Crystal Palace vs Man City preview: 144th FA Cup final showdown at Wembley

Manchester City will take on a resurgent Crystal Palace side in the 144th FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, 17 May 2025.

City are set to play in the FA Cup final for a third consecutive season—an unprecedented achievement in the club’s history. Under Pep Guardiola, they had reached four straight EFL Cup finals from 2017-18 to 2020-21 and now stand on the verge of becoming the first team to contest both major domestic finals across three successive seasons.

Their FA Cup run this term began with a resounding win over Salford City, followed by narrow victories against Leyton Orient and Plymouth Argyle. A 2-1 comeback triumph over Bournemouth in the quarter-finals secured their spot in a record-extending seventh straight semi-final. City had won three of those previous six—including the last two—and lost the other three.

The gulf in big-match experience was evident before kick-off. City’s players boasted a combined 160 appearances at Wembley, dwarfing Nottingham Forest’s squad tally of just 16. This marked a clear divide between a battle-hardened side and a relatively inexperienced opponent.

That disparity translated swiftly onto the pitch. Just two minutes in, Mateo Kovačić sliced through Forest’s midfield and found Rico Lewis at the edge of the box. Lewis took a composed touch, shifted the ball into space, and drilled a low shot past Matz Sels to open the scoring.

At just 20 years and 157 days old, Rico Lewis became the youngest Manchester City player to score at Wembley since Steve MacKenzie did so in the 1981 FA Cup final against Tottenham at 19 years and 172 days.

City extended their lead in the first half when Josko Gvardiol powered home a header from Omar Marmoush’s corner, doubling the advantage before the break.

By their lofty standards, it has been a subpar campaign for Guardiola’s side—trailing significantly behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and engaged in a battle for a Champions League place instead of pursuing a historic fifth consecutive league title.

When asked whether clinching the FA Cup and qualifying for next season’s Champions League would constitute a successful season, Guardiola was blunt in his assessment.

“No,” he responded with a wry smile. “This season has not been good. We are a thousand, million points behind Liverpool.”

Under Guardiola’s reign, City have only endured one trophyless season—his debut campaign in 2016/17.

Palace have twice reached the FA Cup final—falling short on both occasions to Manchester United, first in a replay back in 1990 and then again after extra time in 2016. However, they may be poised to rewrite history as they prepare for a third shot at the trophy, having dispatched Stockport County, Doncaster Rovers, Millwall, and emphatically Fulham in a 3-0 quarter-final triumph to earn a Wembley return.

Before their clash with Aston Villa, Palace had alternated between wins and losses in their previous five semi-final appearances, most recently suffering a defeat to Chelsea in 2022. This time, however, they stunningly reached the final as Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr fired the Eagles to a thoroughly deserved victory under the arch.

Eze broke the deadlock on 31 minutes with a thunderous effort from the edge of the area that flew past a helpless Emiliano Martinez. Before the break, Tyrick Mitchell squandered a golden chance in front of an open goal, and Jean-Philippe Mateta missed from the spot, his penalty bouncing off the post.

Undeterred, Palace continued to press and doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Sarr surged forward and unleashed a powerful low drive from distance, finding the bottom corner beyond Martinez’s reach. The Senegalese winger sealed the result in stoppage time, sprinting clear to slot in his second of the match calmly.

With this commanding display, Palace reached their third FA Cup final—and the first under Oliver Glasner—still searching for their maiden triumph. They also became the first side since Chelsea in 2017 to score twice from outside the area in an FA Cup semi-final.

Sarr, who also assisted Eze’s opener, now boasts 10 goal involvements against Villa across all competitions—more than he has against any other side—with seven coming this season alone. Yet beyond his brilliance, it was a complete team performance that saw Palace overwhelm a Villa side unable to match the Eagles’ relentless attacking tempo.

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City match details

• Date: Saturday, 17th May 2025
• Location: London, England
• Venue: Wembley Stadium
• Kick-off time: 04.30 pm BST
• Referee: Stuart Attwell
• Assistant Referees: Adam Nunn and Dan Robathan
• VAR: Jarred Gillett
• Tickets: FA Cup final tickets can be purchased through the FA, the clubs or via trusted online reseller Seatsnet

Match stats and head-to-head

• Manchester City have now qualified for the FA Cup final 14 times in their history. Pep Guardiola has led them to four of those since arriving at the club, with only Chelsea (5) reaching more finals in that period.

• Josko Gvardiol’s strike against Nottingham Forest took his tally to 11 goals in all competitions for City — the joint-highest among Premier League defenders since last season, equalling Fabian Schar’s record.

• Crystal Palace had previously been knocked out in eight of their last ten FA Cup clashes with Premier League opposition before their dominant win over Fulham in the quarter-finals.

• Eberechi Eze has scored five goals from outside the box this season in all competitions — only Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes (both with six) have managed more among Premier League players.

• City are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Crystal Palace across all competitions, recording four wins in that run.

• Kevin De Bruyne has had a direct hand in more goals than any other player in the FA Cup proper since his debut in January 2016, contributing 10 goals and 18 assists (28 goal involvements).

• De Bruyne also boasts a stellar record against Crystal Palace, with 16 goal involvements in 19 games — more than he’s managed against any other club.

• Palace’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa marked their 10th clean sheet in all competitions in 2025 — the most by any Premier League team since January.

• Oliver Glasner’s side also became the first team since Spurs in December 2018 (vs Bournemouth) to see two different players score from outside the box in a single match at Wembley.

• Defensively, Palace have been rock solid in the FA Cup this season — recording four clean sheets in five matches en route to the final.

Team news

Manchester City grapple with injuries heading into their next fixture, with key figures Erling Haaland, Rodri, Nathan Ake, and John Stones still sidelined. Goalkeeper Ederson and Oscar Bobb remain doubts, which could see Stefan Ortega retain his place between the sticks and Omar Marmoush continue to lead the line—each of Marmoush’s six Premier League goals has come at the Etihad.

James McAtee is back from suspension and available, offering Guardiola an extra option in midfield, while Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho are all competing for starting roles in attack. Kevin De Bruyne marked his return with a decisive goal against Wolves—his 11th in 10 games against them—reaffirming his value at a crucial stage of the season.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, appear largely injury-free following their semi-final triumph, with Tyrick Mitchell shaking off a late knock to remain available. Only long-term absentees Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucouré remain unavailable, while Matt Turner is ineligible to face parent club City but was unlikely to displace Dean Henderson in goal.

With a five-day recovery period before their next fixture away to Tottenham, manager Oliver Glasner is expected to field his most potent lineup, with Eberechi Eze on the brink of hitting double figures for both goals and assists this campaign.

Prediction

Palace are still chasing their first significant piece of silverware in their 164-year existence, and Wembley offers them the chance to make history finally. Having twice fallen short in the FA Cup final—first in 1990 and again in 2016, both to Manchester United—the Eagles will be determined to break the cycle of heartbreak, especially with another Manchester opponent standing in their way.

City, in contrast, are well-versed in Wembley finals. This will be their third successive FA Cup final appearance, the last two of which were also Manchester derbies—one ending in triumph, the other in defeat. With seven FA Cup titles already in the bag, only five clubs have enjoyed more success in the competition.

While the Eagles look to crown their season with an unforgettable milestone, the Cityzens will view the final as a vital opportunity to salvage pride from a campaign that has fallen far below their high standards and ensure they don’t end a season without silverware for the first time since 2016-17.

We’re predicting a 2-1 win for Palace.