Leicester City

Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has been speaking to BBC One following the dramatic FA Cup quarter-final: "We don't like to lose games, but the effort and performance was very good. We scored twice but then the red card completely changed the dynamic.

"Overall, the team was playing good. We didn't lose our identity. You have to defend very deep. That is something I don't like because you suffer too much.

"But then it is probably best to not have extra-time and injuries, because for us the main target is the Championship [promotion].

"Unfortunately, we have many players who will leave for the international break but we are going to use that [time] to recharge, because in the Championship there are too many games.

"In this season, you probably need 100 points to get promoted. There is no league in the world where you need around 100 points to get promoted. It is what it is and we need to adapt."

Here are the key facts and figures following Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final between Chelsea and Leicester City.

• This is the sixth time in the last eight seasons that Chelsea have reached at least the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Meanwhile, they have scored at least three goals in four different games in a single FA Cup campaign for the first time since 2006-07 (also four games).

• Each of Leicester’s last three defeats against Premier League opponents in the FA Cup have been against Chelsea, also coming in March 2018 and June 2020.

• Cole Palmer has netted 14 goals for Chelsea in all competitions this season, the most by a player in their first season for the Blues since Alvaro Morata in 2017-18 (15 goals).

• Excluding shootouts, Raheem Sterling has failed to score five of his last seven penalties across his time with Manchester City and Chelsea, including each of his last two attempts.

• Only Jamie Vardy (15) has scored more goals for Leicester in all competitions this season than Stephy Mavididi (11). In addition, all nine of the Foxes’ goals in the FA Cup this season have come from different players (Casadei, Pereira, Cannon, Vardy, Akgun, Praet, Fatawu, an own goal and Mavididi).

Chelsea scored twice in stoppage time to survive a major scare against Leicester City and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

Substitutes Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke snatched victory for the Blues at the end of a dramatic second half in which the home fans threatened to turn on manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The hosts led comfortably at 2-0 until Axel Disasi scored a comedy own goal from 35 yards out to breathe life into the tie in the 51st minute.

Stephy Mavididi curled in a superb equaliser 11 minutes later after which a fractious Stamford Bridge voiced its unrest with loud boos and chants of "you don't know what you're doing".

But a red card with 17 minutes to go for Leicester defender Callum Doyle proved crucial.

He fouled Nicolas Jackson and, having been initially been shown a yellow card and a penalty given, the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled the foul was outside of the box but upgraded his yellow to a red.

Chelsea applied constant pressure from there and Chukwuemeka slotted in after a clever flick from Cole Palmer, who scored along with Marc Cucurella for Chelsea in the first half, in the 92nd minute.

Madueke's long-range strike sealed the win which maintains Chelsea's hopes of ending a difficult season on a high by winning the FA Cup for the first time since 2018.

Leicester's attention turns back to the Championship where the Foxes' lead has been cut to one point as they attempt to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

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BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has given his verdict on all four FA Cup quarter-finals.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Anna Friedberg and Emily Linden from alt-rock band Friedberg.

Sutton's prediction: 3-0

I suspect there will still be a massive disappointment at the way Chelsea laid down in extra time of the Carabao Cup final, when they lost to Liverpool's kids - so the main incentive for them here is to get back to Wembley to put that right.

That's not the only reason the FA Cup has become very important for the Blues, however. Their Premier League form has actually improved recently, but they are not going to get a Champions League spot, which would have been the aim when it started.

At the moment there is quite a lot of negativity from Chelsea fans towards the club's owners as well as manager Mauricio Pochettino, and I don't think that is going to change whatever they do in the league between now and the end of the season.

But they can still finish the season on a high with the FA Cup, where they have a good record in recent seasons - they were runners-up three years running from 2020 to 2022, including their defeat to Leicester in the 2021 final.

Chelsea have got home advantage here and I also just wonder how Leicester manager Enzo Maresca will approach this game. His side are still top of the Championship but they have had a bit of a wobble recently, with only one win in their past five league games.

Maresca's focus will definitely be on their automatic promotion bid, which will be decided in the nine league games they play between 29 March and 4 May.

They have the international break too of course, but he will be looking further ahead at his side's run-in, and that might influence his team selection at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea had to battle to see off another high-flying Championship side, Leeds, in the last round but I can see them winning this one pretty comfortably.

Anna and Emily's prediction: 1-2

Read the rest of their predictions here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester striker Matty Fryatt has been discussing whether Enzo Maresca should field a full strength squad against Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-final, or whether he should play more of his fringe and youth players, on the When You're Smiling Podcast.

"I think it's slightly different for [Mauricio] Pochettino, as it is for Enzo, just based on the amount of pressure on Chelsea. They are obviously playing against a Championship team, at the minute," said Fryatt.

"With their spend and so-called 'project', they would be really looking at this tie and hoping to progress. They probably want to try and get some silverware and this is their last chance of doing it.

"So I think Pochettino will go all out, but I think Enzo could go three ways. He could go all out so-called 'best XI', then he could go with the team that progressed last time against Bournemouth, or he could make subtle changes.

"There's a lot of selection dilemmas, more so for Enzo, but then after this there is a three-week break from league action. So you've got to balance it up carefully.

"I think Pochettino will have his set team in mind and go all out.

"I personally would make a few subtle changes from the other day. [Mads] Hermansen would come out, [Jakub] Stolarczyk has done really well. Conor Coady for [Wout] Faes probably. I would probably rest [Stephy] Mavididi.

"Last time, there were a lot of players out because of the squad [injuries]. This time, I would have those who might not start on the bench.

"If Mavididi isn't starting, I would have him on the bench. I would wrap Jamie Vardy up, I wouldn't be looking to start him but I would have him on the bench. Maybe Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as well.

"So I would just have a few changes in certain positions."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Premier League v Championship opposition - under most circumstances the team in the top flight would start out favourites.

The problem with this particular match-up? It is almost impossible to say what side will turn up for either club, such is the recent inconsistency of both.

At the turn of the year, Championship leaders Leicester looked all-but guaranteed to bounce straight back up to the Premier League with their form and the 13-point gap they had opened up on third place Southampton.

Fast forward six weeks and they are looking over their shoulder at Leeds in second, just three points adrift, and Ipswich in third a further point back.

For many Premier League teams, this would seem like a promising opportunity of FA Cup progression against an out-of-form side in the league below, but if anyone can match the Foxes for inconsistency this season it is Chelsea.

The Blues, sitting 11th in the league, come into the game on the back of a confidence boosting 3-2 win over fellow European football chasers Newcastle on Monday.

But, before that game they had had to rely on a late Axel Disasi equaliser to get a draw against relegation threatened Brentford in what was almost epitomic of their campaign - struggling to break a team down, not taking early chances and then being punished for it.

When taking into account the past 10 games in all competitions for both teams, it is in fact the Championship leaders who just edge it with more wins and a better goal difference across those games.

If Chelsea want to look for something that will give them optimism of a second trip to Wembley this season, they can turn towards their recent head-to-head with the east Midlands side.

The Blues are unbeaten in their past five meetings with Leicester, winning four of those, including two at Sunday's destination of Stamford Bridge.

If the Foxes want some hope in their attempt to cause an upset, they only have to look back to May 2021 in the very same competition where they beat the soon to be Champions League winners 1-0 in the final and lifted the trophy for the first time.

While Chelsea will and should be favourites, with the current Jekyll and Hyde nature of both sides it's hard to place any bets on who will be reaching the semi-final.

Nick Mashiter
Senior football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Jamie Vardy has been ruled out of Leicester’s FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea.

The striker suffered a calf problem in the 2-2 draw at Hull, where he scored twice, and will not travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

“We played Sunderland and he didn’t train, he did something the day before the game. He played the last game, fortunately for us scored twice, and he got injured again,” said boss Enzo Maresca.

“It’s small problems, we all love Jamie but he is 37 and we can’t forget that. It’s not a big problem, we have the international break so hopefully we can have all our players back.

“Any injuries at this moment are crucial but it’s football and we can’t control any injuries.”

The last eight clash is a repeat of the 2021 final, which Leicester won 1-0 to lift the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

The Foxes tumbled out of the Premier League just two years later but are in line for an instant return, sitting top of the Championship and three points ahead of Leeds.

“I am proud, not only because of the FA Cup, but for all the season. I think our path, our journey in this moment has been perfect, I always said we are going in the right direction,” said Maresca.

“It is not normal winning all of the games, now it is a matter of finishing in the right way in the league and try to enjoy Sunday, you never know what you are going to get.

“If we can win we can maintain the momentum but the Chelsea game is not going to dictate the rest of the season.

“It is a game that if we win we are all happy and if we don't we are going to be upset and then go again for the rest of the season.

“When it is one game, anything can happen because any moment of the game can change the dynamic, a goal, red card, anything.

“The most important thing is to be there for 90-95 minutes. We have already been to Anfield, Liverpool away, Bournemouth away, so we enjoy these kinds of games, so we will see what happens.”

Leicester City will be looking to cause another FA Cup upset when they come up against Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea, with a place at Wembley up for grabs.

While the focus remains on their Championship title push, the Foxes will be hoping to see off the Blues in a similar fashion to the 2021 FA Cup final, particularly because they aren't in league action again until 29 March.

Former Leicester striker Matty Fryatt says there is a "massive amount of pressure" on their top-flight opposition, who struggled against Leeds United in the FA Cup fifth round: "It's going to be a great day," he told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.

"The thing is, there haven't been many times this season when Leicester have been the underdogs. So there's a massive amount of pressure on Chelsea - are they going to cope with that?

"Obviously, they got to the League Cup final, but they couldn't quite get over the line. Maybe they missed a few chances, maybe there were a few blocks, but it would've been disappointing to not win it on the day.

"This is their only other chance of doing something with the amount of spend they have had and the players they have brought in. So, it's all on them to go and perform. That could actually play into Leicester's favour.

"They are a level above Bournemouth, but it's not one of those where you don't go into it with optimism. Leeds pushed them all the way in the last round as well, so I think there's plenty to look forward to.

"All the jeopardy is with Chelsea, it's off Leicester for once. So hopefully they can go down there and cause somewhat of an upset."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Chris Forryan
Fan writer

‘Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition’ was once famously said by The Pythons.

Well I was not expecting a quarter-final FA Cup game this season.

At the start of the season I was on record as saying I wasn’t bothered about a cup run as promotion was our number one aim, it was all about priorities.

When Liverpool put us out of the Carabao Cup, I cannot say I was that disappointed and I would have felt the same had Bournemouth beaten us in the previous round of the FA Cup. However, once you get to games that include the word final, you start to feel a bit different.

It must do for Enzo as well, as he is faced with a selection dilemma. His ‘first choice’ starting eleven have struggled in the league and yet his much changed team stood toe to toe with Premier League Bournemouth and beat them.

We don’t have any midweek games to complicate matters and have a week off after this for the international break. I did think the team that beat Bournemouth should maybe get their chance, but with just one game off being at Wembley it has to be the strongest 11 he puts out.

Enzo’s priority has to be the league but beating Chelsea and making it to Wembley wouldn’t be bad in his first season.

But one request for Enzo, give Jamie Vardy the week off, give him his statutory energy drink Sunday morning and let him loose.

Chris Forryan can be found at Leicester Till I Die, external