Can Crystal Palace shock Manchester City and win the FA Cup?

And then there were two. Almost nine months after the first qualifying rounds, we have our 2025 FA Cup finalists, with Crystal Palace set to face Manchester City next month.

The Eagles were imperious as they comfortably beat Aston Villa at Wembley on Saturday, before City edged past high-flying Nottingham Forest the following day.

Third time lucky for Palace?

Wembley is becoming a regular venue for Palace, although they haven’t always been on the right side of the result. They’re set for their third FA Cup final appearance, with the previous two both ending in wins for City’s rivals, Manchester United.

But despite the ghosts of their past, and a juggernaut opponent standing in their way, something feels different about Palace under Oliver Glasner. While their previous sides in 1990 and 2016 felt like underdogs, the current side have a swagger, a confidence and a winning mentality.

They were unstoppable in their semi-final win over Villa, as a wonderstrike from Eberechi Eze and a second-half brace from Ismaïla Sarr gave them a 3-0 win. The margin of victory could have been greater, with Jean-Philippe Mateta having a goal ruled out in the first half before missing a penalty after the break.

Palace’s brutal dismantling of their Premier League opponents was emblematic of Glasner’s ruthlessness. The Austrian coach has been in charge for just over a year and after adapting to life after the departure of Michael Olise and a tricky start to the season, he’s got his side flying again.

Glasner has pedigree in cup competitions having guided Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory back in 2022. And he’s continued that trend in south London, with Palace conceding just once en route to the final.

In fact, he’s already won more cup matches in just one season for Palace than predecessor Roy Hodgson managed in five. He clearly takes these competitions seriously and having found the perfect balance of a stable defence and a dynamic attack, he could be the man to deliver the first major trophy in Crystal Palace’s history.

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Palace’s route to the final

Third round: Crystal Palace 1-0 Stockport County
Fourth round: Doncaster Rovers 0-2 Crystal Palace
Fifth round: Crystal Palace 3-1 Millwall
Quarter-final: Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
Semi-final: Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa

Man City look to end nightmare season on a high

While it’s easy to be positive about Palace’s prospects, there’s one huge hurdle standing in their way. City have been far from their vintage best this season, but they still boast a phenomenal squad and have arguably the greatest manager of all time in their dugout in Pep Guardiola.

They’ll know about Palace’s strengths more than most, having suffered two defeats to them in recent years. In fact, only a few weeks ago the Eagles raced into a 2-0 lead at The Etihad in their Premier League meeting before Kevin De Bruyne inspired a comeback to secure a 5-2 win.

City are in desperate need of silverware following a disastrous season and they’ll see the FA Cup as the perfect way to end the campaign on a high. It’s their third consecutive appearance in the final, although they did come unstuck last May as they were beaten by neighbours United.

Despite beating Nottingham Forest 2-0 in their semi-final clash, they rode their luck at times. Goals from Rico Lewis and Joško Gvardiol earned them a place in the final, although Forest hit the woodwork three times in a frustrating second half.

They’ll go into the clash against Palace as the bookies’ favourites but they’ll need to be at their best to secure an eighth FA Cup title, particularly if Palace are in the mood. City will be buoyed by the news that talisman Rodri and Erling Haaland have made a return to training, although they face a race against time to be fit for the final.

De Bruyne is set to leave the club at the end of the season and with the FA Cup final likely to be one of his final games in a City shirt, it would be fitting for the Belgian to go out on a high and fire his side to glory.

But it’s not been a typical season for City. Having won four consecutive league titles, their dominance is over and they currently find themselves fourth in the table, with Champions League football for next season still not secured.

And they know all too well not to underestimate the underdog, having fallen victim to one of the great FA Cup shocks back in 2013, when Ben Watson’s late header secured a famous victory for Wigan Athletic.

Can Manchester City rescue their season with an FA Cup win?

It’s been a strange season for many reasons, not least because Manchester City only have one trophy on their radar. They’re out of the Champions League and their title hopes are long gone, meaning the FA Cup is their only chance of silverware this season.

They’re also not guaranteed a Champions League spot this season, meaning the next few weeks could be pivotal for Pep Guardiola’s side. They’ve endured an uncharacteristically poor campaign, thanks to a combination of disappointing individual performances and injuries.

Former talisman Kevin De Bruyne has struggled for fitness and has been far from his best when available. Meanwhile, the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish haven’t delivered, while Rodri has spent much of the campaign sidelined.

In previous years, City would be the odds-on favourites to go all the way in the FA Cup based on the semi-final line-up. But with a tricky test against Forest followed by either Villa or Palace, they’ll have to be at their very best to guarantee their eighth FA Cup.

Manchester City’s route to the final

Third round: Manchester City 8-0 Salford City
Fourth round: Leyton Orient 1-2 Manchester City
Fifth round: Manchester City 3-1 Plymouth Argyle
Quarter-final: Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester City
Semi-final: Nottingham Forest 0-2 Manchester City

Watch the FA Cup final in style

If you fancy watching this year’s final at Wembley, why not make the most of Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages? The showpiece event takes place on Saturday 17th May – enquire today to reserve your place.

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