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It's a remarkable day on the English football calendar as London giants Chelsea prepare to take on Leicester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.
The final of the 140th edition of the FA Cup will see the Blues, the most successful side in the competition since 2000, compete against the side who have reached the highest number of finals without winning the trophy (four).
Saturday's game will be the first of two crucial successive encounters between Chelsea and Leicester City as they battle for FA Cup glory as well as a spot in the Premier League's top four.
Brendan Rodgers' side travel to Stamford Bridge for a midweek Premier League clash as they look to qualify for next year's UEFA Champions League.
Leicester previously hosted Chelsea in the Premier League in January of this year and emerged victorious over their visitors by a scoreline of 2-0. The result led to the sacking of club legend Frank Lampard as head coach, with Thomas Tuchel replacing him shortly after.
The German has turned Chelsea into a formidable unit in a short span of time. The Blues head into the FA Cup final as favourites to win the competition against a Leicester City side that haven't been at their fluent best of late.
With the stage perfectly set for the showpiece event at Wembley on Saturday evening, here is a look at five key battles that could determine the outcome of the game.
Chelsea v Leicester: Key Battles
Reece James v Timothy Castagne
Belgian star Timothy Castagne has been Brendan Rodgers' go-to utility man, deploying him in a variety of positions including centre-back, wing-back and full-back. The 25-year-old is likely to revert to a more familiar wing-back role on Saturday and could come up against Chelsea star Reece James, who is a force to be reckoned with on the flanks.
The marauding wide defender has been in excellent touch in the 2020/21 campaign and has thrived under Tuchel, bombing down the flanks to provide a superb attacking outlet for Chelsea. With Cesar Azpilicueta backing him up on the right, James has been afforded a lot of freedom down the flank to showcase his brilliant crossing ability. Castagne will be tasked with keeping James occupied and nullifying his threat.
N'Golo Kante v Youri Tielemans
There aren't many midfielders in world football in better form at the moment than Chelsea superstar N'Golo Kante, and unfortunately for Rodgers, Tuchel revealed that the Frenchman is likely to return to fitness ahead of the game. Kante has been sensational under Tuchel and is the heartbeat of the German's midfield, contributing heavily across all phases of play.
He is likely to lock horns with another midfielder who has impressed profoundly over the course of the 2020/21 season, Youri Tielemans. The Belgian metronome has controlled proceedings in the middle for Leicester third and can unlock stubborn defences with his superb creativity and vision. Tielemans has also scored twice in Leicester's five FA Cup games so far, but he could have a hard time getting past Kante.
Also read: 5 Players who have created the most chances in Europe this season (2020/21)
Mason Mount vs Wilfred Ndidi
Wilfred Ndidi is the steel to Tielemans' silk in the middle of the park and has proven himself to be one of the best destroyers in the Premier League. The Nigerian has been crucial to Rodgers' side, helping them dominate midfield, win the ball back on a regular basis and turn defence into attack. His absence was sorely felt by the Foxes earlier on but he is in line to start against Chelsea.
With Tielemans driving forward from the middle, Mason Mount could find a lot of joy and manage to exploit the space vacated by the Belgian, which will be something Ndidi needs to be mindful of. Mount has been another of Chelsea's most excellent performers and is capable of dropping into little pockets of space in the final third and finding a killer pass to hurt the opposition.
Timo Werner v Wesley Fofana
Another fascinating battle in the FA Cup will be that of Blues striker Timo Werner and Foxes defender Wesley Fofana. The Frenchman has had an excellent debut campaign at the King Power Stadium and has significantly improved their backline. Fofana is reliable on the ball and reads the game well, allowing him to be in the right place at the right time more often than not.
Fofana also has a habit of carrying the ball out of defence regularly and should he lose the ball high up, Werner will be ready to capitalise and hurt the Foxes. The German's searing pace has helped him blitz past defences and this has been a key feature of Chelsea's front three, particularly under Tuchel. He's looked to get in behind defences at every opportunity and will surely look to do so in the final, making it a good test for Fofana.
Antonio Rudiger v Kelechi Iheanacho
There are a fair few parallels between Antonio Rudiger and Kelechi Iheanacho heading into the final. Both players had relatively poor starts to the season but have seen a remarkable upturn in their fortunes since the turn of the year. It's safe to say that they are currently two of the best in their positions in the Premier League as the German and the Nigerian have been in an incredible vein of form.
Rudiger has emerged as a standout performer for Tuchel's Chelsea, defending resolutely as well as providing a great attacking presence. His runs into midfield have caused teams issues as it helps the Blues overload the left, but if he's caught out, Iheanacho will be on hand to make the Chelsea man pay. The striker has scored six goals and set up two more in his last seven games across all competitions, and scored the all-important winner in the FA Cup semi-final.
Iheanacho will undoubtedly be Leicester City's biggest attacking threat, and Rudiger will have to be at his sharpest to keep the Nigerian at bay.
Also read: 5 Best Premier League players outside the traditional top 6 clubs
