Paul Merson has made his prediction for the FA Cup final as Manchester rivals United and City meet at Wembley on Saturday. Last month, Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions for the fifth time in six years, while Manchester United ended their trophy drought by winning the League Cup in February. Victory for United would not only complete a domestic cup double but also deny Manchester City a shot at a historic treble.
Merson told Sportskeeda: ‘Manchester United fans will need to go to the game this weekend hoping for something special. If both teams play well on the day, there’s going to be only one winner. Manchester City have been the better team this season and should be able to win this game. I’m going for a 3-0 win. The other teams in the Premier League will need to come up with ways to surprise Man City instead of worrying about what Pep Guardiola is going to do. Man United will make it a hard game, but even when they win their matches, they give away too many chances. If Ten Hag’s side can get to half-time without conceding a goal, they can get ahead in the second half and make it a heads-or-tails match.’
Merson then discussed how Manchester United should line up for the FA Cup final, saying: ‘I’d definitely play Marcus Rashford on one side, and I would consider playing Alejandro Garnacho on the other wing. Jadon Sancho could adopt a bit of a free role as a number ten because it would give Manchester City something to think about. It would stop John Stones from coming into midfield because if he did, Rashford and Garnacho would have space to run into behind him. If you get Jadon Sancho dropping back through the middle, Manchester City might not be able to dominate the midfield. I think it’s his best position. Manchester United do have an alternative in Anthony Martial, but which version of him are you going to get? When Martial plays well, he’s very good, but how many times has he done that? You cannot afford to carry anybody in this game. I would also consider playing Marcus Rashford on the right. If he does play on the left against Kyle Walker, you’ve got Man United’s biggest threat marked by City’s fastest defender. Manchester United have got to change it up because if they don’t, there’s only one winner.’