WHO: Manchester City vs Crystal Palace
Contents: English FA Cup Final
Location: Wembley Stadium, London, UK
When: Saturday at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
Follow the Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.
Manchester City and Crystal Palace have captured the imaginations of the world since their inception, heading straight towards the FA Cup in the Finals.
English Football Showpiece Cup Finals is the story of teams (not professionals) of all levels to defeat the giants of the game.
The Eagles in South London are not minnows in this story, but their opponents are as big as the global game.
Al Jazeera Sports will be looking at a showdown that has a great weight for both teams in the world’s oldest cup competition.
Why is the FA Cup so important to both finalists?
History beckons Crystal Palace against Manchester Cityside, who has one last shot to avoid the rare trophyless season under Pep Guardiola.
The two-time FA Cup runner-up, Palace has never won a major trophy in its 119-year history.
The Eagles feel that this may finally be time to stand up to the city side, far from the previous glory of Guardiola’s trophy-equipped rule.
What is the shape of Crystal Palace?
Palace warmed up to the Wembley exhibition last weekend with a 2-0 victory at Tottenham, comparable to a record of 49 Premier League points and a record of two games of the season.
The South London Club finished in the top 10 for the first time in their Premier League days last season just months after Oliver Grasner.
Another top half finish looks unlikely, but progress continues under the Austrians thanks to the heroes of the FA Cup.
How @cpfc reached #emiratesfacup final🦅pic.twitter.com/w81rxlyzdz
– Emirates FA Cup (@emiratesfacup) May 16, 2025
Who is the key player at Crystal Palace?
Eberechi Eze is the main man who fears the city with five goals in his final four games.
But he is one of just four English internationals who reached the Euro 2024 final, likely to start at the palace on Saturday alongside Dean Henderson, Mark Guech and Adam Wharton.
“It means everything,” Eze said of the prospect of delivering the club’s first silverware flavour.
“We know what it means to our fans and to the club. We’re trying to give all that we have to put ourselves in the best position.
“We’re confident. We know we have to do what we’re doing and become the best version of ourselves, and we have the opportunity to beat the team.”
The victory also secures entry to one of Europe’s major club competitions for the first time in the history of the palace, at the location of the Europa League.
What is the shape of Man City?
The city’s labor display in drawing a blank at Southampton at the bottom of the table last weekend gives the palace more reason to believe they can lift the cup.
However, Guardiola’s men are undefeated in 10 games, including the demolition of the 5-2 palace in the Premier League, despite falling 2-0 last month.
Is this a dream come true for De Bruyne?
The city’s battle at Etihad Stadium in the final encounter between the clubs was spurred by Kevin de Bruin rewinding the year.
The Belgian only has three games left as a city player after a brilliant decade in Manchester. He aims to add another to his 14 major honors at the club.
“He had an incredible time in Manchester City,” said Ehring Haaland, City’s top scorer.
“The number of trophies he won is ridiculous. Hopefully he’ll get another trophy.”
The road to the #emiratesfacup final in Manchester City
– Emirates FA Cup (@emiratesfacup) May 14, 2025
Why was City’s season “terrifying”?
After four unprecedented English top flight titles, City is fighting just to secure a top five Premier League finish and place in the Champions League next season.
Apart from victory, it holds back what Haaland described as a “terrifying” campaign for a team of serial winners.
City has not finished the season without a trophy since Guardiola was his first time at the club in 2016/17.
“It’s a good habit to get to Wembley and winning the trophy is always important. We had a FA Cup final to play and we still managed to do this in a terrible season,” the Norwegian added.
What was the best FA Cup moment at the palace?
The Palace’s extraordinary and ultimately heartbreaking 1990 campaign was the best time in the competition.
The semi-finals and final of that year are undoubtedly the most dramatic in the long and celebratory history of competition, and continue to be an emotional high point for all the palace fans who have seen them.
The Palace struggled with top flights after promotion and was humiliated 9-0 by Liverpool early in the season.
In the cup, they barely pulled up the wood. Since losing to Southampton in 1976, they have defeated Lower League teams Portsmouth, Huddersfieldtown, Rochdale and Cambridge United to reach the semi-finals.
Facing Runaway Champions-Elect and FA Cup Holders Liverpool once again showed an insurmountable barrier in the semi-finals, with Ian Rush’s goal moving the Reds ahead at halftime at Villa Park.
Things went crazy as Mark Bright and Gary O’Reilly gave the palace a shocking lead. In two minutes, two goals brought Liverpool back to the front. AndyGray forced an extra time by stunning his odds-on favorite in the 88th minute.
Surprisingly, it was the palace that took the victory through Alain Pardieu in the 109th minute.
The Cup final with Manchester United itself went to replay after a stunning 3-3 draw in their first encounter.
United won their next match with a goal from defender Lee Martin. Lee Martin gave a young manager named Alex Ferguson his first trophy as the boss of the Red Devils.
How many cities did the FA Cup win?
City was the seven-time Cup winner, and their first victory came in 1904 against the Bolton Wanderers.
Their final victory was a 2-1 victory over their fierce rival Manchester United in 2023.
Head on
This is the 74th meeting between two teams of fixtures dating back to 1921.
Palace was a 2-0 winner at the FA Cup meeting in the third round of the year.
City was again attacked in the FA Cup at the next meeting between the clubs, beating Palace 11-4 in February 1926.
Overall, City claimed 39 looting and the Eagles won after 17 meetings.
The Palace has not recorded a victory in the final seven encounters with City, who had four wins at that time.
Man City Team News
Haaland is scheduled to start after making a comeback from a six-week injury in Southampton last weekend.
Rodri continues his slow return to full fitness, but with an eye on the FIFA Club World Cup in June, the Cup final appears to have come too early for the start.
Crystal Palace Team News
Midfielder Adam Wharton has returned to full fitness after an ankle injury.
That means the Eagles have a perfectly fitted team.
