Leicester City

The team news for Chelsea v Leicester City is in, with less than an hour to go before kick-off at Stamford Bridge.

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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

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.

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

‘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

Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Chelsea and Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

• Chelsea have progressed from seven of their eight FA Cup ties against Leicester. The exception was a 1-0 defeat in their most recent meeting in the 2021 final.

• Leicester have won just one of their past 13 away games against Chelsea, beating them 1-0 in the Premier League in December 2018.

• Chelsea have won their past five FA Cup quarter-finals, since losing to Everton in 2015-16. The Blues have reached the semi-final of the competition in five of the past seven campaigns.

• Raheem Sterling has scored four goals in his past two appearances against Leicester, including a double for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in August 2022 – his first goals for the Blues.

• All seven of Leicester’s FA Cup goals this season have been scored by different players, with only six clubs having more scorers in the competition this season.

Watch Chelsea v Leicester live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app at 12:45 GMT on Sunday

Image source, Getty Images

The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast has landed.

Foxes winger Mark Albrighton sat down with Owynn Palmer-Atkin to discuss recent form, their FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea on Sunday and his contract situation.

Listen to the full episode here

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Wales boss Rob Page has named a 28-man squad for the upcoming semi-final and possible play-off final.

Wales face Finland at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, 21 March, with a potential final against Poland or Estonia to follow five days later, also in Cardiff, for a place at this summer's European Championship.

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper has been discussing how "important" it will be for the Foxes to change their current form as soon as possible on the When You're Smiling podcast:

"I actually look at that game at the weekend [against Hull City] and think that it's not a bad point. They've already beaten us this year, we clearly weren't at the top of our game and it's the first time, for a long time, that we've not dominated possession.

"Liam Rosenior [Hull City manager] seems to have Enzo's number a little bit in the way he sets the team up and how difficult he makes it. To go 2-1 down and then come back immediately - I know we didn't win but, I don't think the team would be too down about a 2-2 draw away at Hull.

"It might be a good thing coming away from the Championship for a week or so and playing this FA Cup game against Chelsea. It will give them the chance to really test themselves."

On hitting a poor run of form at the "business end of the season", Piper added: "We've gone two games before and we've always bounced back - I think we've done that twice this season. We've bounced back and come back stronger but that's why it was a record-breaking start to a season, because we didn't have any of those dips really.

"Unfortunately, now, when it gets to the business end of the season, it seems like we've hit that dip that all of the other clubs have already been through.

"But I think Leeds and Ipswich will still lose football matches in the run-in to the end of the season. I think Leicester will as well. I do think it will be incredibly tight, but we will get over the line."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Jamie Vardy! Write this man off at your peril.

He’s 37 years old and I don’t think there would be many a Championship or bottom half Premier League team that wouldn’t have him in their squad right now.

He played 86 minutes and scored two goals at Hull City all without taking part in training during the week.

He cost Leicester City just £1m in 2012, a fee he has more than paid back during his time at the club.

But his contract is up at the end of the season, and a big decision will need to be made by the Leicester hierarchy.

If we go up, do they let him leave on a high, or offer him one more year at the top level? But he's the highest-paid player, and the spectre of FFP is hanging over the club.

The United States? Saudi Arabia? Sheffield Wednesday? If he does leave there will be no shortage of offers on the table, possibly even a player-coach role.

Who knows, but what I do know is there will be calls for a statue.

I’ll have a pint of what he’s drinking, please!

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

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester striker Matty Fryatt believes the Foxes 2-2 draw with Hull on Saturday was a "fair result" but says not being top going into the March international break would "add more pressure".

"From the standards we've expected and how we've assumed Leicester would carry on the season, they were going for the points record at some point, is a point enough?" Fryatt told the When You're Smiling podcast.

"But then on reflection of the game, I think a point was a fair result. You probably take it, dust yourself down, and look forward to something different next week in terms of the cup.

"Take a point and move on but there are nine ridiculously huge, massive, must-win games to go. They get even bigger.

"You see the table now, it is tight. People have to be aware of the pressures but enjoy that type of environment as well.

"There wasn't much between the two sides, no real control from either. There were times the game slowed and was stop start, then on the balance a draw is right, it's a decent point regardless of the stage."

The Foxes travel to Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals next weekend which gives the opportunity for Leeds to leapfrog them before they next play in the league and Fryatt believes this would be a psychological blow.

"It would add more pressure, of course it does - then you might potentially be the chaser," he added.

"Whereas before it's been 'who's going to go up alongside Leicester?'

"Now it's a position where come the next league game they might not be top. That does add pressure but you have to focus on what you do and when Leicester are on it and at their best they can beat any team in this league.

"It's really difficult to not look at the league, there's always that element, but you've still got to go and do what you do best."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds