Chelsea Vs Leicester City FA Cup Match Preview (1 Viewer)

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Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge promises a thrilling contest as Chelsea takes on Championship leaders Leicester City, with a spot at Wembley awaiting the victor.

Chelsea secured their spot in the final eight by narrowly defeating Leeds United 3-2 in the fifth round, while Leicester City overcame Bournemouth with a 1-0 victory after extra time.

Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea's manager, is still chasing his first trophy in English football and will be keen to avoid an upset on Sunday, especially after their EFL Cup disappointment a couple of months ago.

Despite a tough battle against Leeds, Chelsea's strong performances in knockout competitions this season and their impressive record in FA Cup quarter-finals give them confidence heading into the match.

Leicester City, on the other hand, have their own aspirations for success. Although they've faced challenges in the Championship, they managed to progress past Bournemouth in the previous round of the FA Cup.

While their league form has been somewhat inconsistent, Leicester's triumph over Chelsea in the 2020-21 final serves as a reminder of their potential. However, they'll need to be at their best to overcome Chelsea, who have historically performed well against them in recent encounters.

With both teams eager to secure a place in the semi-finals, Sunday's match is sure to be a fiercely contested affair, with Wembley glory on the line.

INJURIES & SUSPENSION​

Ben Chilwell's return to team training is a positive development for Chelsea after his knee injury turned out to be less severe than initially feared. With his inclusion in the England squad for upcoming friendlies, he could feature against his former club Leicester City.

Meanwhile, there's a possibility of Benoit Badiashile returning from a groin injury, but Wesley Fofana, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku remain sidelined.

Enzo Fernandez faces suspension due to accumulating two FA Cup bookings, while Cesare Casadei is ineligible for selection as he's on loan at Leicester. Leicester City, on the other hand, will be without Ricardo Pereira and Dennis Praet due to hamstring injuries sustained after their fifth-round victory over Bournemouth. Kasey McAteer is also doubtful due to discomfort, and Jamie Vardy will miss out due to another minor issue.

As a result, Patson Daka, Tom Cannon, and Kelechi Iheanacho are contenders to lead Leicester's attack, while manager Maresca hinted at being cautious with Wilfred Ndidi's return to full action.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS​

Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Gallagher; Mudryk, Palmer, Sterling; Jackson

Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Choudhury, Faes, Vestergaard, Justin; Dewsbury-Hall, Winks; Fatawu, Akgun, Mavididi; Daka

EXPERT PREDICTION​

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Chelsea 3-2 Leicester

While Leicester City is expected to compete at the top level again next season, they haven't been as dominant in the Championship as they used to be. However, their impressive 13-game scoring streak away from home could give them a temporary advantage.

Realistically, Leicester might only manage a consolation goal against a prolific Chelsea side. The Blues have been formidable in front of their home crowd and are favored to progress to the semi-finals of the competition.