In the buildup to this weekend's FA Cup final at Wembley, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that Chelsea may hold a slight edge—and Blues interim boss Calum McFarlane isn't exactly arguing the point.

Guardiola pointed out that Chelsea, who drew with Liverpool last weekend, have enjoyed over a week to rest and prepare for the showdown. City, by contrast, faced a grueling midweek Premier League fixture, adding to what has been a demanding triple-game week for the reigning champions.

When asked about Guardiola's "advantage" comments, McFarlane acknowledged the challenge but kept his focus squarely on his own squad. "Yeah, it's tough when you have a game midweek and you have a triple game week—it's tough," he admitted. "We've had a lot of them this year, but we're focused on ourselves and how we prepare. We're playing against an excellent side and an excellent coach, so we need to be at our best, irrelevant of whether they've had a triple game week or not. That's what we're focused on."

Despite the scheduling disparity, City enter the final as heavy favorites. Chelsea fans will be hoping their team's extra recovery time translates into a performance that can truly test Guardiola's side—and perhaps make that rest advantage a decisive factor on the day.

On the injury front, McFarlane offered some positive news, confirming that Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho are likely to be fit for the match, though he continued to keep details frustratingly vague. There was also discussion around Levi Colwill, who made a successful return from a long-term injury in last week's draw with Liverpool, giving Chelsea another defensive option for the final.