The FA Cup final: Chelsea vs. Manchester City. The two teams are 28 points apart in this season’s Premier League table. Manchester City are second, Chelsea ninth. If you only look at the league standings, this seems like a foregone conclusion. But an FA Cup final is never just an extension of the league, and Wembley’s pitch has its own rules. Chelsea walk into this stadium carrying a string of worrying numbers — no wins in their last six league matches, and only two goals in their last five. Their blunt attack has sent the team sliding down the table, Palmer’s form has been inconsistent, and Caicedo has been left to hold things together alone in the holding midfield role. But the cup is a different timeline. Chelsea knocked out Leeds United in the FA Cup, then thrashed Port Vale 7-0, and in this competition they have found what they lost in the league. Manchester City’s record is far more impressive. Eight wins, one draw and one defeat in their last ten, with an attacking output of more than two goals per game. The combination of Foden and Marmoush up front has been honed throughout the season. But City’s injury list includes a couple of names that cannot be ignored — Dias is out with a hamstring injury, and Gvardiol is also unavailable, meaning two pillars have been removed from the heart of the defense. When was the last time Chelsea beat Manchester City? You have to go back quite a way to find the answer. But the beauty of a final is that it does not care what happened before. The moment the two teams walk into Wembley, all history is locked outside. Chelsea’s struggles are real, and Manchester City’s superiority is real too. But over 90 minutes, reality does not always mean certainty. Chelsea can make their mark on neutral ground tonight.