FA Cup Final Preview, Manchester City Vs Manchester United

The 2023-24 FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Manchester United kicks off at 10 AM ET on Saturday, May 25th on ESPN in the U.S. It is a repeat of last year’s final and only the second time ever that soccer’s oldest competition has culminated with a Manchester Derby. Based on current form this is a David vs Goliath matchup, however, formbooks can be thrown out the window in a Manchester Derby. To preview the final I spoke with legendary commentator Jon Champion and FA Cup finalist, turned pundit Craig Burley.

Reasons to Watch

The way both sides competed this season there should only be one winner in this final. Manchester City finished 31 points ahead of Manchester United as they romped to their fourth consecutive Premier League title. Meanwhile, the Red Devils finished in 8th place, their lowest-ever final position in a Premier League season. Manchester United even finished with a negative goal difference, conceding more shots than the Derby County side that won only won one game across the entire 2007-08 season.

On their way to this season’s FA Cup final, Manchester City defeated fellow Premier League heavyweights Tottenham, Newcastle United, and Chelsea. Manchester United on the other hand played in fits and starts according to Jon Champion. The Red Devils scraped past Newport County, before rising to the occasion and dumping Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool out of the competition. Then, in the semi-final, United took a comfortable three-goal lead against Coventry City and then proceeded to fall apart in the last twenty minutes of the game conceding three goals, and nearly losing the game in extra-time before winning on penalties.

However, Jon Champion believes the potential for a one-sided affair should not deter fans from watching the end-of-season spectacle. He says, “If I was looking for a reason to watch this game, I’d just say it’s your chance to put your feet up with a beer and watch what is currently the best football team in the world, Manchester City.” While that prospect won’t encourage United fans, it certainly sounds like an enjoyable way to spend an early Saturday morning.

United fans will need to approach the game with hope rather than expectation. Champion says the Red Devils have a puncher’s chance, while Craig Burley believes the only way for United to win is on the counterattack. There is the possibility that the prospect of a Manchester Derby, and bragging rights over the city, further motivate a wounded team. However, the Red Devils will have to play to their maximum potential and hope that City has an off day.

Burley admits, “the logic says this is going to be three or four nil,” although worryingly for Manchester United fans he added that he would not rule out something far greater like the 6-0 drubbing Watford suffered at the hands of Manchester City in 2019.

The Stakes

For Manchester United, this is a chance for salvation. What has been a miserable, injury-riddled season could end on a high note, and more than likely send the manager Erik Ten Hag on his way with another trophy in his cabinet. However, a loss will only serve to reinforce the notion that the club, despite new partial ownership and a net spend of -£594.92 million, is trending in the wrong direction and once again must reshuffle its deck.

For the Noisy Neighbors, this is yet another opportunity to write their name into the record books. If Manchester City wins, it will become the first club in English history to win back-to-back Premier League and FA Cup doubles. Champion believes that if City does the double-double, it would reinforce the notion that “they are the standout side of the modern era.”

On an individual level, the stage is set for City starlet Phil Foden to show his abilities one final time before Euro 2024. Foden, who has taken the Premier League by storm in a season marked by the extended absence of Kevin De Bruyne, has already won six Premier League trophies. He has played 300 games for Manchester City and is not even 24 years old, yet Champion says this season he is “now not just adorning games, he is guiding them.” For Champion, another stellar performance from him would “confirm what all of us suspect, that he is one of the best up-and-coming talents in the world.”

Erik Ten Hag on the other hand faces a far worse prospect. Reports from the Guardian suggest that not even a victory in the FA Cup final will be enough for him to save his job. The Dutch tactician will be fired, just as fellow Dutchman Louis Van Gaal was after he won the FA Cup in 2016. Burley called Ten Hag “a dead man walking,” while Champion said, “I’d be very surprised if this isn’t his last game in charge, whatever the outcome.”

Players to Watch

With defensive struggles plaguing their team all season long, Manchester United fans will be happy to see that Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are in their squad for the final. The two of them, if fully fit, could add silk and steel to a backline that has been makeshift during the final months of the season. Their return will also allow Casemiro to move back to his natural holding midfield position, although Burley is skeptical that will help United, insisting “it’s not his fault, but his legs have gone.” Meanwhile, Varane will be playing his last game for the club, and he will surely want to add one more trophy to his large collection.

For Champion, United’s most important player is the returning captain, Bruno Fernandes. Despite being a serial complainer, Fernandes is United’s most talented player and one he insists United looked lost without. Moreover, he believes that some of the team’s younger players such as Kobe Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho — both of whom he notes are playing without fear — will need to step up for the big occasion.

One player who barely factored into the conversation with Champion or Burley was Marcus Rashford. The homegrown talent has had a disappointing season, with just eight goals in all competitions compared to thirty last season. Last week he missed out on the England squad for Euro 2024, which his manager Erik Ten Hag says he could use for motivation. Burley, however, says “I’m not sure anything can fire this guy up,” adding that he feels the Englishman has lost enthusiasm and desire, especially after being awarded his last big contract. Whatever the issues with Rashford behind the scenes, this would be the perfect moment for him to step up, silence the doubters, and help his childhood club finish the season on a high.

From a City perspective, there is no doubt that Foden is the main man this season. Behind him, Rodri continues to show he is one of the best holding midfielders in the game, and upfront United will have to contend with the rampant Erling Haaland. The entire squad continues to play spellbinding soccer under Guardiola.

Significance of the FA Cup

In modern soccer, the revenue of the Premier League and the glamor of the Champions League are now the primary motivating factors for clubs. The “race for the top four” has become almost as important as the title race or relegation, and the value of the FA Cup has diminished because clubs prioritize more lucrative matches. The purse for this season’s FA Cup winner is only £2 million, but the significance of the competition goes far beyond money.

Burley calls himself a traditionalist regarding the FA Cup. He says he grew up watching the tournament, and notes that his uncle George won the Cup with Ipswich. He says he saw what the history of the trophy and playing a final at Wembley meant to his teammates, including the foreign players, and says the final is “just a terrific end to the season.”

While financial implications have diminished some of the tournament’s luster, there is no denying that the FA Cup consistently offers up something special. Three seasons ago, Leicester won the trophy. In 2013, Wigan Athletic defeated Manchester City in the final while simultaneously getting relegated from the Premier League, and this season Coventry City nearly made the final.

Champion says soccer’s oldest cup competition remains something to be cherished, especially due to its accessibility. The final in the UK is a major showcase at the end of the season, played at Wembley, the national stadium, and broadcast on free-to-air television so that any fan can watch it. It remains an event for all, and in a way, it is soccer at its most pure, a game for the fans, in which all can participate.