FA Cup Final 2023/24: Manchester rivals set for another Wembley showdown

Manchester City and Manchester United will go head-to-head in their second consecutive FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side triumphed 2-1 last season and will be eager to add another success to their tally, having already won the Premier League title this term.

The Red Devils are guaranteed to be gunning for revenge as they seek to lift the trophy for the 13th time and book a spot in next season’s Europa League.

As highlighted by SportsView, the two sides have had differing routes to the final, with City undoubtedly having things much easier than United.

The route to the 2023/24 FA Cup Final

Manchester City

• Third round: Huddersfield Town (H) – W5-0
• Fourth round: Tottenham Hotspur (A) – W1-0
• Fifth round: Luton Town (A) – W6-2
• Quarter-final: Newcastle United (H) – W2-0
• Semi-final: Chelsea (Wembley Stadium) – W1-0

Manchester United

• Third round: Wigan Athletic (A) – W2-0
• Fourth round: Newport County (A) W4-2
• Fifth round: Nottingham Forest (A) – W1-0
• Quarter-final: Liverpool (H) – W4-3
• Semi-final: Coventry City – D3-3 (W4-3 on penalties)

City fancied to complete the double

City head into the game as the favourites to win the FA Cup for the eighth time, and it would be a brave move to back against them achieving the feat.

Guardiola has nearly a full squad to choose from, with goalkeeper Ederson the only noteworthy absentee this weekend.

United’s lengthy injury list has eased ahead of the big game, boosting their chances of upsetting the odds against their double-chasing rivals.

Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez returned on the final weekend of the league season and will likely start as the centre-back pairing at Wembley.

Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Mason Mount are also expected to feature in the squad, but Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial are unlikely to be involved.

The biggest question hanging over United centres around the attacking set-up, with manager Erik ten Hag deploying a 4-2-2-2 set-up in the last two matches.

However, Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford will be pushing to start a game which Ten Hag cannot afford to lose if he wants to remain as manager.

The Dutchman has overseen an underwhelming second season in charge of the club, although a succession of injuries to key players have not helped his cause.

United ended the Premier League season eighth in the table, which means they need to win the FA Cup to ensure they play in Europe next term.

That will be easier said than done against a Man City side which has become a relentless trophy-winning machine under Guardiola in recent years.

They completed the double over United in the league this season, winning 3-0 at Old Trafford and 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

United have lost 19 games and conceded 84 goals in all competitions this season – a sorry record for a club that now lags a long way behind City.

They have also lost four of the last FA Cup finals they have contested, with the exception coming in 2016 against Crystal Palace under Louis van Gaal.

Predicted starting line-ups

• Man City: Ortega, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland.
• Man United: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot, Casemiro, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund.

FA Cup final prediction

Man City vs Man United has become a fairly one-sided affair in recent seasons, and it is difficult to imagine that trend changing this weekend.

Guardiola’s side have lost just two of their last nine meetings with United in all competitions and look a good bet to enhance that record.

Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United.

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