Pundits all agree on Chelsea vs Man City FA Cup prediction with new Cole Palmer role clear

Despite being on their best run of form under Mauricio Pochettino, unbeaten in eight, without defeat in 90 minutes for two months and another four matches, Chelsea are heavy underdogs for the FA Cup semi-final meeting with Manchester City. The two sides have already drawn twice in entertaining encounters this season but that isn't expected to be enough for the Blues.

Pep Guardiola's side remain on the hunt for a double even after their penalties defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday night. They have a (possibly temporary) two-point gap at the top of the Premier League and can now focus all attention on domestic matches for the final four weeks of the campaign.

Chelsea, however, are looking to reach a second final of the season having been left disappointed following the Carabao Cup extra time woes against Liverpool in February. Since then things have turned around for Pochettino, though failing to beat Brentford, Burnley, and Sheffield United has left his position uncertain still.

Ensuring another trip to Wembley is on the cards would certainly be a massive boost for the Argentine but it is City that remain strong favourites for the game, even with their lack of recovery time and emotional obstacles. "Manchester City did not deserve to go out of the Champions League on Wednesday," wrote former Blues forward Chris Sutton for BBC.

"On the balance of play against Real Madrid, they can count themselves a bit unlucky to lose the tie. It is important that they bounce back quickly, though, starting here.

"City's main focus now will be their attempt to become the first side in the 136-year history of English league football to be crowned champions four times in a row. That would be a huge achievement, and going out of Europe will aid that. Pep is greedy for trophies, though, and of course he will want to lift the FA Cup again too.

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola's four-word Man City confession proves Mauricio Pochettino Chelsea claim right

READ MORE: Chelsea drop fresh cash injection hint after clear Premier League FFP statement sent

"Chelsea have drawn with City twice this season and they will be dangerous with Palmer in their team. But the kerfuffle over who would take their penalty against Everton on Monday, when Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson argued before Palmer took the ball and scored his fourth goal, sums up the whole situation at the club.

"I would not mind seeing that happen if Palmer had missed a few penalties on the trot, because then it is someone else's turn. But it appears that they have an odd dressing room at the moment, with a lot of inflated egos in there, and if Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino cannot create harmony, you wonder who will.

"On the pitch, Chelsea have shown a bit more consistency in the second half of the season with an eight-game unbeaten run in the league that has put them in the race for sixth place. Pochettino will want a trophy to underline their improvement, but I think it will be City who progress. I am backing the holders to flex their muscles again, go again... and win this tie quite comfortably."

Sutton's prediction: Chelsea 0-3 Manchester City

Harry Redknapp can see the game being tighter. "This is an interesting one. Manchester City played well at times against Real Madrid, particularly in the second half, they should have done enough to win the game," he told sports betting site BetVictor.

"They don’t seem to be creating as many chances as normal though. A couple of these lads look off it to me. If it’s not Phil Foden or Kevin De Bruyne, I don’t see anyone else stepping up at the minute."

As for Chelsea: "I’m running out of superlatives for Cole Palmer, he’s been incredible. That first half against Everton the other night was a joke, he was just brilliant. He’s so classy and looks like he has all the time in the world. It’s a big game for him up against his old side.

"Despite the loss during the week, you’ve still got to favour City. Chelsea are improving though, so this could be a close one."

He added: "I can’t sugarcoat it, Erling Haaland was quiet in those two games against Real Madrid. Big players respond though, so I fancy him to get back on the scoresheet here."

Redknapp's prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Manchester City

talkSPORT's Simon Jordan thinks that Pochettino may well have turned a corner at Stamford Bridge. He doesn't expect them to be in the FA Cup final though. "Sometimes you can’t bounce until you hit the bottom, and maybe Chelsea have hit the bottom and they’re starting to bounce now," he explained.

"I don’t know, but they’ll have been to a cup final, they’re in a cup semi-final. They’ve got the most difficult team to play in that cup semi-final, so I would expect them to be ejected from the FA Cup.

"But if they do finish inside the top six, whilst it won’t be a brilliant season, given where they’ve been during the course of it, it will be written up in a different way than the writing has been previously."

Jordan's prediction: Manchester City win