Manchester City will face Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley this weekend, as reported by STANDARD. This matchup highlights the historic tournament, with City striving for an unprecedented consecutive double after winning the Premier League title.
Amidst rumors of Pep Guardiola's potential exit, his strong City team continues to excel, with Phil Foden standing out as one of the top attacking midfielders globally this season.
For Manchester United, securing the FA Cup is crucial for European qualification, following a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Premier League. Manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure, with talks of a significant overhaul led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the summer. Winning a trophy would significantly boost the team's morale.
The FA Cup final is set for Saturday, May 25, 2024, at Wembley Stadium, with a 3pm BST kickoff, echoing last year's final between these two teams. This timing presents a scheduling conflict for UK broadcaster ITV, which is also covering the rugby Champions Cup final live that afternoon.
Regarding team updates, Manchester City is mostly free of injuries, with Stefan Ortega potentially replacing Ederson as the goalkeeper for the cup final. Mateo Kovacic and Nathan Ake are in contention for starting positions after being sidelined in the previous game.
Manchester United welcomes back Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in defense, while Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount, and Luke Shaw are working to regain fitness. Anthony Martial is unlikely to play, even if he recovers from his groin surgery in time.
Ten Hag has recently favored a 4-2-2-2 formation, featuring Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay as advanced midfielders, with Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho on the wings. Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford provide additional options from the bench, a strategy likely to continue in the final.
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