Haaland to Start in FA Cup Final as City Faces Palace Seeking History at Wembley

Manchester City’s Season in Focus

Once a dominant force in English football, Manchester City is facing a challenging season during the 2024/25 campaign. The team, managed by Pep Guardiola, has suffered significant setbacks, including an early exit from the UEFA Champions League and a considerable gap in the Premier League standings, trailing behind leaders Liverpool by 18 points. However, City now has an opportunity to redeem itself as they prepare for the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday, May 17, at 18:30 local time.

Match Preview: City vs. Palace

In the prestigious final, Manchester City will take on Crystal Palace. City is aiming for its eighth FA Cup title, while Palace hopes to make history with its first-ever victory in the competition, coming back for its third appearance in the final.

City’s Injury Updates

Guardiola is expected to field a strong lineup despite several key players being sidelined due to injuries, including Oscar Bob, Nathan Aké, John Ststarts, and Rodri. Rodri, start of the team’s significant stars, is recovering but will not be rushed back into action as focus shifts to preparing for the Club World Cup in the United States next month. Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is set to lead the attack after successfully returning from an injury sustained against Southampton. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega will receive the nod between the posts, with Brazilian Ederson on the bench.

In a recent press conference, Guardiola expressed patience regarding Rodri’s fitness, stating, “I’m waiting for the doctors. When they tell me he is fit, he will start. But we are not willing to take risks at this moment.” He added, “This may not have been our first chostart of competition this season, but we are here and want to lift the trophy. We experienced disappointment in last year’s final, but I am confident we will perform well and compete strongly.”

Expected Lineup for Manchester City:

• Stefan Ortega (GK)
• Matheus Nunes
• Ruben Dias
• Josko Gvardiol
• Nico Oreilly
• Bernardo Silva
• Mateo Kovacic
• Omar Marmoush
• Kevin De Bruyne
• Jeremy Doku
• Erling Haaland

Crystal Palace’s Historic Challenge

As the clear underdog in this matchup, Crystal Palace looks to achieve FA Cup success for the first time. Historically, the club has reached the final two previous times, both against Manchester United. In 1990, they drew 3-3 with United after extra time but lost the replay 1-0. Again in 2016, they fell to United in another tense final, with the match decided by a Jesse Lingard goal in the 110th minute.

Palace will field a near-full squad, with Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad fit to play, alongside Adam Wharton, who was a doubt but is confirmed to start. Wharton is expected to take the midfield role previously held by Will Hughes, maintaining the core of the team that recently defeated Tottenham 2-0 in the league.

Expected Lineup for Crystal Palace:

• Dean Henderson (GK)
• Chris Richards
• Maxence Lacroix
• Marc Guéhi
• Daniel Munoz
• Adam Wharton
• Jefferson Lerma
• Tyrick Mitchell
• Eberechi Eze
• Ismaïla Sarr
• Jean-Philippe Mateta

As both teams gear up for this thrilling encounter at Wembley, the match promises to be a significant event for fans and players alike, with Manchester City seeking redemption and Crystal Palace aiming to make history