We will raise our level against Man City — Chelsea interim boss ready for cup final

Enzo Fernandez’s first-half header from a Pedro Neto cross sealed the win for Chelsea against a stubborn Leeds, setting up a showdown with Manchester City on May 16.

Speaking after the semi-final victory, Chelsea’s first outing since sacking manager Liam Rosenior, McFarlane said ending a poor run of form was the priority.

“Relief is the correct word,” McFarlane said.

“We were confident going into the game, and we had a good three days [training], but you never know.

"We wanted to shift the momentum; our form hasn’t been great, but probably the character was the most pleasing part.

“I think those lads showed how much they want to win a football game and what they were willing to do to win a really important football game for the club.”

Chelsea will head into the final as underdogs against a Manchester City side chasing a domestic treble.

However, McFarlane believes his players have the character to rise to the occasion, pointing to last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.

“You can come with a plan, but they [City] are an exceptional side in really good form,” McFarlane said.

“It’s going to be a massive challenge. But we seem to raise our level. We saw that against PSG in the Club World Cup. It’s more about the character.”