Chelsea 0-1 Man City Player Ratings: Marc Guehi 8.5/10 Defensive Masterclass as Semenyo's Stunning Backheel Wins Man City FA Cup Final Against Chelsea

Wembley Stadium finals demand moments of magic, and for 71 minutes, this one tested the patience of everyone watching. City dominated possession, Chelsea defended deep and with genuine organisation, and neither goalkeeper was seriously tested as two sides acutely aware of the stakes produced a tactical contest that was absorbing in its tension but desperately lacking in creative quality. Haaland's offside tap-in, Marmoush's scuffed volley, and Sanchez's comfortable save from Guehi's overhit pass summarised a first half in which City's dominance yielded precious little in the way of genuine goal threat.

Then Semenyo produced the moment the occasion demanded. Haaland's clever shoulder-drop and pass into the six-yard box created the space, and Semenyo's instinctive backheel finish into the bottom corner was a goal of pure, improvised brilliance that left Sanchez rooted and gave Wembley something to remember from a final that had threatened to pass without a defining moment of individual quality.

Fernandez's immediate off-balance volley almost restored parity, Cherki was denied by Sanchez's full-stretch save, and Delap's late header drifted narrowly over, but Guehi and Khusanov held firm with the defensive composure of a Manchester City backline that was simply never going to be breached on a day when Manchester City claimed their eighth FA Cup and Guardiola lifted a 16th major trophy to complete a remarkable domestic double. Here are Sportsdunia's Chelsea vs Man City player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Guehi was the defensive cornerstone of City's entire performance, commanding every aerial duel, reading every Chelsea counter-attack before it developed, and delivering the kind of composed, authoritative display in a Wembley final that confirmed his status as one of the Premier League's most reliable and consistent centre-backs in the biggest of occasions.
• Semenyo's 72nd-minute backheel was the defining moment of the entire FA Cup final, a piece of inspired, instinctive finishing that transformed a tight and frustrating contest into a moment of pure individual brilliance worthy of the Wembley stage and the trophy it ultimately decided.
• Chelsea's defensive organisation throughout deserved enormous credit, holding City to an xG of just 0.93 across 90 minutes, limiting Haaland to zero goals in a tenth Wembley appearance for City, and producing a collective display that showed exactly the kind of resilience and tactical intelligence that their Premier League form so desperately failed to deliver all season.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs Man City

Here are the Chelsea player ratings vs Man City.

Goalkeeper

Robert Sánchez - 7.0: We thought Sánchez had a solid game between the sticks. He made four saves and looked commanding for large parts of the match. He couldn't have done much about the goal, it was a well-taken strike. Despite the loss, he can hold his head high. His distribution was a bit hit-and-miss, but defensively, he did his job.

Defenders

Levi Colwill - 6.5: A decent, if unspectacular, performance from Colwill. He was tidy in possession with a 90% pass accuracy and moved the ball well. However, he didn't impose himself on the game defensively as much as we'd have liked. He was part of a defence that was breached only once, but he wasn't a standout performer.

Jorrel Hato - 5.5: From our perspective, this was a difficult final for the young defender. He seemed to struggle with the occasion, losing possession 11 times and looking a bit overwhelmed by City's attackers. He was dribbled past and committed a few fouls, showing his inexperience. A tough learning curve for him.

Wesley Fofana - 7.0: Fofana was one of Chelsea's better players on the day. He was a warrior at the back, winning six of his seven duels and making five crucial clearances. He read the game well and was aggressive in his challenges. A very strong performance that deserved more.

Midfielders

Marc Cucurella - 6.0: A typical all-action display from Cucurella before he was substituted. He was full of energy and won his tackles but picked up a needless yellow card. He struggled to provide quality going forward and was eventually taken off. A bit of a mixed bag, really.

Reece James - 6.5: As captain, he tried to lead by example, but it just wasn't his day. He put in some dangerous crosses and created a chance but also made an error that led to a City shot. His influence waned as the game went on. A frustrating outing for the skipper.

Moisés Caicedo - 6.5: Caicedo was a busy presence in the middle of the park. He made five recoveries and three interceptions, breaking up play effectively. However, he also got a yellow card and committed three fouls, showing a lack of discipline at key moments. He was solid but not spectacular.

Malo Gusto - 6.0: What stood out to us was how often Gusto was beaten by his man; being dribbled past four times is a major concern. While he got forward and put in a lot of crosses, the quality just wasn't there. Defensively, he was exposed on a few occasions.

Forwards

Enzo Fernández - 6.5: The Argentinian worked tirelessly but, like many of his teammates, lacked that final bit of quality. He got into good positions and had a shot off target, but he couldn't unlock the City defence. His yellow card for a frustrated challenge summed up his afternoon.

Cole Palmer - 6.0: A surprisingly quiet game against his former club. We expected him to be the main man, but he was well-marshalled by the City backline. He had a few nice dribbles but failed to create anything of note. A disappointing return to Wembley for him.

João Pedro - 5.5: We barely noticed him. He was completely isolated up front, touching the ball just 27 times. Losing possession 14 times in that period is just not good enough for a striker in a cup final. He really struggled to make any impact whatsoever.

Manager

C. McFarlane - 6.0: He set his team up to be defensively solid, and for 72 minutes, it worked. However, his side lacked any real cutting edge or ideas in the final third. They looked toothless in attack and couldn't find a response after going behind. A frustrating end to the cup run.

Man City Player Ratings vs Chelsea

Check out the Man City player ratings vs Chelsea.

Goalkeeper

James Trafford - 6.5: Trafford had one of the quietest FA Cup finals a goalkeeper could wish for. Chelsea's attack was so ineffective that he wasn't properly tested. He claimed what he had to and his distribution was okay. An easy clean sheet in the end.

Defenders

Marc Guéhi - 8.5: Absolutely colossal. This was a masterclass in modern defending and a truly Man of the Match performance. He won 100% of his duels, made seven clearances, and was a calming presence throughout. He read the game like a book and didn't put a foot wrong. A phenomenal display.

Matheus Nunes - 7.5: Playing in a defensive role, Nunes was fantastic. He was strong in the air, winning four aerial duels, and made six important clearances. He even managed to get forward and hit the woodwork. A very impressive and versatile performance.

Nico O'Reilly - 7.0: From our perspective, O'Reilly was incredibly composed. He handled the pressure of the final with ease, showing great maturity on the ball with his passing. He was solid defensively, making two tackles and an interception. A very reliable performance.

Abdukodir Khusanov - 6.5: A solid outing for Khusanov, who contributed with seven clearances. He was strong and dependable for the most part. The yellow card was a blemish on an otherwise disciplined performance where he seemed a little too aggressive at times.

Midfielders

Jérémy Doku - 7.5: What a livewire. Every time he got the ball, you felt something could happen. He completed eight dribbles and was a constant thorn in Chelsea's side. The downside was losing the ball 16 times, which was frustrating. But his directness was crucial to City's attacking threat.

Rodri - 7.5: He was running the show before his substitution. Rodri controlled the tempo of the game with his precise passing. His positioning was perfect, and he even made a crucial clearance off the line. His departure could have been risky, but his job was already done.

Bernardo Silva - 7.0: The captain led with his typical relentless energy. He created two chances and was always looking to make things happen. He lost the ball more than he would have liked, but his work rate and intelligence were key to City's control of the midfield.

Antoine Semenyo - 8.0: The hero of the hour. He was a threat all game long, registering five shots, and he took his goal with absolute composure. It was a finish worthy of winning any final. His energy and direct running caused problems for Chelsea throughout. A match-winning performance.

Forwards

Omar Marmoush - 6.0: A quiet first half for Marmoush, who only managed one shot on target. He struggled to get involved in the game and was hooked at halftime. It just wasn't his day, and the change was understandable.

Erling Haaland - 7.0: It was a strange game for Haaland. He only had 18 touches, which is incredibly low for him. However, great players make decisive contributions, and his assist for the winning goal was exactly that. He didn't score, but he provided the pass that won the cup.

Manager

Josep Guardiola - 8.0: Another trophy for the master tactician. He set his team up perfectly to nullify Chelsea's threats. The defensive structure was immaculate, and the team waited patiently for their moment. His substitutions were on point. A perfectly executed game plan.

Man of the Match

Marc Guéhi was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Jorrel Hato was the worst performer.