FA Cup final will be 'difficult' after Manchester attack - Gary Cahill

Gary Cahill has said that Saturday's FA Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal will be a "difficult" experience against the backdrop of the Manchester bomb attack and heightened security at Wembley.

Chelsea have cancelled a victory parade scheduled for Sunday following the attack on Manchester Arena that has left 22 dead and a further 119 injured, while Arsenal have called off a planned screening of the match for supporters at the Emirates Stadium.

In response to the tragedy the UK government has raised the national threat level from severe to critical, meaning authorities believe a further attack is imminent, and up to 5,000 soldiers could be deployed on the country's streets to help police maintain security.

The Football Association has confirmed that an "enhanced security operation" will be in place at Wembley and has urged supporters to allow extra time to pass through rigorous checks on their way into the stadium.

"Before talking about the game, it's important to show our respect and send our condolences to the families that have been affected in Manchester," Cahill said.

"We've all got families and I can't imagine how they're feeling right now. I lived close to Manchester, it's a great city and I'm sure they'll pull together."

Cahill, who was part of the England team that played France at Wembley shortly after the Paris terror attack in 2015, is all too aware that football has become more of a target for terrorism in recent years; the Borussia Dortmund team bus was also hit by roadside bombs ahead of a Champions League match in April.

But he says his family will still be there to cheer him on at Wembley on Saturday, as he and his Chelsea teammates attempt to put the tragic recent events and increased security presence in and around the stadium out of their minds in a bid to add the FA Cup to this season's Premier League title.

"It's difficult," Cahill said. "There's an element of trying to live your life in a normal way. Everyone speaks about trying to make sure it doesn't affect you, but it's impacted everyone in England, especially the families.

"It's a tragedy, like when we played at Wembley after the bombings in Paris. It's horrible. We send our best wishes to everyone involved and I'm sure the security will be top drawer at Wembley on Saturday. We're going to try and enjoy it as much as we can."

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