FA Cup Final: Manchester City vs Manchester United Preview

And then there were two. Coincidentally enough, we have a Manchester Derby on our hands in the FA Cup Final on Saturday as Man City and Manchester United clash for a chance to lift the grand prize. The kick-off is scheduled for 10 AM ET at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, which is always the venue for these big events. City will be looking for their second piece of hardware this term after winning the Premier League, while the Red Devils can add another to their 2022-23 trophy case with a victory after besting Newcastle in the EFL Cup Final.

FA Cup History & Head-to-Head

Man United is actually the second-most successful club in FA Cup history, winning 12 titles. Arsenal is first with 14. However, they haven’t made the final since 2018 and last won it in 2016. As for the Cityzens, they lifted the trophy last in 2019 and have six titles to their name in competition history. As for head-to-head, City has won three of the last four against their foes, beating them 6-3 back in the fall before a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford in January. 

City in Prime Position For Treble

One title down, two to go. While the focus will surely be on finally conquering the Champions League, Man City won’t be taking this fixture for granted. It’s a clear opportunity to at least secure the double this season, having already edged out Arsenal in the EPL after the Gunners collapsed in the last month of the campaign. 

Pep Guardiola’s side actually eliminated Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup before comfortably taking out Bristol City, Burnley, and Sheffield United en route to the final. Saturday’s encounter is a good test for City ahead of the UCL final on June 10th, where they will lock horns with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

If we aren’t counting the Sky Blues’ 1-0 defeat last weekend to Brentford with a reserve squad on the pitch since the title was already wrapped up, City hasn’t actually lost since February 5th. That’s a span of 25 games and just five of them ended level. Needless to say, 20 victories are ridiculously impressive. Not surprising they’re a -205 favorite at Bodog.

While the confidence is sky-high at the moment, there are a few injury concerns ahead of Saturday. Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, and Jack Grealish all missed the Brentford game and it’s unknown if they will fit enough to feature at the weekend. None of the injuries are considered serious, but it’s certainly not an ideal update.

Man United Will be Hungry

United will be pleased they’re back in the Champions League, there’s no question about it. But for a club with such a rich history, hardware is always the goal. Considering how they last played against City, Erik ten Hag’s group will be feeling confident.

The Red Devils are in great shape at the moment, having won four straight games. They thrashed Chelsea 4-1 last Thursday before claiming a 2-1 victory over Fulham on matchday 38 in the Premier League. The United backline has conceded just twice during this span, too.

ten Hag’s men already have a taste of success this season as they won the Carabao Cup as well. Just based on their history in the FA Cup, United should be heading into this fixture with the utmost belief. Injury-wise, the Dutchman has a relatively healthy squad at his disposal but Anthony Martial will miss out due to a hamstring issue.

Essentially all soccer betting sites have United as the underdog here but they simply cannot be underestimated after such a fantastic conclusion to the season.