Chelsea VS Preston North End live preview FA Cup
Chelsea:
Chelsea is set for back-to-back cup fixtures against Championship opposition, with the FA Cup third-round clash against Preston on Saturday followed by the EFL Cup semi-final first leg away at Middlesbrough next Tuesday. Chelsea has a favorable history against Preston, having emerged victorious in nine of their last 15 meetings in all competitions.Last season, Chelsea suffered a significant setback in the FA Cup third round, facing a heavy 4-0 defeat to eventual winners Manchester City, marking their first elimination at this stage in 25 years. The last time Chelsea experienced consecutive third-round exits was between the seasons 1978-79 and 1980-81.Despite the previous setback, Chelsea enters Saturday's fixture with confidence, having advanced from each of their last 18 FA Cup ties against teams from lower divisions since their 4-2 loss at home to League Two side Bradford City in the 2014-15 season.
Preston North End:
Preston finds themselves in a challenging position, having won just four of their last 19 games in the second tier. The pressure is mounting on head coach Ryan Lowe, who is actively seeking solutions to reverse the club's fortunes. Lowe has acknowledged that his primary focus is on the Championship, rather than the glamour tie against Chelsea on Saturday, a team Preston has failed to beat in each of their previous three FA Cup meetings.In recent years, Preston has struggled to make progress in the FA Cup, losing nine of their last 11 matches in the competition. Over the last two decades, they have only advanced to the fourth round on three occasions. Additionally, Preston has faced difficulties in FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition, losing 17 of their last 18 such encounters. Their sole victory during this stretch came against Derby County in January 2008, which adds to the challenges they face heading to Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Analysis:
Chelsea's extensive injury list includes Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah, Romeo Lavia (all dealing with thigh issues), Wesley Fofana, Robert Sanchez, Carney Chukwuemeka (all recovering from knee injuries), Marc Cucurella (ankle), and Lesley Ugochukwu (muscle). Additionally, Nicolas Jackson is unavailable as he has joined the Senegal squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.On the other hand, Preston's only injury concern is with winger Robbie Brady, who is doubtful due to an unspecified problem that has kept him out of the last three games.
Chelsea VS Preston North End stream and TV listing
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