3 questions as Chelsea and Arsenal fight for FA Cup honours

London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal lock horns Saturday in the FA Cup final, and for one side, victory could cap off a stunning bounce-back campaign, and for the other, salvage a relatively dire season.

A matchup not short on narrative, two clubs surging in opposite directions will contest England's most prized domestic trophy, and here are three prevalent questions looming large heading in to the clash at Wembley:

Will Arsenal's dilapidated defence be the difference?

Very likely.

Laurent Koscielny is certain to miss out after his daft sliding challenge against Enner Valencia resulted in a deserved red card. Shkodran Mustafi sustained a concussion against Sunderland, missed the Everton match, and hasn't trained since, while Gabriel picked up what appears to be a serious knee injury against the Toffees.

Should Arsene Wenger stick with a back-three, and considering its relative success, it's likely he will, Arsenal will be forced to start Nacho Monreal, Rob Holding, and - gasp - Per Mertesacker as centre-halves, with the latter making his first appearance of the season as a substitute for Gabriel in the 3-1 victory over the Merseysiders.

With the pace of a stationary object and the tackling ability of a inexplicably cautious Granit Xhaka, Mertesacker is a massive liability for the Gunners, especially against Arsenal thorn-in-side Diego Costa and his pesky movements.

That said, Holding has been brilliant since cementing a spot in Wenger's back-three, and Monreal has overcome a slow start to the campaign to enjoy a solid second half. Should they be able to sandwich Mertesacker, giving the German World Cup winner little to do, the Gunners may be fine. It would also help if Mustafi is ruled fit, returning his angular countryman to the bench where he and Emiliano Martinez can continue their season-long obsessions with boredom.

Is Chelsea hampered by a title-holder's headache?

Not likely.

If anyone thinks Antonio Conte's charges have spent the last week at a Fulham chippy - pockets packed with tall Tennent's from the local Off Licence - instead of preparing for a second domestic double in three years, that person is not fit to comment on football/handle heavy machinery.

The dust had barely settled on Conte's first Premier League triumph before the likable Italian said, "But as of tomorrow, I'll try and push a lot to explain that this season could become not just great but fantastic if we are able to win the FA Cup. It's a great opportunity to win the double.

"This is the real danger for us - to think that this season is finished."

Chelsea was afforded the luxury of having the title decided with weeks to spare, lessening the desire to consume a year's worth of bubbly while riding Kurt Zouma's shoulders down Wandsworth Bridge for a celebratory dip in the Thames.

While only John Terry and then-fringe player Nemanja Matic were members of the 2009-10 Chelsea side that won the league/FA Cup double - the seventh, and last English side to do so - Conte is no stranger to lifting multiple trophies in a season. After winning the Scudetto and Coppa Italia as a player with Juventus in 1994-95, the former central-mid is set to replicate that feat with the Blues, and it would be utterly daft to assume his squad won't be prepared.

Will this be Arsene Wenger's farewell?

No.

Will he or won't he? With his contract set to expire in weeks, Wenger has admitted that he will make a decision after Saturday's final.

Anyone who thinks the decision hasn't yet been made, there's a black cab out front with a one-way trip to the asylum running on petrol fumes like an English journo who's penned countless speculative reports about Le Professeur's future.

Of course Wenger has already determined his fate, especially in light of comments that the uncertainty over his future has affected the players and further remarks where he took the blame for the club's unfamiliar fifth-placed standing.

It's unclear what bearing Saturday's match will have on Wenger's future. Will a third FA Cup crown in four years - and a record seventh for a manager - persuade the Frenchman to stay, or will he see fit to leave on a high note?

Without a league title since 2003-04 and repeated one-sided failings in Europe, FA Cup success has kept the wolves foaming at the mouth for a taste of the rangy 67-year-old at bay.

As common as reports of Wenger's contract talks are columns questioning the relevancy of the FA Cup. The world's oldest round-robin tourney - like the Premier League's longest-serving gaffer - the year-end soiree at Wembley doesn't have the cache it once did, though unlike previous finals featuring the likes of Hull City, Aston Villa, and Wigan, Saturday's tilt is between English heavyweights and London rivals.

And if that's not enough reason to watch, or context to anticipate a stellar match, it could very well be Wenger's final outing in charge of Arsenal. What remains to be seen is if that will motivate his charges to honour their celebrated gaffer one last time or if the Gunners are eyeing the sand and sun of a Santorini summer break.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)