The first FA Cup campaign to take Chelsea to the final, 1914/15, included a round three victory at Manchester City – then plying their trade at the Hyde Road ground. The Pensioners prevailed 1-0, with Bob Thomson slotting in an oblique shot late in the day.

The Citizens won the next four encounters, including a semi-final at Wembley in April 2013, before the Blues regained the upper hand, tasting victory in the past two FA Cup clashes.

It was high-fives in February 2016 at the Bridge when five different goalscorers produced a 5-1 fifth-round thrashing, with another last-four meeting at the national stadium in April 2021.

In a match played behind closed doors in accordance with pandemic measures, Hakim Ziyech swept in Timo Werner’s cross for the winner, and was denied a worthy second by Zack Steffen’s feet.

Chelsea and the FA Cup

Another piece of history could be made at the Etihad should Chelsea progress to round four of the FA Cup. Currently, the Blues share the competition record of winning 24 consecutive third-round matches, first achieved by Manchester United between 1985 and 2001 (though the Red Devils did not actually compete in 1999/00 because of Club World Cup commitments).

Coincidentally, one of those United successes came at Stamford Bridge in January 1998, and that was the last time the Londoners were beaten at that stage. Indeed, the current world champions have enjoyed a long love affair with this prestigious competition, now in its 151st year, and were the first Football League side from London to reach the final in 1914/15.

After foundering in qualifying stages to begin with, Chelsea’s initiation to round three proper of the competition came in our sixth ever season, 1910/11, with a 2-0 win at Wolves. The plucky Pensioners progressed to the semi-finals, losing to Newcastle, but went one better four years later in 1914/15, beaten 3-0 in the final by Sheffield United in the competition’s only ever wartime final.

The second and third finals came in 1966/67 (a win for Spurs in the first ever all-London affair) and 1969/70, when Leeds were famously overcome after a replay and extra time at Old Trafford. Including 1993/94 Chelsea have contested 13 of the past 29 finals, winning seven of them, most recently 2017/18 against Man United.