It’s the climax of the English football season on Saturday, as rivals Manchester City and Manchester United once again collide in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
The pair meet in a repeat of last year’s showpiece, in which City squeaked to a 2-1 victory thanks to two goals from Ilkay Gundogan in his final game for the club.
A few farewells will surely follow this final, too, with United boss Erik ten Hag clinging on to his position in the Old Trafford hotseat following a difficult season.
The only likely route to redemption for the Dutchman is to lift the famous trophy under the Wembley arch.
But that’s easier said than done against Pep Guardiola’s well-oiled machine, fresh from winning yet another English Premier League title on last Sunday’s final day of the season.
The Red Devils played the villains in a staggering semi-final at the same venue a month ago.
Championship side Coventry were on the brink of a fairytale when they wiped out United’s three-goal lead in the dying stages and dragging the contest all the way through extra time, only to succumb 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
High drama was also the hallmark of United’s quarter-final with arch-rivals Liverpool.
The Old Trafford battle was settled only by Amad Diallo’s goal in added time of extra time, as they denied Reds’ departing boss Jurgen Klopp a final trophy in the English game.
A narrow win at EPL strugglers Nottingham Forest took them through Round Five, following what was a briefly alarming success at League Two Newport in the fourth round.
The journey began back in January at the third round stage, as they made the short trip to Wigan to brush past their League one hosts.
City also left it late to come through their Wembley semi-final with Chelsea.
Bernardo Silva struck in the 81st minute with the only goal of a cagey contest against Mauricio Pochettino’s Blues, ensuring back-to-back finals for those in sky blue.
A 2-0 victory over Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium was a more routine quarter-final than it might have been, while Premier League minnows were demolished 6-2 in Round Five as Erling Haaland scored five.
Tottenham were edged out by a single goal in the capital at the fourth round stage, after City had kicked off their FA Cup quest in Round Three with a 5-0 thumping of second tier Huddersfield.
Manchester City v Manchester United: 2024 FA Cup final prediction
Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City to win |
Team to Score prediction | both teams |
Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Bernardo Silva(Manchester City) E. Haaland(Manchester City) Bruno Fernandes(Manchester United) |