Chelsea put an end to their run of defeats in the Premier League with a 1-1 draw against Liverpool, and Calum McFarlane has taken some confidence ahead of the FA Cup final.
Enzo Fernandez’s clever free-kick secured a point for the Blues after they had again fallen behind in the first 10 minutes following Ryan Gravenberch’s strike.
Chelsea welcomed Levi Colwill back into the starting side for the first time this season, and he stood out in our player ratings for the game.
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Levi Colwill's Chelsea performance vs Liverpool
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Calum McFarlane thinks Chelsea have enough to win FA Cup final
Seeing Colwill and Reece James back in the side will have given great confidence for Chelsea fans as they approach the FA Cup final next weekend against Manchester City.
Winning a domestic trophy at Wembley would go some way to giving a bit of joy to Blues supporters from the 2025/26 season.
Liverpool v Chelsea - Premier League
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McFarlane has confidence that his side can achieve what many see as the unthinkable next week, stating that Chelsea can beat anyone on their day if they are up for the occasion.
He told TNT Sports: “It’s gonna be a tough game, they’re a top side, but this side have shown when they’re at their best they can compete with anyone across Europe. So if we get the best version of that, the commitment, the fighting spirit that we got today, we can beat anyone.
“But, it’s going to be a massive challenge. I’ve got a lot of respect for Manchester City and how they okay and what they do, but we’re gonna be up for that challenge.”
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Liverpool v Chelsea - Premier League
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McFarlane’s tactical tweak makes big impact for Chelsea
As Chelsea announced their starting side to take on the Reds, it was notable that the Blues had named a back five for the game.
The interim boss admitted this was largely due to the fact that they have no fit wingers in the first team squad, but this didn’t take away from their performance.
Marc Cucurella caused plenty of issues in the left wing-back position, and was unlucky to be adjudged offside as Cole Palmer thought he had given the Blues the lead.
The blueprint is there for the FA Cup final, and we could easily see the exact same starting side, with James in for Andrey Santos in the middle of midfield.
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