Related items

• Man City players will give everything to win FA Cup final – Pep Guardiola

  Pep Guardiola has promised Manchester City fans his side will “give everything” to beat rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

  The neighbouring clubs clash in the competition’s Wembley showpiece for the first time as the domestic season reaches a mouth-watering climax on Saturday.

  There is plenty of incentive for City as they look to claim the second leg of the treble and move a step closer to matching United’s 1999 haul of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League trophies.

  Yet even just taking the game in isolation, City manager Guardiola is well aware of how much simply beating United in a major final – after plenty of suffering at their hands in the past – would mean to supporters.

  With that in mind, and his players fully focused, Guardiola has urged fans to savour the occasion.

  He said: “I will ask to our fans, behave properly first and, secondly, go there to enjoy an incredible event, knowing the players will give everything to beat Man United.

  “The consequences and the result, who knows it? I don’t know it. (United manager) Erik ten Hag doesn’t know it.

  “It’s a football game. Enjoy the moment and enjoy next week to prepare for the (Champions League) final, to dream of seeing the team. It’s the best way.

  “You have to understand anything can happen but we are going to do everything to beat United.

  “I understand completely for City fans, who were in the shadow for decades behind United.

  “We’ll try to do the best game as possible. So I would say have fun, enjoy the right portion of beers before the game and, that’s all. Enjoy it.”

  The fact City are bidding for the treble could also give United extra motivation, however, as they not only look for a derby cup triumph but to preserve the uniqueness of their club’s own achievement 24 years ago.

  “I could understand that, it belongs to them,” said Guardiola. “That’s normal. Sport is like that. It’s completely understandable.

  “But it’s a football game. Who will be better will win.”

  After an intensive schedule in the closing weeks of the Premier League season, City have had a full week to prepare of the fixture.

  Guardiola even had time to attend a Sir Elton John concert in Manchester while some of the players went to watch Coldplay at the Etihad Stadium.

  The City boss has no doubt the mental break has done his players good.

  He said: “When you have these events in this city – and one of the legends, Sir Elton John – you have to use them.

  “They’ve trained really good these last two training sessions. There’s a good mood in the locker room and on the pitch.

  “We know what we are playing for. I don’t have to tell them. It is the final of the FA Cup against United, the chance to add another trophy. This is the mentality we have right now.”

• Manchester City’s injury problems ease ahead of FA Cup final

  Treble-chasing Manchester City could be close to full strength as they take on arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

  The champions have had fitness concerns in the build-up to the Wembley showpiece.

  Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all missed last weekend’s final Premier League game of the season at Brentford for a variety of reasons.

  Training for the quartet was also curtailed as City opted not to take risks ahead of what is a momentous period in the club’s history with the Champions League final to follow next week.

  Manager Pep Guardiola says the whole squad is now looking fit and healthy.

  He said: “They’ve trained well in the last two training sessions. They are all of them, more or less, fine.”

  One member of City’s first-choice XI who will not start, however, is goalkeeper Ederson.

  Back-up Stefan Ortega has featured in all domestic cup fixtures this season and, after also playing in two of the last three Premier League games, will be given the nod at Wembley.

  “Stefan is going to play,” said Guardiola of the German, who has not conceded a goal in the FA Cup this term.

  “I have always been like that in the FA Cup. The keeper who has played in the FA Cup is going to play in the FA Cup (final).”

  Guardiola is preparing for a tough contest against a United side who will not be short of incentives at Wembley.

  As well the usual cup final and derby motivations, United are also bidding to prevent City emulating their so far unique achievement of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.

  City thrashed United 6-3 early in their manager Erik ten Hag’s reign back in October but Guardiola feels they are a considerably better side now.

  He said: “A final is special for itself but what United have been doing in the last four, five, six months – they are a completely different team from the beginning of the season when we faced them here.

  “I have the feeling that the team has improved from the beginning of the season – the patterns are more clear and the quality they have.”

  Guardiola insists he is taking the fixture in isolation and not yet thinking about it in the context of a potentially glorious treble.

  He said: “It would be good for us if we think about what we have to do to win one game.

  “We have to analyse the strength of our opponent and see the weaknesses they have. The focus is, it’s a football game, that’s the most important thing.

  “What’s (said) outside is normal, we cannot control it, but the last two games of the season we have to do what we have to do on the pitch to win the game.”

• Pep Guardiola eases fitness concerns over Man City players ahead of FA Cup final

  Pep Guardiola has eased concerns over the fitness of a number of key Manchester City players ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester United on Saturday.

  Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji all missed the champions’ final Premier League game of the season at Brentford last week.

  Those players have all since returned to training and are expected to come back into contention for both the Wembley showpiece and next weekend’s Champions League final in Istanbul.

  City manager Guardiola said: “They’ve trained well in the last two training sessions. They are all of them, more or less, fine.”

  Guardiola has also confirmed second-choice goalkeeper Stefan Ortega will start at Wembley, in keeping with his usual policy for domestic cup fixtures.

  The German, who started two of the last three Premier League games, has not yet conceded in the FA Cup this season.

  Guardiola said: “Stefan is going to play. I have always been like that in the FA Cup. The keeper who has played in the FA Cup is going to play in the FA Cup (final).”