A full preview of the 2023 FA Cup final Manchester derby and our predictions for the match
Manchester United and Manchester City face off in the 2023 FA Cup final tonight – promising a match that has all the potential to blow the roof off of Wembley Stadium. The two Mancunian sides have had great runs in domestic competition, and both are heading into the match with the objective of completing a domestic double.
For United, they have already won the Carabao Cup to end their six-year trophy drought. In Erik Ten Hag’s very first season in charge, the team could complete a domestic double by winning both Cup competitions, producing a repeat of what their rivals, Liverpool produced last season.
But, there is more to their agenda than simply their own gain. Manchester City have won the 22/23 Premier League, and also have the Champions League final coming up against Inter. City winning the 2023 FA Cup final would also set them up with a domestic double, but it would open up the chance of a historic treble.
The only other club to have achieved the feat was Manchester United themselves in 1999, when they won the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup in the same season. And the Red Devils have the chance to prevent their local rivals from doing the same themselves.
2023 FA Cup final Manchester derby: Team news
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Stefan Ortega will be starting the match instead of Ederson. The German has been assigned the role of the Cup keeper, and the manager will not change this even in the final, when most managers opt for their number one to step up.
City have almost all of their regular players fit and available for the tie, with the likes of Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Ruben Dias available to start.
Manchester United, on the other hand, will be without a number of important players. Antony will not be fit in time for the match, while Marcel Sabitzer, Lisandro Martinez and Anthony Martial are also ruled out for the fixture.
2023 FA Cup final: Manchester derby predictions
This season in the Premier League, the first meeting between the two Manchester clubs ended 6-3 in the favour of City. But, Erik Ten Hag was able to get the better of Pep Guardiola the second time around, winning the match 2-1. As a result, it is anybody’s guess what their third encounter of 22/23 will bring about.
If it is anything like the first clash, we can expect a goal-filled final. But that very term is an oxymoron due to the usual cagey nature of finals in general. The absence of Lisandro Martinez could prove to be a burden for Manchester United. Luke Shaw is likely to start at centre-back alongside Raphael Varane, with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof unlikely to be chosen.
Manchester City also have a number of options on the bench that can provide an impact late in the game. Something that Ten Hag doesn’t have much of. Owing to their recent form, it seems likely that City will be winning the game and have a solid chance at winning the treble.
