Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United's new part-owner Jim Ratcliffe has told him he wants the Dutchman to stay at Old Trafford.
Reports on Friday suggested Ratcliffe, who now runs the footballing operations at United following INEOS' 27.7 per cent purchase of the club, had decided to sack Ten Hag regardless of the result of Saturday's FA Cup final, with the Red Devils taking on Manchester City.
United finished eighth, their worst-ever Premier League finish, this season, with Ten Hag under increasing scrutiny.
However, while hitting out at his critics in an interview with Dutch publication Voetbal International, Ten Hag claimed to have the backing of INEOS.
"INEOS told me that they want to change everything and that they want to rebuild with me," he said.
"This is what they told me directly."
Former Ajax boss Ten Hag also defended his tenure at United so far.
"United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that," he said.
"We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.
"Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise, [people] saying I won only the EFL Cup, lost the FA Cup final and finished third.
"Well, then you have no sense of reality. Other clubs had a much better squad."
Ten Hag also suggested that some pundits in England see United as "easy pray".
He added: "It's the biggest club in England and possibly in the world. The club is either loved or hated, there is no in-between.
"So when things go bad, they all start talking and talking with very big words. All this negativity from these so-called experts who don't have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better.
"And these same people were the ones who gave me a pat on the back last year. Last year I was able to walk on water, this year I am the worst manager in the Premier League?"
Patrick Bailey hit a go-ahead grand slam and third baseman Matt Chapman made a game-saving defensive gem as the San Francisco Giants overcame another big deficit to beat the reeling New York Mets, 8-7 on Friday.
The Giants rallied from a 6-2 hole in the eighth to join the 1932 St. Louis Cardinals as the only teams since 1900 to win three straight road games in which they trailed by at least four runs.
Just two other teams have accomplished the feat at home: the 1999 Florida Marlins and the 1961 Boston Red Sox.
Jorge Soler and Mike Yastrzemski also homered for the Giants, who have won seven of eight to reach .500 for the first time since they were 2-2 on March 31.
Thairo Estrada’s RBI double with two outs in the eighth drew San Francisco within 6-3 and Chapman walked to load the bases before Bailey took Reed Garrett deep for his first career grand slam.
The Mets rallied in the bottom of the ninth trailing 8-6 and got an RBI single from Francisco Lindor before loading the bases with one out. But J.D. Martinez struck out and Chapman fielded Mark Vientos’ grounder barehanded on a do-or-die play and fired off balance to first, where LaMonte Wade Jr. made a difficult pick of an in-between hop for the final out.
The Mets have lost 11 of 14 to drop to 21-29, their worst 50-game start since 2013.
Lugo wins again as Royals stay hot
Seth Lugo became the American League’s first eight-game winner and Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Massey homered to lead the Kansas City Royals to their seventh straight win, 8-1 over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lugo limited the Rays to one run on four hits to lower his AL-best ERA from 1.79 to 1.74. Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez leads the majors with nine victories.
The Royals (33-19) moved a season-best 14 games over .500. They were 15-37 after 52 games last season and didn’t reach 33 wins until Aug. 1.
Tampa Bay has scored 10 runs during a season-high five-game losing streak.
Massey’s three-run shot off Tyler Alexander in the fifth gave Kansas City a 5-1 lead, but he left an inning later with lower back tightness.
Streaking Guardians hit 3 straight home runs
Jose Ramirez went deep twice and started a run of three consecutive homers in the fourth inning as the Cleveland Guardians pushed their winning streak to seven with a 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Ramirez belted two-run shots in the third and fourth innings for his 24th multihomer game and first since July 30 against the White Sox. Ramirez’s four RBIs gave him a major league-leading 49.
Josh Naylor and David Fry also went deep in the fourth as the Guardians became the first team this season to go back-to-back-to-back.
Luis Rengifo, Jo Adell and Logan O’Hoppe homered for the Angels, who dropped to 6-17 at home.
Barclay Goodrow scored with 5:59 left in overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Friday night, evening the Eastern Conference final at a game apiece.
Goodrow fired a snap shot from between the circles over Sergei Bobrovsky’s right shoulder for his third goal in the last five games.
Vincent Trocheck scored early in the first period and Igor Shesterkin stopped 26 shots as the Rangers avoided losing both home games and now head to Florida for Game 3 on Sunday afternoon with the series tied.
Trocheck’s goal was his seventh of the playoffs and gave him four goals and nine points in seven games this postseason at Madison Square Garden.
Luka Dončić drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3 seconds remaining and finished with a triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 109-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals on Friday night.
Doncic had 32 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his eighth triple-double in 42 career playoff games for the Mavericks, who erased a 16-point deficit midway through the third quarter.
After winning two on the road, the Mavericks look to take a commanding 3-0 lead as the series shifts to Dallas on Sunday night.
Naz Reid scored 23 points with seven 3-pointers, but his last shot at the buzzer rimmed out as the Timberwolves endured another off night from stars Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns. Edwards had 21 points on 5-of-17 shooting and Towns scored 15 on 4 of 16 from the field.
Jaden McDaniels, who had 20-plus points in each of Minnesota’s last three games, didn’t make a basket until midway through the third. He finished with two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
Kyrie Irving scored 13 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3 from the corner with 65 seconds left that drew Dallas within 108-106.
Minnesota committed two turnovers, the last one by Edwards, who recklessly threw the ball out of bounds off a drive with 13 seconds to go.
Doncic took the inbounds pass and dribbled to set up a screen for Dereck Lively II that triggered a switch by the Wolves. Rudy Gobert covered Doncic, but the Mavs superstar sank the 3 and then flexed his arms and yelled at the stunned crowd as his teammates mobbed him.
The Wolves pushed their lead to 68-52 on Mike Conley’s free throw with 9:07 left in the third quarter, but Dallas scored eight straight points and was within 79-77 on Irving’s basket with 1:22 to play in the quarter.
Andre Onana says he decided to "stand up and fight" after a tough start to life at Manchester United.
The Red Devils are preparing to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final for a second consecutive season on Saturday after a poor campaign saw them finish in their lowest-ever league position in the Premier League.
Certain players were singled out throughout the season due to their performances, with Onana coming under fire for a string of errors early on after taking over from David de Gea when he joined from Inter last July.
However, the goalkeeper was adamant he did not let the criticism get to him.
"I arrived as the best goalkeeper in the world and 'boom' it went down. It was like 'What happened?'," he said.
"But that is how difficult football is sometimes. It depends if you want to stay down there or stand up and fight. I know what I did to arrive here. I know who I am. I decided to stand up and fight."
Onana compared his experience to that of teammate Marcus Rashford, who was left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024 after scoring just eight goals this season.
"We are talking about the same player [Rashford]. So now he's a bad player? No. You can have a bad season or a bad start, but the most important thing is how you end," he added.
"Rashy, for me, is one of the best players in the world. But he is facing difficulty. It's not only him and me, but the whole club.
"But he will come back. I know my killer will score some important goals for us. Hopefully, against City, he will score two, and we win the FA Cup."
There is also a lot of speculation around the club concerning the future of Erik ten Hag, with reports suggesting he could be relieved of his position no matter the result in Saturday’s final.
Onana, however, has thrown his support behind his manager, who he also worked with at Ajax for five years.
The Cameroon international said: "I'm not here to back him because he's big enough to back himself, but he's a really good guy, a positive coach and, tactically, he is good.
"If he had all his squad together, it would probably be different for him, for us, the club and the fans."
Artem Dovbyk netted a hat-trick as surprise package Girona claimed the biggest win in the club's history with a 7-0 thrashing of already-relegated Granada on Friday.
Defender Eric Garcia opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, pouncing on the visitors' sloppy defending to head home from close range before Viktor Tsygankov doubled the advantage with a tap-in three minutes later.
Dovbyk made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after a foul on Portu, while Tsygankov scored his second with a simple finish nine minutes into the second half.
Granada were dealt a further blow when they were reduced to 10 men in the 61st minute thanks to Facundo Pellistri's second yellow card before Dovbyk scored again in the 75th. Minutes later, substitute Cristhian Stuani got on the scoresheet with a close-range strike.
The Ukrainian then completed his hat-trick with a 90th-minute penalty to reach 24 league goals this season, ahead of Villarreal's Alexander Sorloth in the battle for the league's top goalscorer.
Data Debrief: Girona go out on a high
Dovbyk scored 24 goals in LaLiga this season, becoming Girona's top scorer in a single season in the competition, surpassing Cristhian Stuani's 21 goals in 2017-18.
Savinho was also a bright spark for the hosts in this game, winning the final penalty to set up Dovbyk's penalty. His assist for Tsyhankov's goal was his 10th of the season - the most registered for Girona this campaign.
The ICC T20 World Cup has led to significant scheduling conflicts, causing disruptions for the Regional UWI Volleyball Games 2024, an intercampus and club volleyball competition set to begin today, Friday, May 24, 2024, at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad.
The St Augustine campus gymnasium, designated as an official training venue for the T20 World Cup, became unavailable for the final day of the volleyball tournament due to strict security protocols. This unexpected change, combined with the last-minute unavailability of the UWI Cave Hill male team, forced the organizers to condense the competition from three days to two.
"The venue is an official training location for the ICC World Cup, and the security protocols have strict proximity rules," explained Cheryl Daley, Competitions Coordinator. "That means the gymnasium is no longer available on Sunday as was previously the case. We were able to adjust without too much upheaval since the Barbados male team dropped out, which reduced the number of games to be played overall."
This tournament marks the first inter-campus regional volleyball competition since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring club and university teams from Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados. The new schedule compresses the games into two intense days of play, a change welcomed by Mona Head Coach Dr. Ricardo Chong.
"It just makes it all the more exciting," Dr. Chong said. "Now we have two intense days of play which will really put our teams to the test. Both the UWI intercollegiate and club teams are top teams in Jamaica, and now we will see how we match up against other islands."
Prominent Trinidad & Tobago volleyball clubs Glamorgan, Big SEPOS, and West Side Stars are confirmed for the two-day competition, which will be held at UWI’s Sports and Physical Education Centre gymnasium in St Augustine. The games will run from Friday, May 24 to Saturday, May 25, 2024, kicking off at 1 PM Jamaica time.
Despite the scheduling challenges, the condensed tournament promises to deliver thrilling volleyball action, showcasing the resilience and competitive spirit of the participating teams.
Bayer Leverkusen have quickly put Wednesday's Europa League final defeat to Atalanta behind them, says coach Xabi Alonso.
The freshly-crowned Bundesliga champions can clinch a first-ever domestic double with victory over second-division Kaiserslautern in Saturday's final.
Leverkusen had the opportunity to complete an unbeaten treble but saw their 51-match unbeaten run in all competitions ended in the Europa League final on Wednesday when they lost 3-0 to Atalanta.
Now, they have the opportunity to cap an already memorable season by winning the DFB-Pokal.
"It was a long way to get here, since August last year," said Alonso of Saturday's showcase at Berlin's Olympic stadium.
"We are here. It is great to have the last game of the season as a final. After Wednesday, we are ready and focused for tomorrow. We have to have the hunger and I think after Wednesday we have it more."
Prior to this season's Bundesliga title, Leverkusen's last trophy was the 1993 DFB-Pokal.
Alonso said the team had little time to review their first defeat of the season, but they had already put the loss behind them, having a shot at the double.
"The time for analysis is short because our focus is now on tomorrow. What happened on Wednesday hopefully will not have much influence," Alonso added.
"We have to continue after the defeat. The goal is big. Tomorrow we can cap it with the Cup. Dublin is gone and behind us, and now we think about Berlin."
It is no secret that many across the region believe Roston Chase is not quality enough to have been selected in West Indies’ 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. But Chase could care less about those critics, as he is more focused on delivering the goods leading up to, and during the June 1-29 global showpiece.
Despite lacking the power of his big-hitting counterparts, Chase has proven that he can be effective in the game’s shortest format. Since his debut at the 2021 World Cup, he has so far played 12 T20Is for West Indies and has tallied 143 runs with a strike rate of 110.0, with 10 wickets for 212 runs to his name.
The 32-year-old, who recently captained Windies 'A' team to a 3-2 series victory away to Nepal, and is currently serving as vice-captain to stand-in captain Brandon King for the regional side’s three-match warm-up series against South Africa, is confident in his abilities, regardless of what others think.
“People may not necessarily know the intricate details that go into playing a cricket match. I'm not one of the big superstars that may hit the ball 100 metres or bowl at 90 miles per hour or take a five-wicket haul or anything like that, but I think I still play a key and vital role in the team,” Chase said in a Cricket West Indies (CWI) interview.
“So people just tend to see me chipping in here and they say, 'Chase ain't no good.' But I know what I can do, my teammates know what I can do, and the coaches know what I can do. But at the end of the day everyone has their own opinion,” he added.
With 49 Test matches to his name, Chase’s credentials in that format speaks for themselves, as he been a steady middle-order batsman since his 2016 debut. He is one of only four West Indian, after Denis Atkinson, Collie Smith and Garry Sobers, to take a five-wicket haul and score a hundred in a Test –a feat he achieved in his second Test, at Sabina Park.
The Barbadian rose to prominence in T20s during the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, when he finished as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) after a tally of 446 runs and 10 wickets. He also assisted St Lucia Kings to the final –their second in CPL history –in that 2021 season.
That performance resulted in his inclusion for the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he played the last three matches in West Indies' failed campaign as they were eliminated at the group stage. He next featured for the Windies in a 3-0 series loss away to India in February 2022, before being discarded from the T20 setup for just over a year.
Now back in the team, Chase is determined to prove his worth, with both bat and ball, and his performance in Thursday’s opening warm-up contest against South Africa, underscored that much.
The right-hander, who bowls off spin, played an anchor role in West Indies innings and scored an unbeaten 30-ball 32, before returning to take one wicket for 12 runs from two overs, in the 28-run win at Sabina Park.
"I know that I don't have a lot of variations, so I just try to think as quickly as I can on my feet and I try to be as smart as I can, especially with the ball. I know my role is kind of the power-play bowler, so I think that's probably one of the hardest jobs outside of death bowling," Chase shared.
"You have to want to bowl in the power play. It's a tough job, but I always try to go into it with a clear mind and strong belief,” he noted.
With the World Cup now exactly one week away, Chase pointed out that West Indies –who will co-host with the United States –need to fine tune their all-around approach against the Proteas.
The second and third encounters are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, also in Kingston. West Indies, who won T20 titles in 2012 and 2016, will open their World Cup account against Papua New Guinea, on June 2, in Guyana.
“I think this is a time for us to just get our tactics and strategies right and get the guys gelling," Chase declared.
“Obviously, the areas we have been weak in over the past couple of series, in terms of controlling the power play in the bowling aspect – I think that's one area, once we tend to do well in the game, we usually come out on top,” he ended.
Pep Guardiola said "in our job, you have to win" when he was asked about Xavi's dismissal by Barcelona.
Barca confirmed on Friday that Xavi had been dismissed, and would not take charge of the club next season.
Xavi's final game in charge of the Blaugrana is set to come on Sunday, when Barca face Sevilla.
Barca's decision comes just 30 days after Xavi announced he had decided to stay on, having initially expressed his intention to leave back in January.
Xavi was a key player for Guardiola during his successful stint as Barcelona coach, and the Manchester City boss was asked about his old club's decision.
"What can I say? It's always not good news because something didn't work, one club sacking the manager. [The] reasons [for] what happened, I don't know," Guardiola said ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
"We spoke today at breakfast [about manager sackings]. Normally [managers] move a lot.
"In our job, you have to win otherwise you're in a dangerous position. No matter [if you're] new or old, you have to win, do a good job and be good with many things, otherwise it happens."
Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who will leave his post after Sunday's meeting with Barca, was rather more scathing of the Blaugrana, however.
"I shouldn't say this, but how badly Barcelona treats its legends. What a bad streak," Flores said.
"With [Ronald] Koeman, with [Lionel] Messi, with Xavi now, how bad. I wish clubs treated their legends well. That would be fantastic.
"That is a legacy of connection from the managers to the fans. This connects a lot, treating legends well.
"Xavi is a legend of the club. He won the league last season and football has a short memory. He was questioned this year from the first minute. I have doubts that the criticism about him is correct.
"Xavi has experienced many things as a player and has done a good job as a coach. I'll give him a huge hug, we'll talk."
Barcelona are expected to appoint former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Hansi Flick as Xavi's successor.
Sunrisers Hyderabad impact player Shahbaz Ahmed set the tone as they held off Rajasthan Royals’ chase for a 36-run victory on Friday to reach the Indian Premier League final.
SRH will face Kolkata Knight Riders in the showpiece after losing the opening qualifier against them earlier this week.
The hosts originally struggled to get going as Travis Head was caught for 34 off 28 balls before Trent Boult took 3-45 in his four overs to put the Royals in control.
Heinrich Klaasen crafted a fine 50 to get the Sunrisers back on track before they were forced into introducing Ahmed in the first innings, though it looked like that gamble might not pay off as he was taken in Avesh Khan’s impressive 3-27.
SRH set a target of 176 for the Royals to chase, and Yashasvi Jaiswal raced to 41 off 19 balls – including three boundaries – before Abdul Samad caught him to halt their progress.
Ahmed’s inclusion proved inspired as he took 3-23 in a ruthless bowling display from SRH, including a 33-ball period where they did not concede a single boundary.
Dhruv Jurel salvaged some pride for the Royals as he scored 56 not out, but it was not enough to prolong their playoff run as they finished with 139-7.
Data Debrief: SRH rising
Head now has 402 runs in the powerplay in the IPL this year, becoming only the second batter to cross the 400-run mark in the powerplay in a single season in the competition (David Warner – 467 in 2016).
Despite being on the losing side, Boult played a major role in trying to keep down the Sunrisers' run count. He has now taken 29 wickets in the first over in all IPL cricket (he has bowled the first over of a match 93 times).
As the USA's Kenny Bednarek gears up for a bid to join his second Olympic team, the 200m silver medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has set his sights on meeting his childhood idol, Usain Bolt. In a recent interview with Nick McCarvel for Olympic.com, Bednarek revealed his admiration for the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 100m and 200m.
Despite his own accomplishments on the track, Bednarek has yet to meet the Jamaican sprint legend. "I've never met him, but Usain is somebody that I looked up to as a kid," Bednarek shared. "It'd just be nice to pick his brain, know his thoughts, and see how he was able to accomplish everything he did."
As Bednarek prepares for the upcoming Paris Olympics, he acknowledges the influence Bolt has had on his career while also emphasizing his commitment to his own training regimen and support system. "I'm trying to take some cues from the all-time great from Jamaica, but I'm also trusting my own process and the team that surrounds me," he said. "I just know all the work that I put in to help me reach this moment. I trust my coach, my technique, and everybody else who has supported me. The confidence is through the roof, and all that I need to do is execute."
Throughout his journey, Bednarek has learned invaluable lessons, including the importance of humility—a value instilled in him by his mother. "My mum always told me to stay humble," he remarked with a smile. "I've always told her to let me know if I ever get too cocky because I don't want to change just because I get more fame or more money. If I ever get a little too cocky, she always reminds me, and I appreciate her for that."
With Olympic and world medals under his belt and a growing social media presence, Bednarek remains grounded as he continues to chase his dreams. Meeting Usain Bolt would be a significant milestone for the American sprinter, symbolizing the connection between two generations of sprinting excellence.
As Bednarek looks ahead to Paris, his admiration for Bolt and his own dedication to the sport serve as dual inspirations, driving him to achieve even greater heights in his career.
Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has announced he is retiring from international football at the age of 37.
Navas, who announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires in June, has now ended speculation about his participation in the Copa America.
The goalkeeper has made 114 appearances for his national side since his debut in 2008, playing in three World Cups, including Costa Rica’s run to the quarter-final in Brazil in 2014.
Navas’ last appearance for Costa Rica came against Argentina in a friendly in March.
In a video posted to social media, Navas said: "This chapter of my life is coming to an end. I leave with my heart full of gratitude and my eyes looking forward, always carrying the name of our beloved Costa Rica.
"It's a bittersweet feeling, difficult to accept, this stage has come to an end. It's not goodbye, it's see you later because I know our paths will continue to cross. Thank you, Costa Rica, see you later, pura vida."
Costa Rica’s Copa America campaign will kick off against Brazil on June 24 in Los Angeles.
The Premier League season is over, Euro 2024 is approaching, and now it is time for the FA Cup final to round off the English domestic season.
Manchester City and Manchester United, as they did last season, will face off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
City won 2-1 in June 2023, with Ilkay Gundogan's stunning volley after just 12 seconds setting the tone for a dominant performance from Pep Guardiola's side, who were en route to winning a treble.
There's no treble on the cards for City this season, though after clinching an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title, another double is in their reach.
"We play FA Cup [and] we can do back-to-back doubles, we have [a] chance to do this," Guardiola said on Friday. "The FA Cup for itself is FA Cup, Wembley, all our fans going to London. It's the last game of season, last effort.
"I'm impressed how well we have trained after a few days off, so focused, everyone wants to be involved, we will do our best for sure."
United boss Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, looks set to take charge of his final game at the club, with the Red Devils reportedly having made the decision to sack him regardless of Saturday's result.
Using Opta data, here's all you need to know...
What's expected?
Unsurprisingly, Opta's model makes Man City the favourites, with a 68 per cent win likelihood. United's chances are rated at just 14.4 per cent, with a 17.7 per cent chance it finishes level after 120 minutes, meaning penalties would be needed.
City are unbeaten in their last 35 matches in all competitions (W29 D6) – it’s the second-longest run by a top-flight club in English football history, after Nottingham Forest’s run of 40 in 1978.
There has been a gulf between the rivals this season. City won both of their league meetings against United by an aggregate of 6-1. The last time they beat their neighbours three times in the same campaign was in 1969-70.
City fare well in some significant data points. They have the biggest positive difference (+83) between total shots (127) and shots faced (44) in the Premier League this season, and the biggest positive difference (+9.6) between their expected goals (xG) of 14.8 and expected goals against (xGA) of 5.2.
With City topping the Premier League and United way down in eighth, 31 points separated the rivals.
City scored the most goals in the Premier League, with 96, 29 more than United (57), whose xG was also 57.
United's defensive issues have been well-documented. Their xGA stood at a whopping 70 across their 38 league matches, with only the three relegated sides and West Ham having a worse figure, while only Sheffield United (678) allowed more shots than the Red Devils (667).
Ten Hag on the brink
United are looking to win the FA Cup for the 13th time, something only Arsenal (14) have ever done more. However, the Red Devils have failed to win the trophy in four of their last five final appearances, with the exception coming in 2016 against Crystal Palace under Louis van Gaal (2-1).
There have been six previous occasions of a side finishing 8th or lower facing that season’s champions in the showpiece – Aston Villa (10th) beat Manchester United 2-1 in 1957, but since then such sides have lost all five finals by an aggregate score of 15-0.
United have won five of their last seven FA Cup games against City. However, both defeats in that run have come in games at Wembley (2011 semi-final, 2023 final).
The Red Devils have lost six of their last seven meetings with City in all competitions (W1), including each of the last three in a row. They last lost four consecutively against them between 2013 and 2014.
United have lost 19 games and conceded 84 goals in all competitions this season. They last lost 20 in a campaign in 1973-74 (22) and last conceded more than 84 in 1963-64 (89).
This is only the second time in FA Cup history the same fixture has been played in the final in consecutive years, after Blackburn Rovers v Queen's Park Rangers in 1884 and 1885, and the sensible money would be on City repeating their victory from last year.
Serial winners
Much has been said of City's dominance in the Premier League, but Guardiola's team just have to be lauded for their incredible hunger to keep winning.
City could complete the league title and FA Cup double for the third time, something only previously achieved by Manchester United (1993-94, 1995-96 and 1998-99) and Arsenal (1970-71, 1997-98 and 2001-02). The Citizens did so in 2018-19 and 2022-23 and thus could become the first team to do so in consecutive campaigns.
They are aiming to win the FA Cup for the eighth time and for the first time ever in consecutive years.
Guardiola's side have won each of their last 11 matches in the FA Cup; excluding byes and void games, there have only been two longer winning runs in the competition’s history – Blackburn Rovers (20 between 1883 and 1886) and Chelsea (13 between 2009 and 2011).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Man City: Erling Haaland
Phil Foden is the Premier League Player of the Year, while he has been involved in 10 goals in his last nine appearances in all competitions, scoring nine and assisting one. He has also netted six goals in his last five games against United, while only against Brighton (eight) has he scored more career goals than his six against the Red Devils.
Yet it is Haaland who United's ramshackle defence will be most fearful of.
Haaland is the top-scoring Premier League player in all competitions this season with 38 goals. He netted 52 times last season and could become the first Premier League player to score 40+ in consecutive campaigns.
He has also been involved in nine goals in five appearances against United in all competitions (six goals, three assists), more than he has against any other side as a City player.
Man Utd: Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes scored from the penalty spot for United in last season's FA Cup final.
He could become the fifth United player to score in the showpiece in two different years, after Bryan Robson (1983 and 1990), Norman Whiteside (1983 and 1985), Mark Hughes (1990 and 1994) and Eric Cantona (1994 and 1996).
Marcus Rashford, having been left out of the England squad for Euro 2024, will be looking to offer a reminder of his qualities, too.
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