Manchester City lie in wait in the showpiece game of the world's oldest cup competition on Saturday 16 May, with the Blues reaching the final after a hard-fought victory over old foe Leeds United at Wembley.

There were few clear-cut chances in yesterday's semi-final clash. One went to Leeds early on, only for Robert Sanchez to deny Brenden Aaronson with a fine stop, and the second of the game saw Enzo Fernandez plant a 23rd-minute header from a Pedro Neto cross into the net.

The Blues managed the game well in the second period, restricting Leeds' threat. An attempt from distance from Anton Stach did force Sanchez into another smart stop, but it was the only genuine scare as the Blues booked a place in our 17th FA Cup final.

'We had a tough week, but now it's a good win for us to move forward,' reflected Joao Pedro after the victory. 'We still have games in the Premier League and we have our objectives. This win will give us more confidence.

‘I think it [the final] will be an exciting game. Both teams are going to come to win, but hopefully we can win the final.’

Having missed our previous two games due to injury, Joao Pedro was restored to the Chelsea starting XI against Leeds and was a reliable presence at the point of our attack.

While the Brazil international didn't get on the scoresheet – although he did strike the post in the first half – his contribution to our victory, particularly his ability to hold up possession and move the Blues up the pitch, was vital.

'I saw teammates suffer a bit [while out injured],' Joao Pedro explained. 'We have had a few losses, so I tried to push to be able to play. To be fair, I was a little bit tired [by the end of the game], but we won and now we have to be focused for the final.’

Fernandez’s goal was his 13th of a productive campaign and Joao Pedro praised the impact made by the Argentine, who was handed the captain’s armband at Wembley in the absence of Reece James.

He said: ‘Enzo is one of the leaders, so I'm very happy to play with him. We talk a lot and we try to help the team, help each other. I think we have a good connection and I'm very happy for him [to score the winning goal].’