Man City and Crystal Palace vie for victory in the FA Cup finale, striving for success and redemption
Rewritten Output
The FA Cup finale this year pits Crystal Palace against Manchester City at the iconic Wembley Stadium. This highly anticipated match has significant implications, from historical context to key players and European competition consequences.
Palace, twice FA Cup runners-up, has never claimed a major trophy in their 119-year history. The Eagles sense that they've got a shot at breaking this streak against a City side that's hardly the powerhouse of Guardiola's past glories.
With a 2-0 victory over Tottenham last weekend, Palace equaled their record of 49 Premier League points, two games before the season's end. Last season under Oliver Glasner, the south London club finished in the top 10 for the first time in the Premier League era, and they're looking to maintain their progress in the FA Cup. An unlikely top-half finish may be out of reach, but their heroics in the FA Cup, including beating Champions League quarter-finalists Aston Villa in the semi-finals, show they're still moving forward.
Eberechi Eze is the one City player that Palace needs to watch closely, with five goals in his last four games. However, he's just one of four England internationals from the Euro 2024 squad expected to start for Palace on Saturday, joined by Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi, and Adam Wharton.
"It means everything," said Eze, speaking about the possibility of delivering the club's first-ever trophy. "We know what it means to the fans, to the club. We're going to give everything that we've got to put ourselves in the best position."
A victory for Palace would not only be momentous for the team but also secure their first-ever spot in one of Europe's major club competitions, with a place in the Europa League at stake.
Manchester City's labored display in their draw against bottom-of-the-table Southampton last weekend gives Palace hope, but City remains undefeated in their last 10 games, including a 5-2 drubbing of Palace in the Premier League last month, despite falling 2-0 behind. City's Comeback kid in that match was Kevin De Bruyne, who scored the brace that ignited their comeback, wrapping up his 14th major trophy with the club.
De Bruyne has just three games left at City before his departure, and he is determined to add one more trophy to his illustrious career. His teammate Erling Haaland voiced his support, saying, "It is ridiculous how many trophies he has won. Hopefully, he will get one more trophy."
While City is struggling to secure a top-five Premier League finish and a spot in the Champions League, they still have a shot at ending the season with some silverware, having been trophyless since Guardiola's first season in 2016/17.
Haaland is expected to start after making his comeback from a six-week injury at Southampton last weekend. The success of this match not only determines domestic glory but also has important implications for European competition the following season.
In the United States, the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Viewers in India can watch through local live streaming and telecast services.
Sources:1. AFP (2025, May 13). City's laboured display gives Crystal Palace hope. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/city-s-laboured-display-gives-crystal-palace-hope/ar-AA16ihJD2. AFP (2025, May 11). Man City's defensive woes: Back in the game, but at what cost? Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/man-citys-defensive-woes-back-in-the-game-but-at-what-cost/ar-AA16iUor3. AFP (2025, May 16). FA Cup final all set for Big Mac-Palace showdown. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/soccer/fa-cup-final-all-set-for-big-mac-palace-showdown/ar-AA16kij2
Palace, looking to break their 119-year trophy drought in the FA Cup, will face Manchester City, currently undefeated in their last 10 games. A victory for Palace would not only be significant domestically, but it could also secure their first-ever spot in the UEFA Champions League, marking their entry into one of Europe's major club competitions.
