A victory for Liverpool in the FA Cup final would be valuable for more than just the joy of winning at Wembley. A second trophy of the season, joining the Carling Cup, would give Kenny Dalglish the right to claim improvement even if his side are 34 points behind the Premier League leaders, Manchester City. Chelsea themselves look highly likely to finish the season outside the top four, but taking the FA Cup would add to the momentum on the approach to the Champions League final against Bayern Munich on 19 May. Kevin McCarra
Venue Wembley Stadium, Saturday 5.15pm
Tickets Sold out
Previous meetings Chelsea wins 56 Liverpool wins 73 Draws 33
Referee Phil Dowd
This season's matches 36 Y132, R5, 3.81 cards per game
Odds Chelsea 6-4 Liverpool 2-1 Draw (after 90min) 9-4
Chelsea
Subs from Hilário, Turnbull, Hutchinson, Romeu, Essien, Bertrand, Malouda, Torres, Meireles, Lukaku, Sturridge, Ferreira
Doubtful None
Injured David Luiz (hamstring, 13 May), Cahill (hamstring, 19 May)
Suspended None
Form guide LWDDWW
Disciplinary record Y109 R5
Leading scorer Lampard 17
Liverpool
Subs from Doni, Jones, Kelly, Shelvey, José Enrique, Shelvey, Bellamy, Kuyt, Rodríguez, Aurélio, Coates, Flanagan, Robinson, Sterling
Doubtful None
Injured Adam (knee, Aug), Lucas (knee, Aug)
Suspended None
Form guide LWLWWD
Disciplinary record Y72 R4
Leading scorer Suárez 17
Match pointers
• Chelsea have scored 100 goals in their last 39 FA Cup matches, failing to find the net only once – in a 1-0 defeat by Barnsley in March 2008
• On each of the three previous occasions that Liverpool have beaten Everton in an FA Cup semi-final, they have gone on to lose in the final
• Excluding the Community Shield, Didier Drogba has scored in all seven of his appearances at Wembley
• Liverpool have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight appearances in the final – the 2-0 victory against Sunderland in 1992
• This will be the 31st meeting between these sides in all competitions since the start of the 2004-05 season