singers who suffer from blood-related disorders will lead a special rendition of "Abide With Me" to pay tribute to Covid-19 victims before the FA Cup final.

The B Positive Choir, spotted by the Football Association while performing on Britain's Got Talent, say they are "honoured" to be joining famous faces who have led the pre-match song over the decades at Wembley.

The 60-strong group, made up of sickle cell sufferers and blood donors, added that the performance will be "dedicated to the memory of all those who have lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic".

In 2018, B Positive were hit by tragedy when one of their singers, Simonne Kerr, 31, was killed at her home in London. Saturday's performance, which will be watched by 22,000 inside the stadium in the latest Government crowd pilot, will be followed by the national anthem led by Becky Hill, a semi-finalist on The Voice who has since gone on to top the UK singles chart.

The Duke of Cambridge will also be in attendance to watch Chelsea and Leicester City, but there will be no walk up the steps to the Royal Box for the victors as presentations will take place on the pitch. Like last year, when Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal, the winners will pick up their medals from a box placed on the pitch. But the trophy will be handed over to the victorious captain by the Duke. Twelve months ago, Arsenal's Pierre Emerick Aubameyang had to collect the trophy from a plinth next to the medals.

A senior member of the Royal family has traditionally made the presentations and the Duke was keen to attend the final in his position as president of the Football Association. Although he will hand over the trophy, he will not stay on the pitch afterwards and will not shake hands with players or managers.

With both teams required to stick to the same strict protocols that allowed football to resume last June after the first lockdown, they have to remain in the "red zone", which can be entered only by players, coaching staff and match officials on a match day.

Of the 22,000 spectators, 6,000 tickets were offered to both clubs, with the remainder divided between people from the local community, frontline workers from across London, Club Wembley members and FA partners.

What have we said about the teams and the final?

What are the odds?

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  • Chelsea to win - 4/9

  • Leicester to win - 7/4

What is our prediction?

Since Thomas Tuchel's appointment, Chelsea's defence has been the meanest in the country and the way the Londoners brushed Real Madrid aside in the Champions League semi-final was seriously impressive.

Leicester are having another superb season under Brendan Rodgers and look set to cap a fine Premier League campaign with a top four-finish, and with Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho in their ranks they can trouble any team.

But Tuchel's well-drilled outfit are trusted to keep Leicester at bay while Mason Mount, who has been in scintillating form, will lead the charge for Chelsea's attack.

Predicted score: Chelsea 2 Leicester 0