Pep Guardiola’s side’s bid for Treble is ‘definitely on’?
The FA Cup final will be the first time two Manchester teams face each other. Man City is considered stronger, but will they be able to overcome Man United and achieve their historic treble dream?
After the semi-finals, the two finalists of the 2022/23 FA Cup have been confirmed: Manchester City and Manchester United. While Man City easily defeated Sheffield United 3-0, MU had to struggle to overcome Brighton in penalties.
MU has won the League Cup this season and is aiming for their second trophy in the first year of the Erik ten Hag era. Meanwhile, Man City is on their way to completing a historic treble.
Both teams want to lift the oldest cup in England and complete a successful season. But only one team can be crowned champions.
Man City is considered much stronger than their city rivals. They have also won 3 out of the last 4 Manchester derbies, including impressive victories such as 6-3 this season and 4-1 last season.
However, in their most recent encounter in the 20th round of the Premier League on January 14, 2023, MU won 2-1 thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in the second half.
It can be said that Man United is improving and becoming more confident under the tenure of coach Ten Hag. After a shaky start with humiliating losses to Brentford and Brighton, they have an impressive unbeaten run to achieve their current success.
Although they were just eliminated in the Europa League quarterfinals with a painful 2-5 aggregate defeat to Sevilla, MU has reasons to defend themselves. They were missing many key players due to injuries and suspensions.
With a full squad, Man United is not afraid of any opponent. The most clear evidence is their comeback victory against Man City in January.
Meanwhile, the strength of Man City has significantly increased this season with the addition of superstar striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian star has scored 48 goals in just 42 matches across all competitions.
Haaland’s presence has diversified and made Man City’s attacking style more unpredictable. They can now cross and head the ball, or pass it long to Haaland to sprint and score.
And Man City is not only exceptional with Haaland. Kevin de Bruyne is still having a phenomenal season, although he doesn’t always maintain his best form. The Belgian midfielder is still one of the world’s best passers, and his assist stats make all defenders wary.
In addition, the £100 million star Jack Grealish is also having a brilliant season. After struggling to integrate in his first year, the English player has shown much greater cohesion with the whole team. Although he hasn’t scored or assisted too much, his contribution to the team’s play is very significant.
Other stars of Man City are also in good form this season, such as Bernardo Silva, Rodri, John Stones, and Ruben Dias. Even the substitutes like Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez know how to shine whenever they come on the pitch.
Man City is truly the most evenly matched and comprehensive team in the world. They possess high-quality star players in all positions and are led by a talented manager like Pep Guardiola.
Preventing Man City from winning the FA Cup or completing the treble is not an easy task. But anything can happen before the ball is kicked. Therefore, Man United still has the potential to cause an upset and shatter Guardiola’s dreams once again.
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