Pep Guardiola offers major FA Cup final line-up hint with clear Bournemouth message

Predicted Starting XI: Chelsea vs Manchester City (FA Cup Final)

Bournemouth will not impact FA Cup final XI, says Pep

Asked directly how much Bournemouth away would influence his team selection against Chelsea, Guardiola was as brief as he has ever been.

“Zero. It’s a final of the FA Cup,” the City manager said, having made six changes to his starting XI for City’s 3-0 league win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

The answer is entirely consistent with the philosophy Guardiola has maintained throughout his nine years at the Etihad Stadium – that every competition deserves to be treated with the same respect, and that finals in particular, demand nothing less than maximum commitment.

He made virtually the same point in his pre-Brentford press conference last week when discussing his approach to cup football, insisting he works harder preparing for those games rather than treating them as secondary to the league.

Will John Stones start for Man City vs Chelsea?

On whether he can put sentiment aside when picking his team in cases like John Stones, who is leaving at the end of the season, Guardiola added: “A little bit, but I try to be what I believe.

“Last game (in the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton), the people started to sing, ‘Johnny, Johnny Stones’ and I said, ‘OK, they paid for tickets, John Stones must play!’ – so sometimes.

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“Normally, no. Normally I try to be what is required for the team in that moment, or the players I feel fit more – many reasons! (Is that quite hard?) Do you know what is hard? Today, six players are not even selected, six! That is hard.

“And players that helped us a lot to be in the final, going where we are, they are not even on the bench tomorrow. That is really, really tough. But, unfortunately it is what it is.”

City have already lifted the Carabao Cup this season and are still alive in the Premier League title race, with Arsenal needing to drop points in their final two games for the Blues to have any chance.

Saturday’s final represents the clearest opportunity of the week to guarantee silverware and Guardiola is treating it with exactly that weight.