Arsenal and Newcastle United go head-to-head at the Emirates Stadium in the race to qualify for the Champions League. It’s heating up at the top of the table, and a strong second half of the campaign means the Magpies could even finish as runners-up.
Eddie Howe’s side could be going into this one with confidence, having beaten Arsenal three times already this campaign. Newcastle beat them in the Premier League earlier in the season, while they also won 2-0 in both legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.
Newcastle could be without Sven Botman this weekend, but Howe has confirmed that he does have a chance of featuring. Kieran Trippier and Joelinton won’t be available for the away side.
Arsenal, the draw specialist
There’s no doubt the Gunners have been difficult to beat this season, losing just four Premier League games, one more than the champions Liverpool. However, only Everton (15) have drawn more times than Arsenal (14) this season, and that’s undoubtedly been the difference between them and Arne Slot’s side.
Being defensively sound hasn’t been enough for the Gunners, who have struggled to create chances compared to their competitors. Arsenal have produced just 58.6 xG this term, fewer than five Premier League sides.
Newcastle are deadly in attack
Having a striker like Alexander Isak is undoubtedly the dream for the majority of clubs in Europe, with the Swedish centre-forward providing 29 goals and assists combined in England’s top flight.
The Magpies have scored 1.9 goals per game this season, with only Liverpool averaging more, and it’s a key reason why they are pushing Arsenal all the way to finish second. Newcastle have been on a sensational run in the second half of the campaign, losing just once in the Premier League since 26th February.
Murphy the unlikely hero
The likes of Isak and Anthony Gordon take a lot of the credit for Newcastle’s attacking prowess, but Jacob Murphy has stepped up immensely this season. At the age of 30, Murphy is enjoying his best season of his Premier League career, racking up 20 goals and assists combined.
His form has meant that even when Gordon and Harvey Barnes are both fit, Howe has found a way to fit him in the side. The versatile forward was even deployed as a right wing-back in Newcastle’s previous game, and it will be interesting to see where he plays against the Gunners.
Murphy’s passing stats, Premier League 2024/25
Prediction
Arsenal have struggled in recent weeks with little on the line, but the pressure is ramping up with Newcastle able to climb above them this weekend. We’re going for a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
It’s one of the biggest days in the English football calendar, the FA Cup final is here. Crystal Palace are hoping to win their first ever piece of major silverware while Man City want another to add to the pile. It’s anybody’s game.
Palace overcame Aston Villa with a comfortable 3-0 win to get here while Man City beat high-flying Nottingham Forest to reach their third consecutive final, one of which they’ve won.
Kevin de Bruyne’s farewell tour
This will be the great Belgian’s last final as a Man City player. De Bruyne will leave the club he’s spent the past ten years at, winning six Premier League titles, five League Cups, two FA Cups, and a Champions League, once his contract expires at the end of the season.
He will be missed. After several injury issues this season, he’s back and his recent form has been key to City’s push towards Champions League qualification. In the FA Cup, he hasn’t featured as much, bagging two goals and providing one assist in his 254 minutes of action.
De Bruyne’s numbers still compare well with similar players in the top five leagues
De Bruyne didn’t play against Forest, but Pep Guardiola has a sentimental side, he will get game time, and he will want to go out with a bang. Don’t be surprised to see his coach with tears in his eyes saying “we cannot replace him” after the final whistle.
A unique opportunity to make history
It’s hard to imagine a club like Palace, with a dedicated fanbase, and stability in the Premier League, have never won a piece of major silverware but it’s true. This current crop of players is arguably the most talented in their history, this is their chance to end that in what is the club’s third FA Cup final appearance.
The previous two came against the other Manchester club, remember Alan Pardew dancing in 2016? That backfired. A lot has happened since then. Marc Guéhi, Eberechi Eze, and Daniel Muñoz are three of the best players in their positions, this isn’t the David and Goliath story many may think it is.
Speaking of Eze, he’s found form at the perfect time. Ten goal contributions in his last ten games across all competitions, including five goals in his last four, make him one of the most in-form players in the land – if he drags Palace to an FA Cup win, they’ll have a statue of him outside the ground the week after.
Man City’s malfunctioning robot
Erling Haaland hasn’t been himself this season, although the same could be said for pretty much everyone at the club. Yes, he’s still scored 30 goals across all competitions but that’s not really what we’ve come to expect.
He’s freshly back from what many believed would be a season ending injury, but he was anonymous in the 0-0 draw with Southampton with only one shot, which was off-target, and 17 touches.
It’s a worrying sign that maybe he was rushed back, although he may well have just had a software update that improved his healing factor. It’s never smart to write Haaland off, he’s proven time and time again to be one of the best in the world, he just seems a little off at the moment.
The low down
Rodri’s long-awaited comeback from an ACL injury is close, but Guardiola has said that he is still waiting on the Doctors for the green light on his selection. So he, along with the likes of John Stones and Nathan Aké are likely to miss the Cup Final.
Palace reported better news in the week, with Adam Wharton back in training and available for selection following his return from an ankle injury. With City possibly eyeing him up a longterm replacement for Rodri, he’ll be keen to have an impact on the game.
Neither side have lost a game in their last five across all competitions but City have won two more. Don’t pay too much attention to that though, form goes out the window for the big one.
Prediction
There aren’t as may cup upsets as there used to be. Experience in these moments is key, City have been there and done it, so we’re going with 2-0 to them.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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“I remember being so nervous,” Hannah Blundell says, reflecting on the memory of playing in the first Women’s FA Cup final to be held at Wembley Stadium.
“I hadn’t played in a stadium like Wembley before, but when it was announced, it was such a big thing that women’s football was finally able to be played there.”
It was 10 years ago that the FA first staged the women’s final at the home of English football and it has never left. The season prior to Blundell’s Chelsea narrowly beating Notts County under the famous arch, Arsenal had lifted the cup in front of 15,000 people in Milton Keynes. The year before that, there were under 5,000 present to watch the Gunners win it in Doncaster.
But having the final of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, as it has been called since a landmark naming rights deal in 2023, at Wembley is one of many factors that has caused the women’s game in England to boom, wheels set in motion long before the Lionesses magically delivered international silverware on the same pitch three summers ago.
There were just shy of 31,000 people inside Wembley for Chelsea’s 2015 triumph and Blundell credits the knowledge that her family was watching from the stands for getting her through it. In 2018, when she collected her second winners’ medal, following a 3-1 Chelsea win over Arsenal, there were more than 45,000 fans in attendance. Blundell’s third triumph in 2024, by which time she had joined Manchester United, was played in front of 76,000.
“It feels crazy that I’ve won it three times,” Blundell explains, sitting down with Fotmob in Manchester in the days before the 2025 final. “A trophy like the Adobe Women’s FA Cup is so iconic. It fills me such pride, especially winning it at Wembley as well, makes it even more special.
“If I can give advice to any of the girls going there for the first time, look at it as another game because you can get wrapped up in the emotions. It can take over and get you more nervous. As much as it’s obviously a special day for you, your family and the team, it is just another game and you still need to win it, and lift the trophy. Afterwards, you can get wrapped up in the atmosphere and what’s happened. But, beforehand, just do your normal routine. That’s how I get through.”
The full-back won’t make it four FA Cup wins this time, giving birth to a baby girl in March after sitting out the season while pregnant, but she is confident that her Manchester United teammates will retain the trophy they won last year, even with a formidable Chelsea standing in the way. Sonia Bompastor’s Blues are targeting a domestic treble after already landing the WSL title, going unbeaten in the process, on top of Women’s League Cup success.
United have only beaten Chelsea once in 15 meetings. But that once was last season’s FA Cup semi-final, a 2-1 victory over their tormentors at Leigh Sports Village.
“Cup games are always different because it’s a one-game shootout. I’ve got full faith in this team. I believe that the players we’ve got are more than good enough to beat Chelsea,” Blundell says, now looking ahead to Sunday’s latest showdown.
Both league meetings between them this season finished 1-0 Chelsea wins, one decided by a penalty, the other, less then three weeks ago, from a set-piece in a game that United were arguably the better team and created several good chances of their own.
Recent H2H record between the two Cup finalists
“Obviously Chelsea have got serial winners in that team, they know how to win. But I just think with the characters we’ve got in our dressing room, and defensively we’ve been outstanding in the league,” Blundell offers. “Even the games we’ve played against Chelsea, we could have won by being a bit more clinical. But I think we would have learned from those league defeats and, going into this one, I’ve got more than enough belief that we can get a result and lift that trophy.”
This year’s final, a third consecutive appearance for United, is also a repeat of 2023, when a single Chelsea goal scored by Sam Kerr sealed victory and the first part of a domestic double – they also eventually bested United in a closely-run WSL title race two weeks later. The pain of losing that day is etched into the memories of those in red, with half of the squad still at the club.
“I never want to feel like that again,” Blundell reflects now, having been forced to watch Chelsea lift the cup, knowing how tight the game had been – a United goal after just 23 seconds was ruled out for a marginal offside, while other chances also went begging. “It’s a good reminder in a sense and gives you more motivation. You’re going to work harder because you want to be on that winning side,” she adds, looking for the lessons in defeat.
Ultimately, United’s sole victory over Chelsea to date, which sent them on their way to winning last season’s FA Cup, was the result of a fast start in which they scored inside the first minute and never looked back. That will likely be the key to success this time and making up for 2023’s disappointment. Squad depth is another factor, with Chelsea’s Wembley triumph underpinned by an ability to bring a former Ballon d’Or runner-up, Pernille Harder, off the bench to change the momentum.
United couldn’t respond to that, but things are a little different now, when the likes of Melvine Malard can provide game-changing quality. “We’ve seen this season, we’ve got players who can come on and impact the game and that’s probably something we didn’t have last time we played them in the final,” Blundell hopes, as an indication of United’s journey and growth.
After hopefully watching her teammates, who have also already successfully secured a place in next season’s Champions League, get the better of Chelsea to win the FA Cup, the goal for Blundell is to report for full training with the rest of the squad on the first day of pre-season. It’s been her long-term target since announcing her pregnancy last September.
“We’re on track with it,” she explains. So far, it’s been “very light stuff” and putting together a plan with the medical staff to make the comeback process as smooth as possible.
“I’ve learned a lot more about my body whilst being pregnant, so I think it’s been positive in that sense,” Blundell adds, while the pause in her career has made her all the more grateful for having one in the first place. “I’ve had this time away and it’s just made me more motivated and determined to get back to it. I didn’t take it for granted before, but it’s almost like now I’ve had that break, I’ve really missed it. So going back is something that I’m looking forward to. When I’m [training], doing the work I need to do, but when I’m home just being a mum and enjoying that side of life.”
(Images from IMAGO and with permission from Getty / the FA)
You can follow the Women’s FA Cup Final on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.
It is the penultimate weekend of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. We already know that Liverpool are champions, having secured the title back in April with a 5-1 win over Spurs. We know the three teams who will be playing in the Championship next term, with Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton all returning to England’s second tier. What we don’t know, though, is who will be playing Champions League football next season.
With two games left to play, six teams are battling it out for four places. So, here’s a look at the games to keep an eye on this weekend across Matchday 37.
Europa League focus
Aston Villa have their eyes firmly fixed on a Champions League place. They’ll be hoping to bolster their hopes of a top five finish this Friday against Spurs. Now, this isn’t to say Ange Postecoglou’s side won’t be playing for a win, but Tottenham have the Europa League final next week, a game that will dominate their thinking.
Spurs have nothing to play for in the Premier League. They’re safe from relegation and they can’t really move up the table. Would it be a huge surprise if they name a weakened XI at Villa Park so as to protect players ahead of the final? It would make sense. Tottenham have a horrible away record this season with 17 points from 18 games. They’re bottom of the form table with one point from their last five outings too.
It should be a routine win for Villa. It has to be three points for Unai Emery’s men if they’re to stand a chance of finishing in a Champions League place.
Villa head into this game in good form too. They’re second in the form table with Manchester City (13) being the only team to have taken more points than them (12) in the last five games. The Villans have kept clean sheets in successive matches heading into this game and, to top it off, they have lost just once at Villa Park all season.
Again, this sees a side chasing Champions League football up against a team fully focused on their upcoming Europa League final. And again, a win should be a formality for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Yes, they lost 2-0 to Newcastle United last time out but they did beat the recently crowned champions just a week prior to that. Chelsea have had good results at Stamford Bridge this term, losing just twice. Maresca’s side could, with a win, move, momentarily at least, up to fourth in the table.
United, like Spurs, are fixated on the upcoming final. It is a route into the Champions League for them, an unlikely ending to a disappointing campaign. The expectation is that Ruben Amorim will name a weakened XI for the trip on Friday night. If this is the case, it should make for an even easier straightforward three points for those in blue.
A win that would heap pressure onto the other teams battling it out for a place in the top five this term.
Forest in freefall
Nottingham Forest have been in freefall recently, there’s no other way to dress it up. They’ve picked up just five points from five matches. This has seen them go from being a shoo-in for a Champions League finish to potentially missing out on Europe altogether.
At the time of writing, they are seventh in the table but just a point off the pace.
If results go against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side this weekend, they could head into the final game of the season with nothing to play for, finding themselves four points off the pace. It’d be a nightmare scenario considering just a couple of weeks ago, third place looked to be sewn up for Forest.
They need a win.
They’re up against a West Ham team with nothing to play for. But they’re a West Ham side who have drawn with Spurs and beaten Manchester United in their last two Premier League matches. This does make them a little dangerous.
They don’t need the win but players do need to perform if they’re to catch the eye of Graham Potter ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Changes are expected this summer. These games are a chance to stake a claim in a new-look West Ham team.
A win for Mikel Arteta’s side guarantees them second place in the Premier League this season. It’d be the third time they’ve finished as runners-up and it should be viewed as a successful campaign, even if many had them down as title favourites.
A loss, however, would see them fall one point behind Newcastle with one game remaining.
In fact, a loss for the Gunners could see them finish the weekend level on points with Manchester City and just two points ahead of Chelsea and Aston Villa heading into the final weekend of the campaign.
It is a pressure they really didn’t need. Especially after being perceived to be in a title challenge for most of the season.
Arsenal aren’t in the best of form with just one win in their last five but they did come from two goals down at Anfield last weekend to claim a point. They may be down but there’s still some fight in this team.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The logistical abilities of the average football fan are unparalleled. Becoming semi-professional travel agents and battling with Britain’s creaking infrastructure, tens of thousands will descend upon our nation’s capital ready for the EFL play-off finals next weekend. They’ll have navigated bank holiday engineering works, rail replacement buses and have been packed into London Underground’s most sweltering of carriages. The blood, sweat, tears and cold hard cash will all be worth it though, if their dream of promotion comes true.
I’ve just sorted my travel (train), accommodation (mate’s spare room) and tickets (press box) for all three finals and it’ll be a privilege to be at Wembley once again. And in the Championship, we’ve got the prospect of Sheffield United facing Sunderland for a place in the Premier League.
Ok, yes, I thought it would be the broadcasters’ dream tie of a Lampard-Wilder face-off, but Regis Le Bris’Sunderland gave us just the sort of dramatic finale that we’ve come to expect in the EFL, in booking their place to face Sheffield United.
Leading 2-1 from the first leg, Ephron Mason-Clark’s second half volley left us level and then Haji Wright with the final touch of the 90 minutes, headed wide from point blank range. It was the archetypal ‘50p head header’ (imagine the corner of a pentagon heading a ball and it going off at a completely skewed angle), all before Dan Ballard was in the money at the other end, in the final moment of extra time to send the Stadium of Light crackers and break Coventry hearts.
“The finish was amazing. Absolutely amazing”, Michael Dunne from Roker Report tells me.
“The way the game was going, I think everyone was settled for penalties and despite us having a good bit of momentum going into the second half of extra time, you just never expect to score that late on. I was half looking at the corner, but half just mentally preparing myself for penalties, and then I was jumping for joy and running around the place. It was just one of those amazing moments that will go down in the history of Sunderland. The occasion, the finale and the man who scored the goal, Dan Ballard, who was probably our best player over the two legs. Everyone the next day since has been booking their flights, trains, tickets, accommodation, getting everything sorted, but it’s just great.”
For Sheffield United, it was much simpler. Bristol City were spirited but as soon as Keiffer Moore climbed head and shoulders above his defender to nod home and give them a 4-0 aggregate lead, the tie was effectively over, with Sheffield United underlining their quality with a 6-0 overall finish and allowing their supporters to focus on the final and getting over the line.
“I’ve seen my club fall foul of the playoffs every time we’ve ever been in it, so I’m obviously approaching Wembley with some trepidation”, says Sam Parry of The Pinch newsletter and podcast. “The semifinal was fairly straightforward, but I think it’s also important to add that in those two games against Bristol City and in the final two games of the season, we’ve posted some of our best expected goals (xG) numbers shifting into a 4-4-2 as we have all season. We come into this arguably as strong as we ever and, excluding Ollie Arblaster, have everyone available. So, I’m sort of a mixture of confidence in the team but apprehension about the task because it’s never going to be easy and these ties are often decided by a single goal. But really, we were third by such a big margin that we probably rightfully go in as favourites.”
The table has been thrown out of the window by now but just to go back to it, it is still incredible that Sheffield United didn’t go up automatically with 90 points, but even adding their deducted extra two for defaulting on payments to clubs, they still wouldn’t have made it and will arrive at Wembley as equals with Sunderland, despite the 14-point gap in the table.
A ‘season of two halves’ is how Michael describes Sunderland’s campaign. I picked out the draw with Burnley as their Sliding Doors ‘nexus-point’, where two late Wilson Isidor penalty misses felt like the beginning of the end of the automatic promotion hopes, and Michael says Regis Le Bris has evolved the team’s style to cope with the rigours of such a demanding season.
“From August until mid-February, we were fighting for the automatics but we were never really in the driving seat. But we were playing some really good football. We started the season off as a high press attacking team, where opponents weren’t even able to get out of their own box, never mind their own half, because we pressed up so high and scored. You just need to look at the Sheffield Wednesday game early in the season when we battered them for the first 45 minutes and were 3-0 up by half time. We were just brilliant. But gradually, we changed into more of a low defensive block, counter-attacking team. We have a lot of young players, we have the legs and we are fit but the tactics changed and we became a little bit less exciting to watch. We were still playing well, defending well and defending our box well but the February loss to Leeds at Elland Road ended our automatic chances and the season sort of petered out.”
Wilder in from the wilderness, Le Bris breezing in from across The Channel
For Sam and Sheffield United, he says Chris Wilder’s impact has been ‘huge’ but not without first taking a hit. He returned to Bramall Lane in December 2023 with his own reputation bruised from spells at Middlesbrough and Watford and was immediately fighting fires.
“We have to remember that Paul Heckingbottom was sacked and Chris Wilder was brought in to make a better fist of fighting relegation in the Premier League and ultimately spectacularly failed at that job. I don’t think it was one that he could have ever succeeded in, but he took it and talked about trying to keep us up and, ultimately, he failed.
Sheffield United finished bottom of the Premier League last season
“So, it has to be massively to his credit that he has got rid of a lot of players, churned almost an entire squad and turned that team around. I think it’s an incredibly tough thing to have achieved, especially with the general sense of depression with what had gone on the season before. It was painful to get battered four and five-nil every week, so to bring the positivity back and to be fighting amongst the automatic places for 90% of the season, I think is an incredible job.”
Whereas Wilder returned to a club where he’d already achieved two promotions, I’ll hold my hands up and say I didn’t know who Regis Le Bris when he arrived at Sunderland from Lorient last summer. Michael was similar but the Frenchman has also made his mark.
“He deserves so much credit. He was virtually a nobody coming from France. Last year we had loads of creative players and one big thing he did was adding two strikers. Eliezer Mayenda was out on loan and couldn’t get a game in Scotland at Hibernian and we bought in Isidor from Russia, which added to a squad full of talent. Le Bris has given the team a structure and a style of play. And now we have those strikers at the other end of the pitch that are capable of scoring goals. That’s unlike last year where it became completely disjointed after Tony Mowbray’s second season and then Michael Beale’s appointment, which just did not work at all. I think the club then took a step back and wanted to make sure they got someone who has worked with a lot of young players, knows how to defend and puts a playing structure into place. It’s suited the squad that we had, and I think it’s amazing that we have got to the playoff final.”
Wilson vs. Mayenda stats comparison, Championship 2024/25
Wembley, the Premier League and the 22 taking to the hallowed turf will have to wait though. Right now, it’s all about the 90,000 getting to North London from two great cities of The North.
Wilder and Le Bris may have their own meticulous planning but if you want to know the best place to eat, drink and stay around Wembley, just ask Michael, Sam or any Blade or Makem. It’s the side of football you never knew you needed to be an expert in, just don’t bring a bag bigger than the Wembley-stipulated one sheet of paper, unless that is, you’re living it up in the press box next weekend!
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the EFL on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
The club drew 2-2 with Arsenal, but that wasn’t the reason why their season looked on the brink of collapse. No, it was the ACL injury suffered by Rodri which was sure to end City’s pursuit of a record-extending fifth Premier League title in a row.
After a collision with Thomas Partey, the Spaniard limped out of the game and that was the last time he was seen on the pitch. Pep Guardiola stated afterwards that “this season is over [for him].”
He was arguably the club’s most influential player and they looked like a different team in the months after. Indeed, between November and March, the Etihad side won just ten of their 27 fixtures in all competitions.
With league title ambitions gone in a puff of smoke, plus an early exit in the Champions League, Guardiola needed to get back to the drawing board. And fast.
A host of signings were made during the winter transfer window. Omar Marmoush looks the part, while Vitor Reis is a centre-back who has a bright future ahead of him.
Could the signing of Nico González from Porto, however, be Guardiola’s most important in recent years? Especially given how much the club have missed someone like Rodri at the heart of their midfield.
Dare I say it, but the winter arrival might just be the natural successor to the 28-year-old in Manchester.
González player traits
Nico González was made in Barcelona
Like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets before him, González emerged through the famed La Masia academy at Barcelona with hopes of replicating the feats of this great triumvirate.
Despite making his debut for the club during the 2021/22 season, making 37 appearances overall, González was loaned to Valencia for the following campaign.
He did establish himself as a solid and reliable midfielder, but it was clear that to fulfil his talents, a move away from Barcelona was needed.
Porto splashed out just £17m to secure his signature. a figure that, in due course, would turn into a splendid bargain.
González career summary
González’s ability to contribute both defensively and going forward was soon demonstrated in Portugal. During his first league campaign, the Spaniard ranked in the top 9% for both duels won (136) and possession won in the final third (15) while also ranking in the top 7% for touches in the opposition box (60).
Not only was the former Barcelona player tenacious in his one-on-one battles, but he regularly pushed forward from a deep lying role to not only win the ball back in the final third, but to carry it into the penalty area.
As such, he was rewarded with two goals and three assists in all competitions for Porto last season.
This proved to be the catalyst for the first half of the current season with the Portuguese giants. A licence to bomb forwards and often out wide, allowed the 23-year-old to score seven times and chip in with five assists (all competitions).
González’s early season Liga Portugal form
These performances were a sure fire way to increase his rapidly growing reputation in Portugal.
With money to spend, Guardiola wanted to bring a midfielder in to compliment his squad. For £50m, González was soon a Man City player and this move looked like it could provide the platform for further development.
A successor to Rodri? The youngster could turn out to be even better than his compatriot if he continues on this upwards trajectory.
Nico González and Manchester City is a match made in heaven
The Spaniard certainly matches Rodri’s incredible physicality and excellent positional awareness, but the 23-year-old does seem to offer more dynamism in the final third of the pitch than his teammate.
It is no secret that City have struggled against teams playing with a low block this season. Marmoush has been an excellent signing in this regard, netting seven goals in 18 games.
Having someone like Gonáalez, however, who is able to time runs to perfection and provide support to the likes of the Egyptian and Erling Haaland, gives Guardiola a massive boost.
Raised the La Masia way, he certainly knows how to control play while scanning for an opening.
In the Premier League for City, the former Barcelona starlet makes 6.39 progressive passes and 6.67 passes into the final third per 90. These statistics rank him in the top 12% and 4% for those respective metrics.
Rodri took a while to properly settle in at City, before emerging as one of the club’s key players during their treble winning 2022/23 campaign.
González looks the part when he has featured under Guardiola since arriving in Manchester.
The manager is set to welcome back Rodri to the first-team fold in the next few weeks and hopefully he returns to full fitness before the 2025/26 season.
In González, City have the perfect long-term heir to the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. That’s for certain.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow the FA Cup Final on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Aston Villa arrive for this crucial match in good form. They’ve won seven of their last eight in the League, with the only blot on that copybook being a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City which required a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points. They’re sixth and two points off a Champions League place, with two games of the season left to play.
Spurs’ form is pretty close to the inverse of this. They’ve now won just one of their last ten in the Premier League, and that was against Southampton, more than a month ago. All Spurs eyes are on the Europa League at the moment, but they arrive for this match in 17th place in the Premier League, which is… sub-optimal.
History
Villa have conceded four goals on each of the last two occasions they’ve played Spurs in the League, including a 4-1 win in the reverse of this fixture back in September. But they had won the clubs’ three previous League meetings prior to this, while they also knocked them out of the FA Cup in the Fourth Round with a 2-1 win at Villa Park in February.
Key Players
Injuries have meant that Richarlison has made just 13 appearances for Spurs this season, and nine of them have come from the bench. With just four League goals to his name all season and rumours that he could be leaving once the end finally comes around, both he and Ange Postecoglou could do with a big performance from him in this match.
Aston Villa know that a failure win this match could mean the end of their chances of repeating this season’s Champions League adventure, and Ollie Watkins has been bang on form recently, scoring in the first minute in their 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle four weeks ago and scoring the winner in their last outing versus Bournemouth. Spurs’ brittle defence may provide fertile ground for him to improve on the 16 League goals he’s already scored this season.
It’s been a desperate season in the Premier League for Spurs, and there are few reasons to believe that they’ll improve for this trip to an in-form Aston Villa. They’re currently 17th, and finishing in this position would represent their worst top flight appearance since being relegated in 1977. Villa are playing well and have the huge incentive of keeping their Champions League hopes alive with a win. I can’t see past a comfortable home win, so I’ll go 3-0 Villa and for Spurs’ agony to continue unabated.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The Premier League might dominate the headlines, but the FA Cup still gets into our souls in a way nothing else can. It’s not about money. It’s not even about status. It’s about moments, real, historic moments that matter long after the fans have left the stadium.
On Saturday, the cup lands at Wembley as Crystal Palace face Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final. And unlike most cup finals in the Guardiola era, this one doesn’t feel like the odds are completely stacked in their favour.
City may have the medals, the squad depth, and the track record, but Palace didn’t sneak in through penalties or chaos. They’ve earned their place with confidence, structure and identity, beating Premier League opposition 3-0 in both the quarter finals (Fulham) and semi finals (Aston Villa). And that makes this final all the more compelling.
Crystal Palace aren’t tourists here. This is a club that’s been steadily building towards something more meaningful for years, and under Oliver Glasner, things have progressed.
Their semi-final performance against Aston Villa wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. Palace were sharp, brave, and clinical. Players like Eberechi Eze have added craft and confidence to a squad that’s no longer satisfied with safety and survival. And they’ve built a defensive foundation that includes the likes of Marc Guéhi, who can absorb pressure and play out from the back.
Shot map and xG from Palace’s semifinal win
Palace has a history of heartbreak in this competition. They took Manchester United to a replay in 1990. They pushed them again, to extra time in 2016. This time, it’s not about proving they belong. It’s about finishing the job.
And for the fans, the ones who’ve stood through relegation battles, financial chaos, and false dawns, this is a chance to see their club go from proud survivor to silverware winner. That matters.
Manchester City don’t lose many domestic finals, but they arrive at this one with a different energy.
For the first time in years, there’s no treble to chase or Champions League run, and that changes things. The aura’s still there, but the margin for glory has narrowed. This FA Cup final now stands as their last shot at a salvaging something from this season, and while that might not have been on our bingo cards back in August, it’s the reality for a club that measures success in silver.
Let’s not get it confused, though. City is still City. Erling Haaland remains unplayable when locked in. Phil Foden often delivers for the club in big moments. And they’ve got more quality on the bench than most clubs have in their starting lineups. But there’s a human element to this version of City. They’re still elite. Just not untouchable.
Premier League season H2H comparison
This final is about two Premier League clubs arriving at the same destination from very different directions.
Manchester City are the benchmark. They operate at scale, with elite infrastructure, world-class coaching, and a conveyor belt of talent. They haven’t just won trophies; they did it while redefining how the game is played in England.
Crystal Palace are something else entirely. A club built on smart decisions rather than bottomless resources. They’ve resisted the temptation to throw money at short-term fixes. Instead, they’ve backed players with personality and potential, and stuck with a philosophy that values growth over noise.
Both teams are here because of how they’ve built. One through dominance, the other through evolution. That’s what makes this final compelling. Not because it’s a fairytale. But because it’s football done two ways, and for 90 minutes, they meet on level ground.
Palace and City have never met in an FA Cup final before, but their stories with the competition tell us plenty.
City’s history is deep. Seven FA Cup titles, including recent victories in 2019 and 2023. The club’s first-ever major trophy came in this competition in 1904. It’s part of their DNA.
Palace’s FA Cup legacy is more emotional than tangible. Their 1990 final still lives in supporters’ minds as one of the all-time classics. Their 2016 run reminded everyone they could still swing at the top table. 2025 might just be the time they land something.
And while they’ve only faced each other sporadically in the tournament, most notably in the 1920s and ’80s, this final feels like a chance to write a new chapter.
It’s easy to be cynical. The Cup doesn’t have the blockbuster feel of the Champions League. But it does come with a legacy, and that’s important. It also comes with a spot in next seasons Europa League, which for Palace, is quite the prize.
The FA Cup holds a special place in the hearts and minds of the English football community and has delivered iconic moments over the years. These moments don’t fade. They define generations of fans, and Palace know this could be that kind of moment for them.
For City, it’s about reasserting domestic dominance in a season where things haven’t gone entirely their way. For Palace, it’s the biggest match in their modern history.
And for the rest of us? It’s a final that reminds us football still has room for days that aren’t about revenue charts or major derby’s. Just 90 minutes (or more) where history is written and clubs outside of the wealthy elite can get a chance at silverware.
(Images from IMAGO)
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Two teams with aspirations of silverware go head-to-head in a different competition entirely, one in which Chelsea still have a major objective to achieve – but Manchester United simply want to finish and forget.
Despite both these clubs having been in abysmal form across different parts of the season – especially considering the vast sums spent in the transfer market and the managerial changes they’ve both embarked upon – it seems improbable that both could play in the Champions League next season.
Yet here we are: United have their Europa League final to prepare for, while Chelsea’s focus is on Conference League success but also a top-five finish in the Premier League. At this stage it’s in their hands to do exactly that, but they can’t afford a slip-up in the final home game for their league campaign, particularly against the side in the joint-worst form in the competition.
Historically bad, recently awful
Needless to say this will be Man United’s worst Premier League finish in the modern era – 13th in 1990 was their worst finish since being relegated from the old Division One in 73/74, but 2024/25 will be levels worse than that in position terms. United can’t point to recent improvements either; over the last five league games, nobody has taken fewer points than their grand total of…one. The only potential positive to a side in such dismal form making Europe’s top competition next year may turn out to be that the side they must beat in the final – Tottenham – are in fact the only side below them in the league table who won’t be relegated.
Recent form
A defeat at Newcastle last time out was Chelsea’s first following five straight wins in all competitions. At home in the league, they are unbeaten in nine – they’ve largely come through their poor midseason run of six losses in 12 spanning December to February and home form may be the defining factor for a top-five finish. For United, it’s three wins in 11 and all three have come in Europe. Wretched league form has seen them win twice since 26th January – against two relegated sides in Ipswich and Leicester.
Obviously Cole Palmer will be Chelsea’s main threat but given the lack of striker options they have, Pedro Neto will likely play as the No. 9 and must provide a finishing touch – he has created 45 chances and 10 big chances this term, third in the squad for both, but but manages only 0.7 shots on target and 0.13 xG per 90 in the league.
Prediction
Chelsea to get the result they need, United to get a step closer to closing this ridiculous chapter: Chelsea 2-1 Man United.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Bayern Munich have pillaged the Bundesliga of its best talent for so long that it has become a cliche. The Bavarians might eased up on their poaching of their rivals’ most talented players in recent times, but Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels, Dayot Upamecano and others established a trade route that Florian Wirtz could now follow.
Wirtz is German football’s next superstar. The 22-year-old has already established himself as one of the best in the Bundesliga, winning the title with Bayer Leverkusen last season, but most expect a big money move to materialise sooner rather than later. It could happen this summer with several clubs in pursuit.
Wirtz compares very well against similar players in Europe’s top five leagues
Manchester City are reportedly interested in Wirtz who they view as a potential replacement for the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne. Liverpool could also offer Wirtz a route to the Premier League with the English champions keen to build on the success of Arne Slot’s maiden season in charge. Wirtz would give the Anfield side a different dimension.
Then there’s Real Madrid who have already lined up Trent Alexander-Arnold for a summer switch and could add Wirtz to their ranks ahead of Xabi Alonso’s expected arrival. The Spaniard knows how to get the best out of Wirtz and could install him as a centrepiece in his new-look team at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid, however, are already over-stocked for attacking players. Rodrygo stayed on the bench for Sunday’s title-deciding Clásico against Barcelona largely because there was no viable place for him in a forward line that already included Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Arda Güler and Endrick have also struggled for game time this season. How would Wirtz fit in?
That is an easier question to answer when considering Bayern Munich’s interest. Recent reports claim discussions are advanced over a move to the Allianz Arena this summer with Wirtz’s father believed to favour a Bavarian transfer. The addition of the 22-year-old would give Bayern one of the most fearsome attacks anywhere in Europe.
Bayern are already formidable in the final third. Harry Kane is one of the best centre forwards of his generation, scoring 61 goals in 62 Bundesliga games since joining from Tottenham Hotspur, while Michael Olise has enjoyed an excellent maiden season in Germany, registering 32 goal contributions in all competitions.
Bundesliga goal contributions, 2024/25
Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sané all contributed to Bayern Munich’s title success this season, although all three could leave the club this summer if transfer speculation is to be believed. Jamal Musiala, however, is going nowhere. Indeed, he is the purest embodiment of what Vincent Kompany wants the Bavarians to be under his stewardship.
Musiala is almost position-less. In Kompany’s system, he has the freedom to find pockets of space across the forward line. The 22-year-old gets in between the lines and gives Bayern Munich creativity and nimbleness, not to mention goal threat, when otherwise their possession-heavy approach might be predictable.
Fitting Musiala and Wirtz, two dribblers who like to occupy the same areas of the pitch, could be a challenge, but Julian Nagelsmann has already shown it can be done, making good use of the pair for Germany. When Germany put seven goals past Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Nations League last November, Musiala and Wirtz were standouts, both scoring and linking up throughout.
Wirtz’s career summary at Leverkusen
Wirtz’s work rate off the ball could make the partnership work at club level just as well as it does for Germany. The 22-year-old has averaged more possession regains in the final third per 90 minutes (1.4) than any other Leverkusen player this season. Musiala also ranks highly for tackles in the final third per 90 minutes. The pair would set the tone from the front for Bayern.
Kompany has a number of problems to solve this summer. Defensively, Bayern Munich are frequently vulnerable against opponents that play in quick transition. This cost them a place in the Champions League semi-finals as Inter Milan exposed this weakness and it seems likely a new centre back will be targeted to combat this.
A new midfield anchor would also be useful. João Palhinha was signed to perform this role last summer, but lacks the rhythm building ability to operate at the base of Kompany’s central unit. Aleksandar Pavlović is still improving, yet Bayern Munich are lacking an elite level two-way pace-setter in the middle.
By landing Wirtz, though, Bayern Munich would make a statement on where they are heading as a team. Kompany has given the Bavarians a platform to build on. The Bundesliga trophy is back at the Allianz Area, but the champions want more. If Musiala is one German superstar of the future, Wirtz is another. Bayern could have both.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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