The 2018 World Cup grows nearer by the day and excitement levels among soccer fans are currently at an all time high. However, before the best countries in the world can go at it we have to wrap up all of the club competitions. Manchester City were big winners in the EPL last weekend and Atletico Madrid got the job done over Marseille in the Europa Laegue Final through the week.
This weekend marks the all important FA Cup final, the last of the English trophies to be handed out for the season. Chelsea and Manchester United will face off from Wembley Stadium at 2.15am Sunday morning AEST. We preview the big game and give our tips below.
Chelsea will be happy with their form to finish the season but will be disappointed they weren’t able to capitalise and earn a top four spot to qualify for next season’s Champions League. They won five of their last seven games in the Premier League and split their two games with Manchester United this season as the home team won both affairs.
Chelsea road to the final:
def. Doncaster Rovers 0-1
def. Newcastle United 3-0
def. Hull City 4-0
def. Leicester City 1-2
def. Southampton 2-0
The Blues form in the FA Cup has been terrific. They have conceded just one goal throughout the tournament so far which came in an away game to the Foxes and have netted 12 goals through their five games.
Manchester City finished the EPL season in second place but were a whopping 19 points adrift of their cross town rivals. They will, however, be pretty content with their season knowing they have safely qualified for next season’s Champions League. Man U boss Jose Mourinho will be desperate to come away with some silverware after spending a truckload in the off-season, so an FA Cup win would tie him over perfectly.
Manchester United won nine of their last 12 games in the EPL, finishing the season with a flurry to hold the charging Tottenham and Liverpool at bay. Their form in the FA Cap has been just as good, conceding just one goal en route to the final.
Manchester Untied road to the final:
def. Derby County 2-0
def. Yeovil Town 0-4
def. Huddersfield Town 0-2
def. Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0
def. Tottenham 2-1
The win over Tottenham in the semi final was particularly impressive, as the Spurs have been treating Wembley Stadium as a home ground all year, so they clearly had the advantage. The Red Devils were able to come from a 1-0 deficit to win that game, so their confidence levels will be high coming into the final.
Extremely tough game to call here. These two teams have a long history of playing out low scoring slugfests, with only three of their last 12 games resulting in three goals or more. The last time the home team lost in this fixture was all the way back in 2012, however, with the match to be played at Wembley, that offers no advantage to either team.
I think Chelsea’s form to end the season was really ominous and after finishing outside the top four they will be extremely desperate to lift some sort of silverware this year. They are our tip to win the FA Cup.
TIP: Chelsea to lift the cup - $1.95 at CrownBet
