Chelsea thrash Palace 2-0 to book FA Cup final clash with Liverpool

Chelsea will face Liverpool in the FA Cup final after a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday, thanks to goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount in the second half.

In the semi-final at Wembley, Thomas Tuchel’s team had to work hard to breach Palace’s tenacious resistance, but Loftus-vicious Cheek’s strike put them on pace for a third consecutive FA Cup final appearance.

Mount clinched Chelsea’s place in the final with a magnificent finish of his own, assuring a clash with Liverpool at Wembley on May 14.

Chelsea will be playing in their fifth FA Cup final in the previous six years, looking to avenge losses in the finals to Arsenal and Leicester in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Chelsea will compete in their 16th FA Cup final, aiming to win the title for the ninth time and for the first time since 2018.

It was a good pick-me-up after the Blues’ heartbreaking Champions League quarter-final elimination at Real Madrid on Tuesday, when they came back from a 3-1 first-leg deficit to lose in extra time.

Tuchel has won the Champions League, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup during his time at Chelsea, but he has yet to win a domestic championship with the club.

Following the British government’s sanctions on Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich following the invasion of Ukraine, three consortiums are in the race to buy Chelsea. The Blues could have a new owner by the time they return to Wembley.

Beating Palace leaves them in contention to cap a difficult season with a trophy, though Liverpool, who upset Premier League leaders Manchester City 3-2 in the semi-final on Saturday, will be far more difficult opponents.

Despite his players’ mental and physical exhaustion from the exhausting defeat in Madrid, Tuchel made only three changes, leaving Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kante, and Loftus-Cheek on the bench.

Chelsea had beaten Palace twice in the Premier League this season without allowing a goal, but they looked flat in the first half.

Patient Chelsea

Chelsea struggled to make an impact against a Palace side that was tigerish in the tackle and well-drilled in their low defensive block.

Tuchel’s side required 25 minutes to create an opportunity, and even then Kai Havertz’s looping header was simple for Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland to save.

Mateo Kovacic was injured seconds later, and Loftus-Cheek was introduced against the squad for which he had previously played on loan.

As Chelsea struggled to gain control, Tuchel became frustrated, and the German turned away in frustration when Cesar Azpilicueta botched an acrobatic attempt to volley Timo Werner’s cross.

Just before half-time, Palace came close to being rewarded for their tenacious performance.

Edouard Mendy pushed Cheikhou Kouyate’s effort from the edge of the box away, and Joachim Andersen smashed the rebound into the post from close range.

In the second half, Chelsea had more control, but Kouyate came near again, heading barely wide from Eberechi Eze’s corner.

Conor Gallagher, for example, was ruled out of the match against Chelsea after Palace failed to persuade his parent club to grant him special permission to play.

Palace lost the finesse they needed to carry more of a danger as a result, and Chelsea, to their credit, never lost patience.