Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

This is Alfie Young who was practicing his keepy-uppy skills in the shadow of the Wembley Arch in his Liverpool kit earlier.

Alfie plays for Grimsby Town Under-10s.

This season's FA Cup started 281 days ago when Consett, West Essex, Kensington & Ealing Borough and Ascot United all won their extra preliminary round ties on 6 August.

The following day 46 supporters watched Harefield United win at Chipping Sodbury Town to reach the preliminary round.

Today's final will be watched by nearly 90,000 at Wembley - the first final to be played in front of a capacity crowd for three seasons.

When Arsenal beat Chelsea in the 2020 FA Cup final, no fans were allowed inside Wembley because or the coronavirus pandemic while Leicester's win over Chelsea last year was watched by a reduced crowd of 20,000.

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Chelsea have so much to play for – it’s been a disappointing six or seven months for obvious reasons.

They have now got an incredible opportunity these players and this manager to end the season on a high.

When you look at what Liverpool are going for, it’s incredible we are still talking about the possibility of four trophies in mid-May for them.

For both teams, it’s going to be an incredible. It’s going to be so, so tight. The three games they’ve had this season have all been draws – it wouldn’t surprise me if it went to extra time and penalties again.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

The Wembley pitch is basking in glorious spring sunshine as the ground staff make the final touches for later. They are now repainting the lines after giving it one last mow, so it is millimetre perfect.

A closer inspection reveals just how pristine it is. Anyone taking a heavy touch later definitely can’t blame the surface.

Image source, BBC Sport

Yeah, I'm sure the country will feel very sorry for European champions and eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea if they don't win today.

I can't claim to speak for every fan, but do all neutral fans want Liverpool to win?

I would imagine most supporters of teams that aren't Liverpool or Manchester City don't really care who wins the Premier League, or any other trophy for that matter. The reality is that unless you're a fan of a former Super League-aspiring club, competing to win silverware in England isn't really a concern anymore. Genuinely caring which big club does win a trophy, when you're not a fan of any of those clubs, is a bit like being emotionally invested in which gazillionaire tech giant makes it into space in their own ludicrously expensive rocket. You're never going to feel the thrill of it so why does it matter which of them does?

Anyway, here is what Jurgen Klopp had to say in response to Guardiola's comments...

There has been a bit of chat of late regarding who wants which team to win what. Pep Guardiola sparked it by stating that "everyone in the country supports Liverpool" in the ongoing Premier League title race between the Reds and the Spaniards Manchester City.

Inevitably, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was asked about the comments ahead of this game and replied: "It is hard to really argue with him on it.

"There's a huge sympathy for Liverpool in the country, which is fair enough. They work hard for it. Jurgen Klopp is the master of being the underdog. He can talk you into it.

"There is nothing to be jealous of from my side. Klopp is a fantastic guy, a funny guy and one of the best coaches in the world. If we are the bad guys tomorrow no problem. We take that role.

"We don't want the sympathy of the whole country, we want the trophy at the end of the day."

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

This is Jurgen Klopp’s first FA Cup final as a manager but he stuck with the tradition of the day by taking his his squad for a relaxing walk on the morning of the final.

That’s not normally at Wembley itself but Liverpool are staying across the road from the stadium so at 10.30am they chose to stretch their legs by walking around the pitch where they will be in action a little later.

They all looked pretty relaxed to be fair.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dion Dublin
Former Premier League striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I’ve been pitchside for a few hours now and it is proper, proper hot out here, so the players are going to have to be careful.

They are going to have to pass the ball – running with the ball, it’s not the day for that.

I think it might be quite cagey at the start - but they will have to go for the throat at some stage.

Another important aspect of today's final is that it comes at the end of a tournament marking the 150th anniversary of the competition, which was first played in 1871-72.

To read more about this, have a look at this page on the FA website., external

Here is how both teams reached the final this season...

Liverpool's winning-relationship with the FA Cup dates back a little longer, to 1965, but they are currently one victory behind today's opponents on the overall tally...

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Both of these teams have a rich history with the FA Cup.

For Chelsea, it involves eight triumphs, dating back to 1970...

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So yeah, Liverpool, who beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final in February, are chasing an unprecedented quadruple after reaching the Champions League final, while they are three points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League with two games to go.

Eight-time FA Cup winners Chelsea are appearing in the final for the third successive season - and fifth in six seasons - after finishing runners-up to Arsenal in 2020 under Frank Lampard and Leicester City in 2021 under Thomas Tuchel.

For the low down on everything else about this season's final, you could do worse than have a glance at our preview.

BBC Radio 5 Live

The only other thing I will chuck in at this stage is how you can stay across the game on BBC radio.

As always, 5 Live is the channel you need. They actually got under way with their sport coverage a few hours ago, but are currently building up to events at Wembley as I type.

They'll have full audio commentary of the game from 16:45 BST.

As you'll be able to see in the entry that has been sitting in this page for a few hours now, there is a lot going on as regards coverage of this game on the BBC.

I won't run through it all again, you know how to scroll.

The one time you need to focus on is that 16:45 BST kick-off. Before then, just sit back, relax, enjoy the nonsense I throw at your eyes and either stay across the iPlayer or the video options at the top of this page.

Lovely stuff.

This season's Cup final is full of intrigue, with two central narratives at its core.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The first sees this final as the second stage of Liverpool's attempt to create history. With the Carabao Cup already in their possession, claiming the FA Cup would keep alive the Reds' hopes of an unprecedented quadruple by an English club. Then it's on to trying to wrestle the title off Manchester City and attempting to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Alternatively...

Image source, Getty Images

Today's final represents last chance saloon for Chelsea in a largely-underwhelming campaign. They came into this season as European champions and having splashed out big on a returning striker to set up hopes of a tilt at the Premier League title and the rest. It hasn't gone to plan. Chuck in some heavy duty boardroom issues and it is all a bit gloomy for the Blues.

But their is now light at the end of the tunnel as regards the club's ownership (basically swap one billionaire for another) and they have one last chance to end 2021-22 with a bit of major bling.

Image source, Getty Images

Cancel all other football, it's FA Cup final day!

Stanley Matthews, Bert Trautmann, Leeds and Chelsea kicking lumps out of each other, Alan Sunderland, Ricky Villa, the Crazy Gang, the Spice Boys, Stevie G in Wales, Ben Watson.

English football is rapidly shedding itself of many of the qualities that once made it great, but one thing we can still cling on to is a single Saturday when attention turns to Wembley for a showdown between two battle-hardened sides to be crowned winner of the world's oldest national football competition. Legends can be made.

And it all gets under way at that most traditional of kick-off times... 4:45pm? Wait, what? 4:45? Are we sure? Ah, OK, bit weird. But fine, 4:45pm it is. Come on!

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch BBC Sport's full build-up ahead of the 16:45 kick-off on the FA Cup Channel.

Use the play icon at the top of this page or watch on BBC iPlayer.

Here is the full running order:

12:00-13:00 – Football Focus

13:00-13:15 – FA Cup 2021-22: Best moments

13:15-13:45 – MOTDx

13:45-14:15 – Match of the Day Top 10: Memorable FA Cup finals

14:15-15:15 – FA Cup Rewind

15:15-15:45 – Road to Wembley

15:45-16:00 – FA Cup 2021-22: Best moments

16:00-19:15 – MOTD Live: Chelsea v Liverpool