FA Cup Final preview: City to pile misery on rivals

For the second time in two years Manchester decamps to Wembley for the FA Cup Final, with Manchester City and Manchester United going head-to-head this Saturday.

United finished well behind their city rivals this season but have the chance to snatch bragging rights and some much needed silverware.

Manchester City v Manchester United – 3pm Saturday

City’s more-than-solid chances of silverware

If the Premier League season proved anything it was both the depth of Pep Guardiola’s City squad and their ability to get over the line. Several times Arsenal asked them questions in the race for the title, but they answered in resounding fashion to make it four Premier League wins in a row.

In last year’s cup final, City weren’t necessarily at their brilliant best as they laboured slightly to a 2-1 win, but when they met their rivals in the league this season, there only looked like being one winner, with the Cityzens cruising to 3-0 and 3-1 victories. Their recent head-to-head record speaks incredibly strongly in their favour with only two losses to their rivals in their last 10 meetings since 2020.

As odds of 3/10 for City to win within 90 minutes suggest, United are likely to have their work cut out, while City are even stronger favourites in the ‘to win the tie’ market at 1/7.

City scored in the first minute of last season’s tie courtesy of İlkay Gündoğan, and there could be value to be had if siding with them to win the first 15 minutes of the match at 27/10. With Erling Haaland (8/15 to score anytime) and Phil Foden (11/10 anytime) up top, City are a constant menace to any defence and as United have a tendency to leak goals, the Wembley crowd could be treated to a goal-fest, so over 3.5 goals looks a sound bet at even-money.

In terms of correct score betting, a 2-0 City win looks most likely at 7/1, with Guardiola’s men to score three to no reply priced at 17/2.

United desperate to end campaign on a high

It’s been a torrid time again for Man United and manager Erik ten Hag this season, after a lifeless European campaign that saw them finish bottom of their Champions League group. In the Premier League, their inconsistency was clear for all to see as they floundered home in eighth, over 30 points behind their bitter rivals, marking their worst finish in the league to date.

That shows the clear gulf in class between the two teams at the moment and Ten Hag’s men look to have a mountain to climb if they are to inflict defeat upon Guardiola and City. United are massive outsiders at 15/2 and will need probably their best performance of the season if they are to have any chance of carrying off the cup.

They have only found the back of the net once against City this season, while their rivals have put six past United keeper Andre Onana, and the Red Devils are 11/10 not to score on Saturday.

Their most potent threat is likely to be the gradually improving Rasmus Hojlund, who is 10/3 to score anytime. Captain Bruno Fernandes has scored 15 times this season and is 4/1 to etch his name onto the scoresheet at Wembley.

In truth, it’s mightily tough to see United pulling off a shock in this one and even if they manage to battle on until extra time (24/5 draw after 90 minutes) and penalties, they are a bigger price than City to win it from the spot at 20/1 compared to 16/1 about their rivals. That’s a bleak fact for Red Devils fans.

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