The 20025 FA Cup Final is set to take place on 17 May at Wembley Stadium. This will crown the 144th winner of the trophy, and this makes it one of the world’s oldest national football competitions. This year’s final will see two teams take to the pitch with highly contrasting histories in the tournament.
Manchester City are perennial title contenders while Crystal Palace are seeking their first FA Cup triumph. Whoever wins will also earn a spot in the league phase of the 2025-2026 UEFA Europa League and will also face the EPL champions, Liverpool, in the 2025 FA Community Shield.
Crystal Palace’s Route to the Final
Under Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace began their FA Cup run in the third round. This saw a narrow 1-0 home win against Stockport County. This was the result of a single Eberechi Eze goal. The fourth round saw the team travel to Doncaster Rovers. The win here, at 2-0, was slightly more comfortable, thanks to goals from Daneil Munoz and Justin Devenny.
In the fifth round, there was real drama during the clash with Millwall. After striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was stretchered off after a high boot from goalkeeper Liam Roberts (who was swiftly sent off), Palace managed to regroup and game away with a 3-1 win. An own goal from Japhet Tanganga was followed by finishes from Munoz and Eddie Nketiah.
The quarter finals saw a 3-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Among the goalscorers were Eze, Ismaila Sarr, and Nketiah. The win at the semi-final at Wembley was just as convincing as Eze scored once and Sarr added to the result in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. This win led to Palace’s third-ever FA Cup final appearance, and their first since 2016.
When looking at Palace’s progress through the tournament, it’s clear to see that their defence has been exceptional. They conceded just one goal in the fourth round. The attacking side of the team was balanced with contributions coming from Eze, Sarr, and Nketiah. The attacks displayed a combination of flair and clinical finishing.
Manchester City’s Campaign
Manchester City entered the FA Cup with what can only be described as an emphatic statement. They thrashed Salford, as was to be expected, but the 8-0 scoreline exceeded expectations. James McAtee grabbed a second-half hat trick, Jeremy Doku added two goals, and further contributions came from Divin Mubama, Jack Grealish, and Nico O’Reilly.
The fourth round saw City being tested by Leyton Orient. It was an own goal by Stefan Ortega that gave the underdogs a surprise lead. Thanks to Abdukodir Khusanov and Kevin De Bruyne, the match was turned around. When it came to the fifth round, De Bruyne played a vital role too, scoring and assisting in a 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle. The remaining two goals came courtesy of O’Reilly.
For fans checking match-by-match stats and betting trends, an odds widget was able to provide real-time updates that reflected City’s dominance throughout the qualifying stages. The odds were subject to some major fluctuations, especially as the team made comebacks and enjoyed high-scoring performances.
City’s quarter-final was another match where live odds swung. Here, they overturned a 1-0 deficit against Bournemouth. It was goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush that secured their progress to the next round, the semi-final. It was in the semis that City enjoyed a comfortable win over Nottingham Forest.
The result was a 2-0 win with goals coming from Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol. This was City’s third straight semi-final appearance, and this goes to show how well the team performs under Pep Guardiola when in knockout competitions.
Tactical Matchup and Momentum
The final will see City’s methodical control and deep squad go up against a Crystal Palace side that is built on structure, pace, and explosive transitions. As the whistle sees the action get underway, Palace will need to rely on their compact defensive shape. They will need their quick outlets like Sarr and Eze to exploit any space that is behind City’s high line.
At the same time, City’s playmakers, in the form of De Bruyne, Doku, and potentially Grealish, will look to unlock Palace’s disciplined back four. There’s no doubt that Haaland will be a constant threat upfront, and Palace will need to work hard to control him. Guardiola’s ability to adapt during matches will be a major factor. This will especially be the case if Palace manage to frustrate early attacks.
Palace have thrived as underdogs throughout the tournament. Their clean sheet streak against Premier League sides in the knockout stages is by no means an accident. Now, however, they face a City team that has overcome early scares and is keen to clinch another trophy.
Interestingly, betting markets at sites supported by Odds88 show that punters are far from sure which way this is likely to go. While Manchester City are largely favoured, it’s hard to ignore Palace’s form in big games. This is leading to a flurry of bets on the underdogs.
With Crystal Palace chasing a first-ever FA Cup and Man City looking to reinforce their modern era dominance, both teams have plenty to play for. Palace has shown great discipline and control to make it to Wembley, and it will be interesting to see if Man City have the ability to undo this.
