FA Cup Final: 5 things to watch for

The 2023 FA Cup final between Man City and Man Utd will be the first time the two rivals have ever met in a major final. City are looking for the second part of what could be a fabulous treble, while the Red Devils – who won the treble themselves in 1999 – will hope to stop them in their tracks.

Should City win, it would be the second double in their history after winning the league and FA Cup in 2019. Pep Guardiola’s side have looked unstoppable at times, but Erik ten Hag has already got the better of City once this season. Late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford fired United to victory in that January fixture, restoring pride after the 6-3 hammering City dished out earlier in the campaign.

It’s one of the most-anticipated FA Cup finals in years – will Manchester be blue or red come full-time at Wembley on Saturday?

History on United’s side

Man Utd are underdogs heading into this game, but can look to history for encouragement before taking on their rivals. The Red Devils have won five of their last six FA Cup meetings with City, with the most recent being a 3-2 away win in January 2012. United also won the most recent league meeting between the two sides.

This will be City’s 12th FA Cup final, with the Citizens winning six of the previous 11. However, they have alternated between winning and losing in their last four appearances in the final, winning on their last time here in 2019. Man Utd are 5/1 to extend City’s alternating streak by winning inside 90 minutes at Wembley.

Can anyone stop Haaland?

Erling Haaland has bagged 52 goals in all competitions so far this season suggesting that the answer is “no”. United kept him quiet – and off the scoresheet – at Old Trafford in January, but that came off the back of a three-goal, two-assist effort from the Norwegian destroyer at the Etihad.

Haaland is 21/10 to get the opener in the final, and 29/20 to score anytime assisted by either Kevin De Bruyne or Jack Grealish. It’s exactly 70 years since the last FA Cup final hat-trick, and it’s 10/1 that Haaland will repeat the trick of Blackpool’s Stan Mortensen with three goals on Saturday.

Casemiro could be key for Red Devils

Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has proved to be an excellent signing for the Red Devils this season. The former Real Madrid maestro brings attacking and defensive balance to United’s side, as well as a wealth of big-game experience.

Casemiro has already scored at Wembley this season, as United won the EFL Cup final, and is 7/1 to score anytime on Saturday. Should he do so, he’ll become just the sixth player to score in both domestic cup finals for United, alongside Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes, Brian McClair, Cristiano Ronaldo and Jesse Lingard. Casemiro is also 8/1 to assist any goal during the game, and 14/1 to score a header.

Rashford to rise to the occasion?

Marcus Rashford also has the opportunity to join that elite list of United players to have scored in both domestic cup finals, after his strike in February’s EFL Cup final. It’s been a fantastic season in front of goal for Rashford, who has 30 goals in 55 appearances for the Red Devils this season to go with 11 assists.

It was his late goal that handed City a rare defeat earlier in the campaign, and he is 13/5 to score anytime in the FA Cup final. It’s also 4/1 with #YourOdds that Rashford and Haaland both record over one shot on target during the final. Only team-mate Antony surpassed Rashford’s 3.37 shots per 90 minutes for the Red Devils this season. Over two shots on target for Rashford is 7/1.

Ten Hag facing tactical balancing act

Erik ten Hag will hope that the old derby adage about form counting for nothing will come into effect on Saturday, as City won 12 league games in a row to clinch the Premier League title, before rotating heavily in their last two games.

The Man Utd manager faces a tricky balancing act though. Does he try to keep it tight to nullify the competition’s highest scorers, or fight fire with fire by attacking hard against a City backline that’s yet to concede in this season’s FA Cup?

United are 25/1 to take the game to extra time and win in 120 minutes. By no means would Ten Hag set out to take the match to penalties, but he may see staying in the game for as long as possible as United’s best chance to win – a penalty victory for either team is 14/1.

Alternatively, the Dutchman may see attack as the best form of defence: after all, his squad is stuffed with attacking talent to rival even City’s star-studded line-up. A United win with both teams to score is 9/1, while it’s 4/1 that United score in both halves.

United do have the tough task of breaching a City defence that are yet to concede in this season’s FA Cup. The Sky Blues are 13/10 to keep another clean sheet.

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