The final game on the English soccer calendar is finally upon us, with Manchester City and Manchester United squaring off in the 143rd Emirates FA Cup Final on Saturday (May 25). History will be made this weekend, as it will be the first time since 1885 that the same teams have qualified for consecutive FA Cup finals.
Continue reading to get all the key information about the third Manchester derby of the 2023-24 season.
Manchester City vs Manchester United: Where To Watch FA Cup Final In US
Manchester City and Manchester United will meet in the FA Cup final at the iconic Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The game will kick off at 15:00 BST / 10:00 AM ET / 7:00 AM PT.
Fans in the United States can stream the game live on ESPN+. ESPN+ is a subscription-only service, costing $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.
Manchester City vs Manchester United: Preview
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Manchester City became the first-ever team to win four consecutive Premier League titles last Sunday (May 19) when they beat Arsenal in a closely contested title race. The team partied well into the early hours of Monday before resting up and reporting for training in midweek. Their focus is clear, they want to end the season on the highest possible note, which makes the FA Cup final a must-win fixture.
Man City beat Chelsea 1-0 in the semi-finals to secure passage to the tournament decider. Meanwhile, in their last Premier League outing, they picked up a comfortable 3-1 victory over West Ham United.
Manchester United, on the other hand, need to win the FA Cup to secure European soccer for next season. They finished eighth in the Premier League rankings and need the unlikely victory over Man City to book a place in the UEFA Europa League.
The Red Devils drew a lot of criticism after only beating Championship side Coventry City on penalties in the semi-finals. Fortunately for Erik ten Hag, United’s Premier League campaign ended on a much better note, as they claimed a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
Team News
Manchester City almost have a clean bill of health heading into the FA Cup final, with only first-choice goalkeeper Ederson missing out due to injury.
Manchester United, on the other hand, will be without Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw (both muscle injuries) in defense. Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, and Anthony Martial have returned to training but may not be up for a match of such intensity.
Head-To-Head
Manchester City and Manchester United have faced each other 10 times in the FA Cup. United have the edge in head-to-head, having claimed six wins.
In their last meeting — the final last year — Man City claimed a 2-1 victory over United. Guardiola’s side also came out on top in both Premier League encounters in 2023-24, beating them 3-0 and 3-1, respectively.
Manchester City vs Manchester United: Preview
Manchester United have enough quality to trouble any team in England, but they simply have not been clinical enough. To beat a team of Man City’s quality, talent must go hand-in-hand with execution, and we believe they are severely lacking in that department.
We expect Manchester City to play with authority and claim a comfortable 3-1 victory over Ten Hag’s men.
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