Manchester City and Manchester United will both be hoping they can emerge victorious against their bitter rivals and lift the FA Cup at Wembley on Saturday.
The two sides will meet in the FA Cup final for the first time. For Pep Guardiola’s side, victory this weekend would put City a step closer to emulating United’s 1999 treble feat, while Erik ten Hag will want to end his first season with a cup double and Champions League football secured.
City booked their place in the final with a comfortable 3-0 win over Championship side Sheffield United. A day later, United had the more arduous task of overcoming a high-flying Brighton side on penalties, with the game still stuck at 0-0 after extra time.
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In their previous meetings this season, City sent an early message to their rivals with a rampant 6-3 win, courtesy of a hat-trick each for Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. However, United responded with a 2-1 comeback win at Old Trafford in January.
Ahead of the hotly-anticipated FA Cup final, MEN Sport asked an AI engine how the contest will play out at Wembley. Predicting a 2-1 win for City, this is what it had to say:
Result: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United
Scorers:
City:
Erling Haaland
Kevin De Bruyne
United:
Bruno Fernandes
Reasons why City could win
Erling Haaland is one of the most exciting young players in the world, and he has already scored 52 goals in all competitions for City this season. He will be a major threat to United's defence.
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best midfielders in the world, and he is City's creative force. He has scored 10 goals and provided 28 assists in all competitions this season.
Reasons why United could win
Bruno Fernandes is one of the best players in the world, and he will be looking to lead United to victory. He has scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions this season, and he will be a major threat to City's defence.
Jadon Sancho is another key player for United. He is a talented winger who can create chances and score goals. He has scored seven goals and provided three assists in all competitions this season.
This article was crafted with the help of an AI engine, which speeds up Manchester Evening News's editorial research. A MEN editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to newsdesk@men-news.co.uk.
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