Pep Guardiola Backs Erling Haaland to End Wembley Goal Drought in FA Cup Final Against Chelsea

Erling Haaland has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in world football, netting 161 goals for Manchester City — yet Wembley Stadium remains a conspicuous blind spot in his record. Across eight appearances at the national stadium, totalling 601 minutes of play, the Norwegian international has failed to score. That drought also extends across 15 major cup semi-finals and finals without a goal for his club.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s final, City manager Pep Guardiola was asked directly about Haaland’s unusual goalless run in major finals. Far from deflecting the question, Guardiola responded with characteristic confidence. “Good. I like these kinds of questions,” the Spaniard said. “Tomorrow it’s going to happen. The opposite side don’t ask me the question; on this side it’s good. Tomorrow he will score.”

Manchester City arrive at Wembley as strong favourites against a Chelsea side that has endured a difficult run of form and is reportedly set to miss out on European football next season. The final, scheduled for Saturday 17 May 2026, presents Guardiola’s side with the opportunity to complete a domestic cup double, having already secured the Carabao Cup with victory over Arsenal in March.

City’s record against Chelsea in recent years provides further grounds for confidence. Guardiola’s side have gone unbeaten in their last 13 meetings with the London club since the 2021 UEFA Champions League final — a run that underlines the sustained dominance City have held over their opponents in this fixture.

The FA Cup final also carries broader significance for City’s recent cup history. While they are appearing in their fourth consecutive FA Cup final, the previous two ended in defeat — losses to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively. A victory on Saturday would represent not only a first FA Cup title in that run but also signal a return to form in a competition the club has historically valued.

Beyond Saturday’s final, Guardiola’s individual standing in English football continues to grow. The City manager has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Season award and will compete against Mikel Arteta, Michael Carrick, and others for the honour — recognition of a campaign that has kept City competitive across multiple fronts despite a period of squad transition, as noted by midfielder Bernardo Silva in recent comments.

For Haaland, the FA Cup final represents a significant opportunity to silence any remaining questions about his big-game output at Wembley. Should he score, it would mark a watershed moment in an otherwise extraordinary stint at Manchester City — one defined by record-breaking goalscoring but shadowed, at least at this venue, by a persistent statistical anomaly. Whether Guardiola’s public backing proves prophetic will become clear on Saturday afternoon.