Liam Garcia
Dailysports's expert
On May 17, 2025, Wembley Stadium in London will host the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Crystal Palace. I don't think these teams will let us down when it comes to excitement.
Manchester City
For 14 consecutive seasons, Manchester City have finished every football year with at least one trophy — a remarkable display of consistency at the pinnacle of the game. This impressive run began in the 2010/11 season when Roberto Mancini led the team to FA Cup glory, ending a 35-year trophy drought.
Since then, City have racked up 20 trophies, showcasing their dominance both domestically and in Europe. During this period, the club has claimed six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, six English League Cups, three Community Shields, along with victories in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, this campaign could mark Pep Guardiola's first season without silverware. City head to Wembley off the back of a lackluster performance in Southampton, where they failed to beat the Premier League's bottom side (0–0). Still, their league position remains secure: six points from their final two games will guarantee a Champions League spot next season.
Their FA Cup journey to the final has been relatively smooth — the only Premier League opponents were Bournemouth, beaten 2–1 in the quarterfinals, and Nottingham Forest, who City dispatched 2–0 in the semifinal at Wembley.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace have already collected 49 points and sit 12th in the Premier League table. The team seems to have little left to play for, but head coach Oliver Glasner has set his sights on a historic achievement: breaking the club's record for Premier League points. In the 2018/19 season under Roy Hodgson, Palace also finished with 49 points — still their best-ever top-flight tally. Now, the Eagles have matched that mark and, with two games remaining, are determined to make club history.
But all of this is merely the backdrop to their true objective. The FA Cup final represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Crystal Palace. The club has reached the final twice before, but both times lost to Manchester United. This time, their opponent is again from Manchester — but it's Manchester City. Perhaps, on their third attempt, the London side can finally claim the first major trophy in their history.
The significance of the upcoming Wembley final cannot be overstated. A win would write a golden chapter in the club's story and open the door to the Europa League. Previously, Palace have represented England in Europe only once — in the 1998 Intertoto Cup.
The team's form heading into the final is encouraging. The Eagles are unbeaten in five straight matches, a run that has included tough opponents: draws with Arsenal, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest, plus convincing wins over Aston Villa and Tottenham. Such results have boosted the squad's confidence ahead of arguably the most important match in club history.
Probable lineups
- Manchester City: Ortega, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Riley, Gundogan, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, Marmoush, Haaland
- Crystal Palace: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell, Capp, Eze, Mateta
Match facts and H2H
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 10 matches, winning seven and drawing three.
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has only landed once in Man City's last five games.
- The teams have met twice already this season. The first match in London ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw. In the reverse fixture at the Etihad, City came from 0-2 down to pull off a dramatic 5-2 victory over Palace.
- In each of the last four head-to-head meetings between these sides, the "Over 3.5 goals" bet has come in — a testament to their high-scoring clashes.
- Crystal Palace have not beaten Manchester City in their last seven encounters, recording three draws and four wins for Guardiola's side during that span.
Prediction
This season will be truly historic only if Crystal Palace manage to lift the trophy. Undoubtedly, neutral fans will be firmly behind Oliver Glasner's men in this final. Personally, I'm rooting for a spectacle — and history shows both teams know how to put on a show, especially when facing each other. That's why my pick is over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.74.
