For the first time in the long and legendary history of the tournament, the FA Cup final will be played in the form of a Manchester derby at Wembley Stadium. Premier League champions Manchester City enter the match as favorites, as they hope to secure their second trophy after the English championship and aim for the treble, an achievement only accomplished by today’s opponents and arch-rivals Manchester United. While Pep Guardiola’s team paved their way to the first FA Cup final in four seasons, scoring 17 goals without conceding in their previous five matches this season, the Spaniard called on his team to “switch off” in anticipation of such a significant match after two consecutive league encounters in which the City players failed to win. Nevertheless, under Guardiola’s guidance, the “Citizens” have a perfect record in all domestic finals, which could aid their pursuit of another record today. In this match, Mendy, Akandji, De Bruyne, Dias, and Grealish, who is nursing a muscle injury, will not be able to take the field.
The main motivation for Manchester United in this match will be the desire to hinder their fellow countrymen from replicating their achievements. However, apart from the bragging rights, it would also secure them a second trophy of the season as they have already won the Carabao Cup. The Red Devils have never won both national cups in a single season, but they head to Wembley with momentum after a four-match winning streak that secured them a top-three finish in the Premier League for the third time in four seasons. Manager Erik ten Hag ignited the fire with a passionate post-match speech following their 2-1 victory over Fulham on the final day of the league. The Dutchman insists that this final is “not about stopping Man City, but about winning the FA Cup.” Only Arsenal has achieved this more frequently (14 times) than United, who have 12 FA Cup victories, although only one of those successes came in the last 19 years. All of this gives the Dutch boss of United the moral right to try to reignite the club’s love for this prestigious competition. Unavailable for today’s game are Antony, Martinez, Martial, Van de Beek, Greenwood, and Jones, who is nursing a knee injury. More success soccer prediction can be obtained from the link provided.
