The exciting Manchester derby.

Man City have dominated English football almost completely for the past decade. Having just had a fantastic run to finish the Premier League title for the third consecutive season, "The Citizens" could very well lift the FA Cup for the seventh time this weekend if they overcome their arch-rivals Man United at Wembley Stadium.

Man City not only have striker Erling Haaland capable of threatening Man United's defense. (Photo: REUTERS)

While Manchester City's attacking prowess is number one, Manchester United is arguably the weakest of the "Big Six" in terms of goalscoring. David de Gea may have won the Golden Glove award with 17 clean sheets all season, but Manchester United still conceded the most goals compared to the other five teams at the top of the league. Of course, this is compounded by the fact that the "Red Devils" have the worst goal difference, while Manchester City excels in this aspect.

The contrasting performances in the final round of the Premier League last weekend didn't offer much significance for either side ahead of the FA Cup final. Manchester City lost to Brentford in a game that was essentially a formality. Meanwhile, Manchester United struggled to beat Fulham to secure third place, albeit at the cost of exhausting key players, including Anthony Martial, whose injury was somewhat more serious than expected.

Man City are rated far higher than their local rivals, but Man United's progress this season cannot be underestimated. Under the flexible and adaptable guidance of Erik ten Hag, Man United are at their best in the last 10 years, since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Even manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that Man United are truly formidable and that Man City are well-prepared for their rematch at Wembley on June 3rd.

Pep Guardiola's caution is not unwarranted, especially when looking back at the encounters between the two sides in recent seasons. Surprisingly, the two teams have been evenly matched in their last 11 encounters across all competitions, with each side winning 5 matches and the remaining one ending in a draw.

Man City once thrashed Man United 6-3 at the start of the season when the "Red Devils'" playing style was still inconsistent. Pep Guardiola's team lost 1-2 in early 2023, and that was one of the rare defeats that nearly caused Man City to falter in the title race against Arsenal.

In other words, despite being underestimated in many aspects compared to Man City in the match on June 3rd, in a specific match, in a cup competition to determine the champion, Man United still has its own opportunity, the first of which is the usual counter-strategy in derby matches, the clash between rivals who are too familiar with each other.

While their squad depth may not be comparable, and their attacking prowess isn't superior, Manchester United have the motivation to win the cup, not to mention the desire to compete with their arch-rivals, enough to give them the confidence to spring a surprise. On a good day and in top form, Erik ten Hag's team could very well cause the reigning Premier League champions to suffer a bitter defeat at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

Bruno Fernandes threatens to derail Man City's treble aspirations. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola possesses formidable weapons like Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, and the springboard for this striking duo is a super-powerful midfield trio of Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, and Ilkay Gundogan.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/the-thao/hap-dan-dai-chien-thanh-manchester-2023060221231938.htm