Former Arsenal star says Chelsea needs 'a miracle' to beat Manchester City in FA cup final

Former Emmanuel Petit has expressed serious doubts over Chelsea’s chances of defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The two Premier League giants are set to meet at Wembley Stadium on May 16 in what promises to be one of the biggest matches of the English football season.

Chelsea head into the final after a turbulent campaign marked by inconsistency and managerial instability.

The Blues have endured a difficult run of form in recent weeks and had lost six consecutive league matches before managing a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.

The London club have also experienced major behind-the-scenes changes, with three different managers taking charge during the season.

In contrast, Manchester City continue to dominate domestically under Pep Guardiola.

City have already secured the EFL Cup and remain firmly in the race for the Premier League title as they pursue another remarkable season of success.

Their strong form has made them overwhelming favourites heading into the FA Cup final.

Speaking to BoyleSports, Petit admitted that anything can happen in a cup final but questioned whether Chelsea is capable of competing with City’s quality.

“In a final, anything is possible. But when City played Chelsea recently, we only saw one team on the pitch,” Petit said.

He then delivered a harsh assessment of Chelsea’s struggles. “The question now is: who cannot beat Chelsea? It feels like every team can beat them at the moment.”

Petit also criticised the Chelsea squad for failing to respond during difficult moments throughout the season.

“I don’t understand why they would suddenly react in a final when they haven’t reacted for months. So many times I expected a proud response from the players, but they failed repeatedly,” he explained.

The former midfielder added that the squad had not matched expectations despite the resources available to them.

Petit concluded with a blunt prediction ahead of the Wembley showdown.

“Chelsea needs a miracle. I honestly don’t think it will happen because Manchester City are a better team in every aspect, " he added.