Hiddink can cook Moyes's 'goose' at Wembley

Today's FA Cup final will bring the curtains down on yet another domestic English season.

The protagonists this afternoon will be Chelsea and Everton in a 'battle of the Blues' at Wembley.

The two managers will play a big role in today's showdown. Chelsea's Dutchman Guus Hiddink will want to mark his final day at the helm with a victory before returning to the Russian national team while Scot David Moyes is aiming to grab the laurels for the first time in his career as a coach.

Moyes received a shot in the arm this week when he was voted League Managers' Association top coach for 2009, becoming the first manager to win the award three times.

The arrival of Hiddink at Stamford Bridge was a tremendous boost for Chelsea as the team started to believe in itself again.

Roman Abramovich's move to engage Hiddink required prolonged negotiations with the Russian Football Federation. Yet, he succeeded in taking the Dutch coach on a loan period that will end tomorrow.

Hiddink took over from Luiz Felipe Scolari in February. The Brazilian had failed to stamp his authority at the 'Bridge' but with Hiddink around Chelsea were an improved lot and also fighting on three fronts at one stage.

However, they only have the FA Cup to look forward to now after a depressing exit from the Champions League to eventual winners Barcelona. If Hiddink succeeds in winning the FA Cup he would crown a most successful three months in the history of short managerial terms.

Moyes replaced Walter Smith at Goodison Park in March 2002. But the board failed to deliver enough cash for him to make Everton a top-four outfit in England. At least, he managed to steer the team to their first FA Cup final in 14 years.

It was tough for the Blues to reach the final, having seen off big guns Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United. Moyes is well known for his graft and ability to spot the skills of players from lower divisions and lift them to stardom as he did with Tim Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott.

The final will again feature a duel between clubs from the north and south of the country.

This is actually the fifth north-south meeting in the final in the last six years. The outcomes follow this fashion:

2004: Man. United-Millwall 3-0
2005: Arsenal-Man. United 5-4 pens
2006: Liverpool-West Ham 3-1 pens
2007: Chelsea-Man. United 1-0
2009: Chelsea-Everton

In post-war FA Cup finals, there have been 24 north-south clashes in the final and the teams from the south have an emphatic lead of 15-9.

Cup history

Everton have won the FA Cup on five occasions while Chelsea carried the silverware four times. The last team to triumph was Chelsea, beating Manchester United 1-0 in 2007. The other honours came in 2000 (Aston Villa 1-0), 1997 (Middlesbrough 2-0) and 1970 (Leeds 2-1 after a 2-2 draw).

Everton's last success had also arrived at United's expense in 1995 (1-0). The Toffees' other wins: 1984 (Watford 2-0), 1966 (Sheffield Wednesday 3-2), 1933 (Manchester City 3-0), 1906 (Newcastle 1-0).

Everton are one of a quartet of clubs to feature most on the losing end of a FA Cup final with seven losses. The other three are Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle.

Head to head

In the Premier League this season, Chelsea shared the spoils at Everton 0-0 and in the return match in London the same scoreline left the two sets of fans craving for a goal between them.

This will be the eighth occasion the duo will meet in the FA Cup and on past commitments results speak loudly for Chelsea 5-2.

Their last duel came in 2005-06, the only time a tie that required a replay.

In the fourth round, after a 1-1 draw at Everton, the Londoners won 4-1 at Stamford Bridge. The other clashes result as follows:

1991-92 (fourth round): Chelsea-Everton 1-0.
1955-56 (fifth round): Everton-Chelsea 1-0.
1948-49 (fourth round): Chelsea-Everton 2-0.
1937-38: (third round): Chelsea-Everton 0-1.
1928-29 (third round): Chelsea-Everton 2-0.
1914-15 (semi-final): Chelsea-Everton 2-0.

Way to Wembley

Third round: Chelsea-Southend 1-1 (Kalou); replay: 4-1 (Ballack, Kalou, Anelka, Lampard). Macclesfield-Everton 0-1 (Osman).

Fourth round: Chelsea-Ipswich 3-1 (Ballack 2, Lampard). Liverpool-Everton 1-1. Replay: 0-1 after extra time (Gosling).

Fifth round: Watford-Chelsea 1-3 (Anelka 3). Everton-Aston Villa 3-1 (Rodwell, Arteta pen, Cahill).

Quarter-final: Chelsea-Coventry City 2-0 (Drogba, Alex). Everton-Middlesbrough 2-1 (Fellaini, Saha).

Semi-final (Wembley): Chelsea-Arsenal 2-1 (Malouda, Drogba). Everton-Manchester United 0-0 after extra time. Everton won 4-2 on penalties.

Top Cup Marksmen

4 goals − Anelka (Chelsea), Westcarr (Kettering), Van Persie (Arsenal), Fryatt (Leicester), Hooper (Scunthorpe).

3 goals − Hulse (Derby), Lester (Chesterfield), Johnson (Fulham), Thompson (Burnley), Ballack (Chelsea), Mackail-Smith (Peterborough), Alves (Middlesbrough), Halford (Sheffield United), Milner (Aston Villa), Scotland (Swansea), Harrold (Wycombe), Eduardo (Arsenal), Pavlyuchenko (Tottenham), Dodds (Port Vale), Le Fondre (Rochdale), Beckford (Leeds), Miller (Crewe) and Barcham (Gillingham).