Manchester City will play Manchester United in the 2023 FA Cup Final in a 3pm BST kick-off on Saturday afternoon. Wembley Stadium will be packed with around 90,000 fans for this one and, believe it or not, it’s the first all-Manchester final in FA Cup history. It’s sure to be an epic encounter and a potential banana skin for Pep Guardiola’s side in their quest for a history-making treble.
Both teams have silverware doubles to play for with City having already won the Premier League and Manchester United having won the EFL Cup back in February. Let’s get started with my free FA Cup Final tips below.
City Train Keeps On Rollin’
Manchester City are playing some absolutely amazing football right now and they come into this match in a fantastic position. They have already won the Premier League title and are here looking for their 2nd trophy of this campaign. It would be the second FA Cup win in 5 seasons for the Citizens. The last final they competed in was a 6-0 thrashing against Watford, back in 2019. They’d take a repeat of that, I’m sure.
City must go into this match not thinking too much about the Champions League Final which will take place 7 days after this game. I wonder if the players will subconsciously be thinking about that match when going in for tackles or bombing down a wing with a United player about to collide with them. It’s an aspect that could play a role in this match, even if City don’t see it as an issue.
We can’t look too deeply into form for this one, as City most certainly took their foot off the gas after the Premier League was tied up having this match and indeed the Champions League match firmly in their minds. City have won just 2 of their last 4 matches but broaden that search and we’ll see it’s also 10 wins in their last 12 games played and unbeaten at home, in the Premier League, since November. Ironically against the only team to beat City home and away in 2022/2023 which was Brentford.
Red Devils Look to Scupper the Treble
On the other side, Manchester United can see this season as a successful one also. Perhaps it’s not the Manchester United of old. You know, the dominant title-winning and Champions League-chasing team of the past. It has, however, been a trophy-winning, Champions League qualifying one that will delight Manchester United fans on the whole.
Manchester United won the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) in February after beating Newcastle United by 2-0 score. It was their first trophy in 6 years and they’re now looking to double that tally 4 months later. They finished 3rd in the Premier League and in doing so, have qualified for next season’s Champion League. United last won the FA Cup back in 2016 when they beat Crystal Palace in the final. That game was probably more memorable for that infamous Alan Pardew premature celebratory dance.
Head-to-Head Meetings
Manchester United won the last meeting between the pair, in January, in a Premier League match at Old Trafford. However, Manchester City have won 3 of the last 4 encounters. Whilst they haven’t met in the FA Cup since 2012 (United won that one 3-2) they’ve met 4 times in the past 7 years in the EFL Cup with two wins a piece.
They’ve met in a total of 8 cup matches and it’s four wins each from those games played. You can also consider it to be a 5-4 lead to Manchester United if you count the FA Community Shield.
Manchester City vs Manchester United Betting Tips
I give Manchester United a chance here and especially so when they’re priced up at 11/2. That’s an absurd price for a team that has beaten Manchester City just as frequently as they’ve lost in these neutral grounded cup events. I obviously respect the goal-scoring talents of Man City though and so my two bets are for Manchester United to win and Man City to win and BTTS. I expect one or the other.
Manchester United to Beat Manchester City 11/2 with Betfred promo code
Manchester City to Win and BTTS 2/1 with Bet365 bonus code
All odds are accurate at the time of writing.
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