Man City vs Manchester United: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news and injury latest for FA Cup final
Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish are fit to start for Manchester City in the FA Cup Final.
Both players missed last weekend’s defeat at Brentford and Grealish has not featured since May 17.
But De Bruyne and Grealish have trained this weekend and are expected to come back into the City team when they face Manchester United at Wembley.
Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji also missed the Brentford game but will return and Pep Guardiola has no fresh injury concerns.
Back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega will start at Wembley in place of Ederson.
Ortega has started all domestic cup competitions this season and his inclusion is a big call after Zack Steffen’s high-profile mistakes in last year’s semi-final defeat by Liverpool.
“He is going to play,” said Guardiola. “I have always been like that in the FA Cup. At Barcelona and Bayern as well. The keeper who plays in the FA Cup is going to play.”
When asked about the fitness of De Bruyne, Grealish and Dias, Guardiola said: “They trained well last two sessions. They are all of them more or less fine.”
Predicted Manchester City XI (3-2-4-1): Ortega; Walker, Dias, Akanji; Stones, Rodri; Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Grealish; Haaland.
Manchester United winger Antony is losing his battle to be fit for the FA Cup Final.
The Brazilian was carried off on a stretcher against Chelsea last week and missed the win over Fulham on the final weekend of the Premier League season.
United manager Erik ten Hag said on Friday that it is “unlikely” Antony will be fit to face Manchester City.
Ten Hag said: “He still has a chance, but it’s a really small chance. He didn’t make the progress. So, what I say is he still has a chance, but it’s unlikely he is available.”
Anthony Martial has been ruled out due to hamstring injury and Lisandro Martinez is also out, so Victor Lindelof will partner Raphael Varane at centre-back.
Ten Hag said: “It’s about the players who are available. And every time we were successful, not every time, but a lot of times, many times, we were successful.
“So, we have a good squad and from a good squad we make a good team.”
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Christian Eriksen were rested for the win over Fulham last weekend but all three are expected to return.
Predicted Man Utd XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw; Casemiro, Eriksen; Garnacho, Fernandes, Sancho; Rashford.
