FA Cup

Liverpool have played a game less than their final rivals - but will it make a difference on the day?

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Matt Ladson, editor at thisisanfield.com

The season so far
Liverpool’s season has been, on the whole, underwhelming. To be so far off the season’s aim of a top-four finish and almost certain to finish lower in the league than last season, means it’s arguable as to whether progress has been made. The performances and style of play have been much improved, but the lack of a cutting edge in attack has been staggering – the failure to solve this has been most worrying.

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Martin Rowe, for cfcnet.co.uk

The season so far
Tomorrow is not only the FA Cup final, but it is also, coincidentally, the eve of the nine-week anniversary of Andre Villas-Boas’ sacking. This in itself is a reason for Chelsea fans to be delighted that we will be contesting the final against one of our modern cup rivals, Liverpool, in an attempt to lift the trophy for a seventh time.

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Sunday April 15
Wembley Stadium
ITV1 6pm

Wembley plays host to its second derby semi final of the weekend, with Tottenham and Chelsea making the short trip across London with all manner of other things on their mind.

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Saturday April 14
Wembley Stadium
ESPN 12.30pm

They’ll be boarding coaches on both sides of Stanley Park early on Saturday morning, and fans of Liverpool and Everton will have much to contemplate during the long trip down south to Wembley. The red half will be reflecting on a pretty terrible league season, compounded by their ninth home draw last weekend against Aston Villa.

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Saturday February 18,
Stamford Bridge,
12.30pm, ESPN

With Andre Villas-Boas under increasing pressure after his club slipped out of the Premier League top four last weekend, he’s looking on the FA Cup as a means of stopping the rot.

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Saturday February 18,
Stadium of Light,
ITV 1 5.15pm

With Thierry Henry having now made his second emotional, nay painful, departure from Arsenal, the Gunners travel to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light without the player who secured such an important league victory at the same ground just seven days before.