'The very best don't let one bad result become two at this stage of the season...'

WHEN Wednesday's titanic Champions League quarterfinal between City and Real Madrid tipped into extra-time you could hear the faint sound of cheers drifting up the motorway from Cobham, for the biggest winners in the extra half hour were Chelsea.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

You could put together a good case for Mauricio Pochettino's side being marginal favourites to win tomorrow's FA Cup semi-final now.

City's two-hour epic with Real was draining both physically and mentally and, after a recovery day yesterday, they will barely be in any condition to put together a proper training session today. Then there's the issue of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland both asking to be substituted.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are beginning to find form, have had an extra two days' rest after thrashing Everton and have troubled City twice this season, especially with their speed on the break. It's a massive ask for Pep Guardiola's side to find the reserves to go again less than 72 hours after suffering heartbreak against Real. But then this is what champions do and no English team in recent memory has embodied the spirit of champions quite like this City side.