FA Cup Final: Showpiece Occasion Could Go All the Way at Wembley

The FA Cup Final is the weekend’s football highlight and I can’t wait for the the Wembley showpiece.

Both sides won silverware last season but one of these great clubs will leave Wembley at the end of a barren campaign and I just feel it will be Antonio Valencia who is lifting the trophy – although I feel the game will go to extra-time and possibly even penalties before we can spilt the teams.

This is the eighth meeting between the sides at Wembley and the current score is two each after 90 minutes with three games going to penalty shootouts – of which United have won two.

I don’t expect to see many goals at Wembley given United have only conceded once – against Spurs in the semi-final – on the way to the final while Chelsea have only let in two in the competition this season; against Norwich in round three and Leicester in the quarter-final.

Jose Mourinho could become only the third manager to win the trophy with two different clubs having been in charge of the Chelsea side who beat United in the first final played at the new Wembley back in 2007.

Antonio Conte was not able to win the double with Chelsea last term when his champions lost 2-1 to Arsenal and the Blues’ boss has lost both his previous domestic cup finals with Napoli beating his Juventus side in the Coppa Italia in 2012.

United are likely to welcome back Romelu Lukaku following injury, and they will be looking for another big game from Alexis Sanchez who was inspirational in the semi-final victory over Spurs. The Chilean could become the first player to score in back-to-back Cup Finals with different teams if he finds the back of the Chelsea net.

Chelsea look as if they will again leave Willian on the bench with speculation mounting that he might re-join Mourinho at Old Trafford this summer. The Brazilian is to join the Red Devils in the current transfer window.

Olivier Giroud looks likely to get the nod ahead of Alvaro Morata up front and the Frenchman has either scored or assisted in each of his three FA Cup Final appearances.

It is United to win a record-equalling 13^th FA Cup Final for me – but I expect to see a tight, tense, close affair, which could go all the way.

Tips:

Game to finish in a draw in 90 minutes

United to lift the Trophy

My #PriceItUp Builder:

Match to be drawn

Over 3.5 cards in 90 minutes

Antonio Rudiger to be shown a yellow card