Chelsea Player Ratings vs Man City: Enzo Fernandez Struggles as Blues Fall Short in FA Cup Final

Chelsea Player Ratings vs Man City: Palmer Works Hard but Semenyo Magic Wins FA Cup Final

Chelsea gave it a proper go at Wembley, but one flash of brilliance from Antoine Semenyo was enough to hand Manchester City the FA Cup. The Blues defended stubbornly for long spells and even had moments where it looked like the momentum was shifting their way, only for City to produce the decisive moment late on.

There were a few encouraging performances in blue despite the result, especially in defence and midfield, but the lack of a cutting edge eventually caught up with them.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Robert Sanchez (6/10):

Made several solid stops and handled the pressure fairly well. Couldn’t do much about the finish for the goal. That flick was nasty from a goalkeeper’s perspective.

Malo Gusto (7/10):

One of Chelsea’s brighter performers. Defended smartly against Jeremy Doku and still found the energy to get up the pitch regularly. The final ball let him down once or twice, though.

Wesley Fofana (6/10):

A physical and committed display. Read danger well in key moments and threw himself into a few important defensive actions when City started turning the screw.

Levi Colwill (7/10):

Looked calm in possession and helped Chelsea escape pressure with some really sharp passes through the lines. Quietly impressive.

Jorrel Hato (6/10):

Had a difficult afternoon against Semenyo at times and was fortunate the City forward missed an early headed chance. Settled down after that and contributed well defensively.

Midfield

Reece James (6/10):

A mixed one. Nearly gifted City a huge chance after being caught on the ball, but outside of that he kept things tidy enough and worked hard without possession.

Moises Caicedo (7/10):

Started slowly after taking an early knock but grew into the game well. Covered plenty of ground, stitched attacks together and produced one huge interception that probably saved a goal.

Enzo Fernandez (5/10):

Played with intensity and certainly wasn’t hiding, but the game drifted past him a little at times. Came painfully close to equalising with that improvised volley late on.

Attack

Cole Palmer (6/10):

Spent more time helping out defensively than Chelsea fans probably would have liked. Worked hard tracking runners but never really found the freedom to dictate things going forward.

Joao Pedro (6/10):

Kept battling despite feeding off scraps for most of the afternoon. Dropped deep often to get involved and tried to drag defenders around, even if the final reward never arrived.

Marc Cucurella (6/10):

Used higher up the pitch again and gave City a few uncomfortable moments with his pressing and movement. One of those slightly chaotic performances that somehow still helped the team.

Subs & Manager

Pedro Neto (6/10):

Brought some much-needed directness after coming on. Forced a smart save almost immediately and looked lively whenever he isolated defenders.

Liam Delap (5/10):

Didn’t really manage to impose himself. Had one decent opening with a header but couldn’t keep it down.

Alejandro Garnacho (N/A):

Introduced late with Chelsea chasing the game but didn’t get enough touches to influence things.

Calum McFarlane (6/10):

For large parts, the setup actually worked. Chelsea frustrated City and stayed compact, but the problem was failing to capitalise during their best spell. Against a side like City, that usually comes back to haunt you eventually.