Our build-up to this year's FA Cup third round tie starts with the facts and figures you need, including statistical information on the Shrimps of Morecambe...
Chelsea stats
Chelsea are looking to progress to the FA Cup fourth round for the 23rd consecutive season.
We last lost a third round tie in 1998, when Manchester United beat us 5-3 at Stamford Bridge.
The last team from a lower division to beat the Blues in the FA Cup was Bradford City in the fourth round in 2015 at Stamford Bridge. The Bantams were sixth in League One at the time and ended our run of 12 successive home victories by winning 4-2.
Chelsea have played tier four sides in the FA Cup on nine occasions, winning seven. Our two defeats both came at Stamford Bridge, against Crewe Alexandra (1-2) in 1960/61 and Wigan (0-1) in 1979/80 on a frozen Bridge pitch.
Since Frank Lampard became head coach he has given eight Academy players their senior debut: Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour, Reece James, Marc Guehi, Ian Maatsen, Tino Anjorin, Tariq Lamptey and Armando Broja.
New opposition again
Chelsea and Morecambe have never met before in any competition or friendly.
They are the fourth club this season we will have played for the first time, together with our three Champions League opponents Sevilla, Krasnodar and Rennes. Morecambe will take the total number of different clubs the Blues have played in competitive matches to 193.
Last FA Cup tie vs fourth tier side
CHELSEA 6 MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1Third round, Stamford Bridge, 06.01.2007, 3pm
Chelsea (4-4-2) Hilario; Geremi, Ferreira, Carvalho, A Cole (Woods 78); Wright-Phillips, Mikel, Lampard (c) (Morais 71), Bridge; Kalou (Sahar 75), ShevchenkoScorers: Lampard 16, 41, 51 (pen), Wright-Phillips 68, Mikel 82, Carvalho 86Manager: Jose Mourinho
Referee: Lee MasonAttendance: 41,434
Milestones
Morecambe stats
Best seasons in the FA CupThird round: 1961/62, 2000/01, 2002/03Second round: 1968/69, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2012/13, 2017/18
Last seasonLeague Two - 22ndFA Cup - First roundLeague Cup - Second roundEFL Trophy - Group stageTop scorer all competitions: Cole Stockton 6
This season’s stats (all competitions): 28 games, 39 goalsMost starts: Sam Lavelle 25, Carlos Mendes Gomes 23, Adam Phillips 23Top scorers: Adam Phillips 8, Carlos Mendes Gomes 7, Aaron Wilding 5
Morecambe are appearing in the third round of the FA Cup for only the fourth occasion. They have lost the previous three, so are seeking to reach the fourth round for the first time.
This will be Morecambe’s first game since Boxing Day due to Covid-19.
Derek Adams’ side are seventh in League Two with 34 points from 20 games, five points behind leaders Carlisle with a game in hand.
Morecambe are on a run of four successive victories (all in League Two) since their defeat at Newport County on 5 December.
The Shrimps have scored in their last seven away games in all competitions since their 0-4 defeat to Crawley on 17 October.
Morecambe have been an EFL side since 2007 after being promoted from the Conference for the first time by winning the play-off final.
Chelsea will be Morecambe’s second meeting in the FA Cup against a top-flight side. The other was against Ipswich at home in the 2000/01 third round (lost 0-3).
They did play Newcastle at home in the Carabao Cup earlier this season and lost 0-7.
Morecambe’s FA Cup resultsFirst round - Maldon and Tiptree (a) W 1-0Second round - Solihull Moors (a) W 4-2 after extra time
FA Cup scorersStockton 3, O’Sullivan 1, Phillips 1 (pen)
Derek Adams replaced the long-serving Jim Bentley as manager. Bentley left to take over at AFC Fylde in November 2019.
Adams has been in charge for 50 games and has never managed a team against Chelsea.
Morecambe's most recent line-up
League Two, Saturday 26 December 2020Morecambe 3 Grimsby Town 1Team 4-2-3-1: Halstead; Cooney, Lavelle (c), Davis, Hendrie; Wildig, Songo’o; Slew (Diagouraga 86), Phillips, Mendes-Gomes; StocktonBooked Stockton, Songo’oScorers Mendes-Gomes 58, 71, Phillips 90+3
Discipline
There are no suspensions
Yellow cards only count in the competition they are received. In the FA Cup, two yellow cards will result in a one-match suspension. The cut-off point is the quarter-finals, so no player can miss the final through cumulative yellows.