FA Cup Final Bet Builder Tip: Will Man City come out on top again?

Manchester City and Manchester United descend upon Wembley for the second season running to go toe-to-toe in the FA Cup Final. Pep Guardiola’s side are the overwhelming favourites but there is no room for complacency.

The Form

Manchester City come into this fixture in menacing form. Their only defeat since December 6 came on penalties as they bowed out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid. Pep’s men dominated that match but were unable to make the opposition pay. They could do some real damage to their local rivals if they are clinical here.

The Citizens lifted the Premier League trophy for the fourth consecutive season last weekend. They became the first team in the history of English football to accomplish that feat. It would be another first if Manchester City win this weekend. No side has ever won the league and FA Cup double back-to-back.

Manchester United have endured a torrid season under Erik Ten Hag. The Dutchman has failed to build on the success of his first season at the club and rumours are swirling that this match could be his last. United’s subpar performances have been dissected on several occasions but the defensive issues that have plagued them all season remain. 

The Red Devils come into this match on the back of two victories. However, there was an element of good fortune about them. Both Brighton and Newcastle squandered several opportunities. United wound up finishing eighth in the Premier League but the underlying data suggests it should have been much worse.

The Runners and the Riders

Ederson is the only absentee for Manchester City here. The goalkeeper recently sustained an injury which has kept him out of the final matches of the campaign but Stefan Ortega would likely have started this match anyway. City’s second-choice keeper has been given the nod in cup competitions this season.

injuries have no doubt played their part in United’s woes this season. Erik Ten Hag has had to deal with a huge injury crisis but some key players are returning here. Lisandro Martinez is in line to start the match and he could be paired wit Raphael Varane. Luke Shaw remains injured but the likes of Mason Mount, Harry Maguire and Anthony Martial returned to training this week.

What They Said

Phil Foden was awarded the Premier League Player of the Season award following Manchester City’s win over West Ham last weekend. Since then, Jamie Carragher has likened the midfielder to Zidane. The former Liverpool defender said, “Jude Bellingham is the Real Madrid star but it’s Phil Foden who reminds me of Zidane” before going on to say “Foden is England’s most naturally-gifted footballer.”

Bruno Fernandes picked up Manchester United’s Player of the Season award midweek and he has issued a rallying call ahead of this one. He said in a statement, “ I know it has not been to our standard (the season) but we’re on our way to Wembley. Get behind us one more time.”

Selection

Our main bet for this match is for Manchester City to have at least four more corners than Manchester United by backing -3.5 on the corners handicap market.

Erik Ten Hag’s policy of vacating the midfield and relying on his defenders to defend their own box has meant that Manchester United have face an extraordinary amount of corners this season. Their opponents are averaging 7.34 corners per game in the Premier League. Incredibly, that’s 0.26 more corners per game than Sheffield United faced, the side that finished bottom of the league having amassed a total of just 16 points.

Manchester City, on the other hand, conceded the second-fewest corners in the Premier League with an average of 3.39 per game. Their average of 7.53 corners won per game was the second-highest in the league.  Pep Guardiola’s side won the corners count 15-2 when the sides clashed at the Etihad in March. The Old Trafford meeting saw City have five more corners than United.

Recommended Bet: Manchester City -3.5 corner handicap at 1.67

Bet Builder Tip

For our bet builder in this match, we are backing over 12.5 corners in the match and Bruno Fernandes to be carded.

Manchester City should dominate the corner count but United can certainly contribute. Erik Ten Hag’s side had seven of the 19 corners in the match when they host City earlier in the season.

Fernandes is the type of player that wears his heart on his sleeve. He is always willing to get stuck in at every opportunity and he will need to be at his very best if Manchester United are to get anything from this one. 

The Portuguese midfielder is their most carded player this season. He picked up nine yellows in his 35 Premier League appearances. One of those cards was awarded in City’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford. 

City’s ability to dominate the ball often means these fixtures see very few fouls but Bruno’s willingness to be the aggressor and argumentative streak make him an ideal candidate for a card here.

Recommended Bet: Over 12.5 corners and Bruno Fernandes to be carded at 6.60