Manchester City are in the FA Cup final for a third consecutive season and seeking to lift the famous old trophy for the eighth time in their history.
Crystal Palace, by contrast, are seeking a first-ever major honour having twice fallen short in this showpiece against Manchester United in 1990 and 2016.
Kevin De Bruyne has been a standout player of this era in English football and will hope to sign off from his decorated City career with one more winner’s medal.
On the other side of the equation is a talented Palace side, for whom England internationals Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton are once again set to be the subject of transfer speculation this summer.
As City’s pitiful 0-0 draw at Southampton last weekend underlined, Oliver Glasner’s team have a chance to accomplish something special.
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Crystal Palace vs. Man City FA Cup final lineups, confirmed starting 11, team news
Adam Wharton —sporadically a reported target for City — is Palace’s main injury doubt heading into the weekend as he battles to return from minor ankle ligament damage.
Elsewhere, Palace are close to full strength. Eberechi Eze and wing-backs Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell all caused City problems before the Eagles were brutally grounded at the Etihad Stadium last month.
Glasner confessed he made a mistake by substituting Jean-Phillipe Mateta and not replacing him with a specialist centre-forward at halftime in Manchester. Mateta scored home and away against City last season.
Crystal Palace predicted lineup (3-4-3, right to left): Henderson (GK) — Richards, Lacroix, Guehi — Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell — Sarr, Mateta, Eze
Injured: Wharton (ankle, doubt), Riad (ACL), Doucoure (knee)
Suspended:
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After City beat Palace 5-2 at the Etihad Stadium last month, Glasner boldy told Guardiola that he would have to change his tactics should they meet in the cup final, as he would have better solutions next time.
Given that victory — along with the vast majority of City’s encouraging form after the March international break — came without Erling Haaland, the Eagles boss can be more-or-less guaranteed the opposition will look quite different. Despite his misfiring return at Southampton, the superstar forward is almost certain to start, with Kevin De Bruyne likely to enjoy a Wembley swansong in support.
Omar Marmoush rested up against the Saints and should return, while the final place in the front four is the one most up for grabs. Phil Foden and James McAtee did not do too much to advance their respective cases at St Mary’s, while Savinho and Jeremy Doku have predominantly featured as impact subs of late. Jack Grealish has played a solid role in City’s run to the final but, given he has been seldom seen in Premier Leage action, a start for the England winger feels unlikely.
Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly could return to provide attacking thrust from full-back, while Stefan Ortega will probably come in for Ederson between the posts, as is standard for City’s domestic cup engagements.
Man City (4-2-3-1, right to left): Ortega (GK) — Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly — Kovacic, Silva — Foden, De Bruyne, Marmoush — Haaland
Injured: Rodri (ACL), Stones (thigh), Ake (foot), Bobb (hamstring)
Suspended: None
Crystal Palace vs. Man City live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch the 144th FA Cup final across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | Sportsnet |
| UK | BBC One, ITV | BBC iPlayer, ITV X |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | — | JioTV, Sony LIV |
