An intriguing FA Cup final awaits between two sides who have thoroughly impressed and disappointed at various stages during the season.
For Manchester United, the prospect of claiming their first silverware in the post-Ferguson era is a monkey the club will be desperate to get off its back. Their first FA Cup triumph since 2004, a crushing 3-0 win over Millwall, would be another drought they would be happy to end. Cub legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy were on the scoresheet that day, perhaps Saturday will signal the arrival of the next generation of United heroes.
For van Gaal personally, victory in the Cup offers his best chance of finishing the final year of his contract at Old Trafford. A defeat would all but end his unconvincing reign.
For Crystal Palace, success in the Cup would be the ultimate vindication of the Alan Pardew project. The team’s form was underwhelming for much of the campaign. 18 defeats and a Premier League finish of 15 will hardly inspire confidence in a set of supporters increasingly accustomed to Premier League football. However, a famous triumph at Wembley would quickly put to bed any uncertainty about the club’s direction. Chances like this rarely come along.
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Key Battle – Wayne Rooney vs Mile Jedinak
Wayne Rooney’s transformation as a central-midfielder has been nothing short of astonishing. The United skipper has taken to the position like a duck to water. His exceptional range of passing and vision combined with his defensive diligence have given his side the midfielder they have lacked for several seasons. There is something distinctly Scholesian about Rooney’s midfield game.
On the other side, Mile Jedinak will play a crucial role in organising the Palace midfield and cutting off Rooney’s space. The Australian enforcer will have plenty to do defensively given that United will dominate possession for much of the game. If Jedinak can keep Rooney under wraps the rest of his side will get a huge boost.
Team News
United will again be without Marouane Fellaini, who will serve the final match of his three game suspension for an ill-considered elbow thrown at Robert Huth. The big Belgian is a oft-maligned figure both inside and outside Old Trafford these days, but there is no denying his impact on the side’s passage to the final. Fellaini was excellent in both the semi-final and quarter-finals, scoring United’s second goal in their replay against West Ham andd the opener against Everton. His absence will be felt more than many fans care to admit.
The Red Devils will be buoyed by the recent run of form displayed by captain Rooney. Relishing his switch to the midfield, Rooney has been crucial to United’s end of season run of form that saw them just fall short of Champions League qualification on goal difference. The Englishman should be partnered with Ander Herrera and Juan Mata in the creative-midfield roles with Anthony Martial playing wide on the left and Marcus Rashford leading the line.
The deeper spot should be occupied by the experienced Michael Carrick, having earned his starting spot over the underwhelming Morgan Schneiderlin, who has struggled mightily in his first season at Old Trafford. United’s back four has been fairly settled for much of the season and will read Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Daley Blind and Marcus Rojo, with David de Gea between the sticks in goal.
Palace, on the other hand, hardly have the luxury of a settled and in form lineup to choose from. Given that United will look to dominate possession, Pardew may up for a more cautious, counter-attacking set up.
Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak would be ideally suited to sit deep in defensive-midfield alongside the industrious James McArthur. The attacking positions are a little harder to pick. Wilfred Zaha and Yannick Bolasie offer Palace genuine pace and trickery that would keep the opposition’s fullbacks honest. If they look to play on the counter, it is hard to imagine two men more suited to the role. Yohan Cabaye simply has too much talent not to start in a game of this magnitude and Connor Wickham should be preferred as the sole striker to Emmanuel Adebayor.
Previous Meeting
An early own goal from Damien Delaney and a stunning strike from Matteo Darmian gave United a comfortable 2-0 win at home to an underwhelming Palace side. They also met in the 1990 FA Cup final, playing out an epic 3-3 draw before United won the replay 1-0 the following week.
Prediction
Manchester United 2 Crystal Palace 1
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