Glenn Hoddle has explained what Chelsea and Joao Pedro absolutely cannot afford to do this weekend.
Chelsea take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley, with Pep Guardiola’s side the overwhelming favourites.
City will be expected to dominate possession as they normally do, which worries Hoddle.
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Glenn Hoddle warns Chelsea and Joao Pedro not to keep dropping deep against Manchester City
As City dominate the ball, teams often drop deep and just try to defend on the edge of their box.
While Hoddle believes that is inevitable, he has warned Chelsea’s No.9, Pedro, that he and his teammates cannot drop deep and sit back for the entire 90 minutes.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, the former Chelsea manager said: “You’re not going to have possession, so they’re going to have to come up with something that’s going to give City something to think about. Too many teams just drop in, their number nine comes so deep and they try to defend, defend, defend.
“I understand that, and that’s what will happen, but there are a few things they’ve got to try to come up with, to try to cause them a problem and make them think. If not, they’re going to be in for a tough day.”
TNT Sports Pundit Glenn Hoddle
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The Blues have not beaten City this season, losing 3-0 against them at Stamford Bridge last month. In the reverse fixture at the Etihad, the score was 1-1.
Calum McFarlane will be hoping that Pedro can inspire Chelsea to their first victory over City in a long time.
Pedro played well in the previous round of the FA Cup, but the forward does not have the greatest record against Saturday’s opponents.
Joao Pedro’s record against Manchester City
As per Transfermarkt, Pedro has faced City eight times in his career but only won one of those games.
The 24-year-old drew five and then lost the other two. Across those matches, he was only able to score one goal.
There will not be a better time than Saturday for Pedro to find his second goal against City. With Cole Palmer out of form right now, Chelsea fans will be pinning their hopes on Pedro and Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez’s goal against Leeds United in the last round took Chelsea to the final. Alongside Pedro, he is the Blues’ biggest attacking threat right now, though if Palmer turns up, there will be no doubt about who the team’s most dangerous player is.
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