After wrapping up a long and intense Premier League title race, Manchester City continues their quest for a historic treble when they face rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday, June 3.
The Manchester Derby final is the first ever in the history of the legendary cup and both teams will be looking to win in a game that will live long in the rivalry between two of England’s biggest clubs. Without further ado, here is the predicted Manchester City lineup against Manchester United.
Manchester City’s predicted lineup for the FA Cup final.
(Formation: 3-2-4-1)
GK: Ederson
He’s come under fire for his not-so-spectacular season but Ederson has come up big for City when they needed him. He played his best matches on big occasions, particularly against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and will be looking to win his second FA Cup trophy on Saturday.
CB: Kyle Walker
Despite being seemingly phased out by Pep Guardiola, Kyle Walker has returned to the City starting 11 following an injury to Nathan Ake. He has been nothing short of exceptional in the role and will likely be tasked with pocketing Marcus Rashford thanks to his physical gifts.
CB: Rúben Dias
The heart of the City defence, it’s been yet another spectacular season from Rúben Dias. He has the chance to lift his first-ever FA Cup and complete his domestic trophy cabinet.
CB: Manuel Akanji
Perhaps the bargain signing of the season, Manuel Akanji continues to be a consistent presence in the City defence despite playing a number of roles. He’s now been shifted to the left side in the absence of Nathan Ake and has looked just as good as he did on the right.
CDM: John Stones
Is there anything left to say about John Stones? Playing centre back, right back, defensive midfielder, and as an out-and-out box-to-box, Stones has been undroppable. He will certainly start again on the weekend as the new system relies on Stones’ ability to play multiple positions at the same time.
CDM: Rodri
One of City’s unsung heroes, Rodri continues to prove that he is one the best midfielders in the world every time he steps onto the pitch. The manner in which he controls games, whether against a relegation-threatened side or in the Champions League, is outstanding. The man with the most minutes in a City shirt continues his stellar season with another start.
RM: Bernardo Silva
Perhaps Riyad Mahrez gets the nod but given how much Manchester United relies on Rashford down the left wing, it is likely that Bernardo Silva gets the nod due to his defensive work rate. Whether he leaves or not is still yet to be seen but he gets the chance to lift his second FA Cup trophy with another start.
CM: Kevin De Bruyne
Other than Arsenal, there isn’t a team Kevin De Bruyne enjoys playing more than Manchester United. In 16 games, the Belgian international has a total of 11 goal involvements. He has never faced United in the FA Cup and will now get the chance to add to his impressive tally.
CM: Ilkay Gündogan
With his contract situation up in the air, it wouldn’t be the most shocking to see Ilkay Gündogan dropped from the side. However, he is still the captain and is instrumental in the tempo that City wants to set. He’ll get the chance to lift his second trophy as the captain.
LM: Phil Foden
It’d be almost an insult to not start Jack Grealish given his season yet Guardiola might find value in starting Phil Foden. Foden might not track back with the efficiency that Grealish does but he is quicker, has had great final input this year, and offers a more dynamic City attack.
ST: Erling Haaland
After recently coming out and stating that winning the treble with Man City would be a dream come true, Erling Haaland can begin to fulfil that dream with a big performance against United. He scored a hat-trick against Burnley in the quarter-finals and will be looking to add more to his FA Cup and season tally.