2017-18 FA Cup SF - Chelsea Vs Southampton Sunday April 22,2018

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Southampton have progressed from four of their previous five FA Cup ties against Chelsea, but lost the most recent encounter 5-1 in the third round in 2012-13.
• Chelsea are vying for six straight wins against the Saints in all competitions for the first time.
• The last three league meetings have generated 12 goals, including five last weekend in Chelsea's 3-2 win at St. Mary's.

Chelsea

• Chelsea have won 11 of their last 14 FA Cup semi-final matches.
• They will be appearing at the new Wembley for the 18th time, a record by a club playing at the stadium in a neutral capacity.
• The Blues have kept clean sheets in three of their five ties in reaching the semi-finals.
• Willian has contributed to 10 goals in 10 FA Cup matches (six goals, four assists) since the start of last season.
• Since his debut in English football in January 2013, Olivier Giroud has had a hand in 21 goals in his 25 FA Cup appearances (14 goals, seven assists), more than any other player in the competition over this period.
• Willy Caballero and Pedro are the only players to have played in all five Chelsea FA Cup matches this term.

Southampton

• Southampton have reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2003. They beat Watford 2-1 in that game but ultimately lost 1-0 to Arsenal in the final.
• Saints have lost five of their seven previous visits to Wembley in all competitions. They won the 1976 FA Cup final and 2010 Football League Trophy final.
• They have scored six goals during their FA Cup run (all by different scorers), whilst the only goal they have conceded was a Salomon Rondon strike in their 2-1 triumph at West Brom in the fifth round.
• Southampton boss Mark Hughes was an FA Cup winner as a player with opponents Chelsea in 1996-97.
• Hughes has lost both of his previous two FA Cup semi-finals as a manager: 3-0 to Arsenal in 2004-05 and 2-1 after extra time to Chelsea in 2006-07.
• Hughes has already been knocked out of the FA Cup once this season as his then-Stoke side were beaten by League Two club Coventry in the third round.

Chelsea beat Southampton 2-0 to reach finals

Olivier Giroud's brilliant semi-final goal helped Chelsea beat Southampton to reach the FA Cup final and set up a meeting with Manchester United.

Chelsea striker Giroud received the ball from Eden Hazard and jinked his way past two Southampton players in a crowded area before he stabbed the ball home.

Giroud was replaced by Alvaro Morata with 10 minutes to go and the substitute sealed safe passage with Chelsea's second when he headed in at the back post from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross.

Southampton went close with Nathan Redmond's low drive from distance while Charlie Austin hit the post.

It means Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will come up against managerial adversary Jose Mourinho at Wembley on May 19,2018

• Mark Hughes is just the second manager to be eliminated from the FA Cup as manager of two Premier League teams (Stoke and Southampton) in a single season, after Glenn Hoddle in 2000-01 with Southampton and Tottenham.
• Since they lost 3-1 to Southampton at home in October 2015, Chelsea have won each of six games against them in all competitions.
• Chelsea have reached the FA Cup final for the 13th time, and have got there in successive campaigns for the first time since 2009 and 2010.
• They have won seven of their eight FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, with their only loss coming against Manchester City in 2013.
• Alvaro Morata has scored nine headed goals in all competitions this season; two more than any other Premier League player.
• All seven of Cesar Azpilicueta's assists this season have been for Morata.