The English football season will officially conclude after the FA Cup final, which takes place at Wembley Stadium on May 25th. This year’s final once again features Manchester United and Manchester City. Last season, these two teams also met in the final, where Manchester City emerged victorious with a 2-1 win to claim the title. Will history repeat itself this season?
Manchester City continue to demonstrate their dominance in the Premier League, securing their fourth consecutive title. However, Pep Guardiola’s squad needed to battle until the final round to overcome Arsenal in a two-horse race, marking a slight decline compared to their previous seasons.
This decline can be attributed to the underperformance of key players Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. The Norwegian striker still claimed the Premier League Golden Boot but often struggled to find the net. Meanwhile, the Belgian midfielder played less frequently due to injuries. Despite this, City recently celebrated their championship in grand fashion. Could this celebration lead to a distraction for Guardiola’s players?
On the other hand, Manchester United have had a dismal season. They were eliminated early from the Champions League, failed to defend their League Cup title, and finished only eighth in the Premier League. Winning the FA Cup is their only path to European competition next season.
However, this task is particularly challenging. Reports from the English media suggest that United have already decided to sack Erik ten Hag, raising questions about the players’ morale. They have been inconsistent throughout the season, and their victories in the last two Premier League matches do not necessarily indicate a turnaround.
In terms of squad strength, Manchester United will be missing two key defenders, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire. Although Lindelof has returned, Ten Hag will likely have to use Dalot on the left and Wan-Bissaka on the right. The good news is that Mason Mount is back, but the English midfielder is unlikely to start.
For Manchester City, Ederson is confirmed to be out, but goalkeeper Ortega has proven his abilities. Unless there are numerous absences, Pep Guardiola is confident in having worthy replacements for any unavailable players.
In head-to-head performances, Manchester City has won all three encounters with Manchester United since last season’s FA Cup final. They triumphed 3-0 at United’s home and 3-1 at home in the return leg of the Premier League 2023/24 season. These victories were well-deserved for the Etihad side.
Regarding motivation, both teams are equally driven, but in terms of capability, Manchester City is far superior. United’s chance of winning lies in taking an early lead. However, their defense will struggle against City’s formidable attack. Therefore, it is highly likely that Ten Hag and his team will leave empty-handed.
Score Prediction: Man City 2-0 Man Utd
Expected Lineups:
Man City:
- Ortega
- Walker
- Dias
- Akanji
- Gvardiol
- De Bruyne
- Silva
- Rodri
- Foden
- Doku
- Haaland
Man Utd:
- Onana
- Dalot
- Wan-Bissaka
- Martinez
- Varane
- Mainoo
- Casemiro
- Rashford
- Garnacho
- Fernandes
- Hojlund
