Routes to the FA Cup final: How Chelsea and Liverpool reached Wembley
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Chelsea v Liverpool: Routes to the FA Cup final
The FA Cup final takes place on Saturday when Chelsea meet Liverpool at Wembley for the second time this season.
Here we examine the routes to the FA Cup final for both teams.
Chelsea
Chelsea 5 Chesterfield 1 (third round, Jan 8)
Chelsea cruised through their opening encounter, with Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Romelu Lukaku and Andreas Christensen all on target in the first half.
Hakim Ziyech added a fifth from the penalty spot 10 minutes after the break, with Chesterfield claiming a late consolation through Akwasi Asante.
Chelsea 2 Plymouth 1 (fourth round, Feb 5)
Kepa Arrizabalaga was the extra-time hero for Chelsea, saving Ryan Hardie’s spot-kick to sneak the Blues through without the need for a shoot-out.
Macaulay Gillesphey stole an early lead for Argyle to shock Thomas Tuchel’s men, before Cesar Azpilicueta levelled with a poacher’s finish just before half-time. Chelsea could not crack the visitors, however, with the game drifting into extra time.
Marcos Alonso’s effort had Chelsea edging towards victory, only for that late penalty to add yet more drama. Plymouth hoped to force a shoot-out, but instead Kepa saved Hardie’s spot-kick to send Chelsea through.
Luton 2 Chelsea 3 (fifth round, Mar 2)
Roman Abramovich announced he had put Chelsea up for sale just hours before kick-off. Chelsea managed to shake off any distractions, then also a spirited and threatening Luton.
Reece Burke put the hosts ahead just two minutes in, before Saul Niguez levelled midway through the first half.
Harry Cornick rocked the Blues again by putting the Hatters 2-1 up, but Chelsea equalised through Werner before Lukaku grabbed the winner.
Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 2 (quarter-final, Mar 19)
Lukaku and Ziyech handed Chelsea a stress-free victory on the pitch, amid one of the most hectic times off it.
The Blues were unable to sell their full allocation of tickets for the Riverside Stadium clash, after owner Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government. Downing Street froze Abramovich’s UK assets having claimed to have proven his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Ziyech ➡️ Mount ➡️ Lukaku#CFC take the lead in their #EmiratesFACup tie with Middlesbrough through Romelu Lukaku.
The striker has now scored in three of Chelsea's four FA Cup games this season.
🎬 @BBCMOTD pic.twitter.com/BBjI9lGdn7
— The Athletic UK (@TheAthleticUK) March 19, 2022
The Government allowed Chelsea to continue trading, but only under strict terms of a temporary licence. The Blues had no real pressure dealing with Middlesbrough, however, and progressed to the last four.
Chelsea 2 Crystal Palace 0 (semi-final, Apr 17)
A tired-looking Chelsea laboured through a goalless first hour, before Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s powerful drive broke the deadlock.
Palace were unable to find another gear, and Mason Mount’s neat finish sealed the Blues’ win.
Liverpool
Liverpool 4 Shrewsbury 1 (third round, Jan 9)
Seventeen-year-old Kaide Gordon became Liverpool’s youngest FA Cup goalscorer when he equalised Daniel Udoh’s surprise opening goal for the League One visitors.
The £1million signing from Derby last season, aged 17 years and 96 days, started the comeback on only his second appearance which was completed with two goals from midfielder Fabinho, the first a penalty, and a Roberto Firmino backheel.
Liverpool 3 Cardiff 1 (fourth round, Feb 6)
Teenager Harvey Elliott marked his return from almost five months out with a serious ankle injury with his first goal for the club.
Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino both scored in the second half before the 18-year-old Elliott, sidelined since a fracture dislocation at Leeds in September, produced a brilliant swivelled finish in front of the Kop.
New £37.5million signing Luis Diaz also made his debut, before Cardiff substitute Rubin Colwill scored an 80th-minute consolation.
Liverpool 2 Norwich 1 (fifth round, Mar 2)
Cup specialist Minamino scored both goals to put Jurgen Klopp into his first FA Cup quarter-final.
A @takumina0116 brace helped @LFC to see off @NorwichCityFC, and book their spot in the #EmiratesFACup quarter-finals 📈 pic.twitter.com/rsNVjDH4j9
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) March 3, 2022
In a team registering 10 changes from one which won the Carabao Cup three days previously, the Japan international took his tally to seven goals in eight cup games for the season.
Lukas Rupp’s goal 14 minutes from time gave the visitors a lifeline but they could not prevent Liverpool booking a place in the last eight for the first time since 2015.
Nottingham Forest 0 Liverpool 1 (quarter-final, Mar 20)
Diogo Jota’s 78th-minute goal was enough to end Nottingham Forest’s valiant FA Cup run.
The City Ground had been a graveyard for Premier League sides with Arsenal and Leicester both exiting at the hands of former Reds academy coach Steve Cooper’s exciting side.
The match hinged on a three-minute spell preceding Jota’s close-range strike when Forest’s Philip Zinckernagel shot wide with only goalkeeper Alisson Becker to beat.
Liverpool 3 Manchester City 2 (semi-final, Apr 16)
Liverpool ended Manchester City’s hopes of a treble in another engaging encounter at Wembley, having drawn 2-2 in the league six days previously.
Mané 𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨 ⚡️#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/IKGpGAApkn
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 16, 2022
Defender Ibrahima Konate headed home an early corner before Zack Steffen’s error saw Sadio Mane force home from close range and then beat City’s second-choice goalkeeper at his near post on the stroke of half-time.
Jack Grealish scored two minutes into the second half but Bernardo Silva’s 90th-minute goal came too late to give City a chance of forcing extra-time.
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