The 142nd FA Cup final will include a Manchester derby for the first time when treble-chasing Manchester City and vengeful rivals and EFL Cup winners Manchester United square off on Saturday afternoon beneath the famed arch of Wembley Stadium.
The Red Devils are vying for the renowned trophy for a 13th time, while the Citizens are attempting to win England’s oldest trophy for the seventh time in their history.
Man City is attempting to make history by becoming the first English side since rivals Man United in 1998-99 to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in the same season, four years after achieving the first-ever domestic quadruple in English football.
With Pep Guardiola’s team finishing the Premier League season five points ahead of their closest rivals Arsenal, the Citizens have already won one trophy after winning the top division championship for the third consecutive year and for the fifth time in six seasons.
A heavily rotated City team lost 1-0 to Brentford in their last league game of the year on Sunday, ending their remarkable 25-game undefeated streak across all competitions with one eye on their quest of the triple.
However, Guardiola has effectively limited the playing time of his first-team stars over the last two weeks and believes they have heeded his advise to temporarily ‘separate’ from the demands of their busy schedule in order to prepare for Saturday’s titanic matchup with their fiercest rivals.
In a few weeks, Man City will go to Istanbul for the Champions League championship match against Inter Milan, but for now, their attention is on the FA Cup and their 12th trophy final. In their previous 11 FA Cup finals, the Citizens have six wins and five losses. Their most recent triumph came in 2019 when they romped to a stunning 6-0 victory against Watford, the joint-largest winning margin in cup final history.
Riyad Mahrez scored a hat-trick as Man City defeated Sheffield United 3-0 in the semi-finals to advance to the Wembley final. Pep Guardiola’s team has yet to concede in this year’s competition. Only Preston North End in 1889 and Bury in 1903 have ever won the competition.
Man United enters their 21st FA Cup final, the joint-most of any team in the competition’s history with Arsenal, after winning the last four matches in the Premier League to guarantee third place and Champions League football for the upcoming season despite finishing 14 points behind champions Man City.
Man United will enter Saturday’s final as a little underdog on this unusual occasion since they have lost three of their past four derby matches against Man City by an overall score of 12-4, including a crushing 6-3 Premier League loss earlier this season.
The sole exception being a 1-0 semi-final loss at Wembley in the 2010–11 season. However, they can draw some confidence from their FA Cup head-to-head record with the Citizens, as they have won five of the past six games with their obnoxious neighbours, most recently winning 3-2 away in January 2012.
Team News- Manchester United
Tom Heaton (ankle), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Marcel Sabitzer, Donny van de Beek (both knee), and Anthony Martial (hamstring) are also in the treatment room.
Despite being stretchered off in tears during the victory over Chelsea due to an ankle injury, Antony has a “good opportunity” to recover in time for the final, according to Ten Hag. However, it’s unlikely that the Brazilian will return to the starting lineup straight away, so Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, a former prodigy of Manchester City, will likely occupy the flanks.
Left-back After recuperating from a slight back injury, Luke Shaw is ready to play again, while Raphael Varane will take the place of captain Harry Maguire and join Victor Lindelof in the centre of defence.
Both top scorer Marcus Rashford and pivotal midfielder Casemiro, who scored in United’s last game at Wembley in the EFL Cup final, are expected to start. Rashford will likely start as the central striker, while Casemiro will likely line up alongside Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen, and either Fred or Fred in the middle of the field.
Team News- Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias, and Manuel Akanji, four members of Man City, are all listed as questionable after missing the team’s loss against Brentford owing to minor injuries or fitness issues.
Nathan Ake is in contention to preserve his berth on the left side after starting the match against the Bees and played for just over an hour on his comeback from a hamstring injury. John Stones is anticipated to make a recovery and take up his hybrid midfield role beside Rodri.
Guardiola must choose between starting cup goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who has appeared in four of City’s five FA Cup games this season, and first-choice shot-stopper Ederson.
The team’s captain, Ilkay Gundogan, is expected to start in centre midfield, while Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and semi-final hat-trick hero Mahrez will likely compete for a spot on the right wing. Goal-scoring machine Erling Braut Haaland, who scored a hat-trick in the 6-3 victory over United last October, will lead the line and look to add to his astounding total of 52 goals across all competitions.
Predictions-
Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
