Would FA Cup win paper over the cracks for Chelsea?

Chelsea have won eight and lost eight of their FA Cup final appearances so far, losing their past three in a row

Chelsea go into the FA Cup final in the unusual position of having no permanent manager, an angry fanbase and a lingering question: would beating Manchester City at Wembley be enough to save their season?

Lifting silverware would undoubtedly delight supporters, but concerns over a troubled campaign and anger towards the Clearlake-Boehly ownership group will likely persist.

A draw at Liverpool last weekend prevented Chelsea from becoming the first team to lose seven consecutive league matches before an FA Cup final.

However, it did little to alter their Premier League fortunes. They remain ninth in the table and their pre-season target of Champions League qualification is all but gone.

Qualification for any European competition remains in serious doubt, but victory on Saturday would at least secure a place in the second-tier Europa League - a result that would be welcomed by both players and the club's hierarchy.

It remains a worrying picture for Chelsea, who are operating under strict Uefa financial controls following a settlement last year that limits their spending, as they search for a new head coach.

Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Fulham's Marco Silva and former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso are understood to be among the options on the club's shortlist. Chelsea sources insist the race is open but, externally, Alonso is seen as the favoured candidate.

Former head coach Enzo Maresca left after a falling out with the hierarchy on New Year's Day, with many believing he has been lined up to succeed Pep Guardiola at City should he depart.

Maresca's replacement, Liam Rosenior, was hired from partner club Strasbourg but lasted less than four months. Interim head coach Calum McFarlane is the first Englishman to lead a team into an FA Cup final since Frank Lampard did so with Chelsea in 2020.

McFarlane earned a point in a 1-1 draw at Etihad Stadium in January in his first experience of leading a senior side, but Guardiola's team remain firm favourites.

A win on Saturday would not only deliver Chelsea their first domestic trophy since 2018, but, even amid any celebration, would be unlikely to quell supporter anger at Stamford Bridge.

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Fans have protested against BlueCo this season

Not A Project CFC, a growing protest movement, has announced a march up Wembley Way at 13:30 BST before the match. It will feature a large banner focusing "not only on BlueCo's ownership but also on the club's sporting directors".

Three days later, during Chelsea's final home match of the season against Tottenham, supporters plan to turn their backs on the action in the 22nd minute - a reference to 2022, the year BlueCo bought the club.

The group said the protest was "an attempt to send a public message that we have no faith in the current ownership and the direction the club is heading".

It added that the demonstrations would not stop simply because Chelsea are set to appoint their sixth permanent manager, and frustration among supporters centres on footballing issues.

These include what they see as an underwhelming return on spending of more than £1.6bn on predominantly young players, with calls for accountability from the five sporting directors who have led recruitment.

The movement is separate from the Chelsea Supporters' Trust, but the trust has also offered more measured criticism of the club in recent weeks, while focusing its efforts on securing a fairer ticketing policy.

Chelsea insist they are listening and that accountability is built into their system.

There is anger within the club at Chelsea's slide down the table, which is partly attributed to Maresca surprising officials by leaving midway through the campaign, a development that made the decision to recruit Rosenior more appealing.

Unlike Maresca, Rosenior departed on good terms but, having lost the backing of parts of the dressing room, it was felt an interim appointment such as McFarlane offered a better chance of success in both the FA Cup and the Premier League.

The club say they are in a "period of self-reflection", but are keen to point out they have not deviated from their aim of building a winning team or seeking greater "stability" in the head coach role.

Clearlake co-founder Behdad Eghbali acknowledges the club "haven't done [that] right yet" when picking a head coach and will "tweak" their transfer policy to sign more experienced players.