Ten Hag and Guardiola Set for Wembley Showdown
Manchester City and Manchester United are set to clash in the FA Cup final this weekend, marking the second consecutive season that the two rivals meet in the prestigious tournament. After securing the Premier League title on the final day of the season, Pep Guardiola’s City side are now eyeing a double, while United are hoping to salvage a disappointing campaign at Old Trafford.
United’s injury concerns in defense have eased just in time for their trip to Wembley. Lisandro Martinez played the full 90 minutes in the recent 2-0 victory over Brighton, and Raphael Varane made his return from a muscle injury off the bench. This could potentially be Varane’s final game for United before his departure, making it a special occasion for the Frenchman. Harry Maguire is also pushing for a return from his injury, while Luke Shaw’s availability remains uncertain after suffering a setback.
Mason Mount, on the other hand, has been absent from the squad since his injury prior to the game against Arsenal. The extent of his recovery is still unknown. Rasmus Hojlund has impressed as a substitute in United’s last two games, with manager Erik ten Hag adopting a new formation that has seen Bruno Fernandes operate as a false nine.
City, on the other hand, will be without goalkeeper Ederson, who suffered a fractured eye socket in their recent game against Tottenham. Stefan Ortega, who replaced Ederson in that match and made a crucial late save, is expected to retain his place in goal for the final. The rest of the City squad is relatively fit, with Jack Grealish and Nathan Ake making their returns from the bench in the final league game of the season.
The FA Cup final is scheduled to kick off at 3pm BST on Saturday, May 25. The match will be broadcast live on BBC One and ITV1, with streaming available through BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
