Pick United to Beat Old Rivals in 2023 FA Cup Final

Manchester United v Manchester City
Saturday, June 3, 2023, 10:00 ET
At Wembley Stadium

Two old rivals meet at Wembley in the FA Cup Final this year, but it is United that offers the best value in the match betting market.

Who do Bettors Favor?

Looking at the top sports betting sites (and you can check out our sportsbook reviews here) it is clear that bettors favor Manchester City for this game. The Premier League winner is -185 to win this game, while the normal time draw is priced at +350 and Manchester United is as big as +510.

City Still the Team to Beat

It has been a long struggle, but Manchester City's dominance in English football has continued in the 2022/23 season. Arsenal gave City a strong challenge, dominating the Premier League for a significant portion of the season before being eclipsed in the closing stages by Pep Guardiola’s champions and City remains the team to beat.

City still has a chance to record the most esteemed treble in English football, as it will play Internazionale in the Champions League final a week after this match. That match will be the primary focus for a team and club that has repeatedly fallen short of European triumph.

It is worth noting that City's track record in this trophy is not particularly impressive. It has featured in only three FA Cup finals this century, and only two have been won, the most recent being in 2019.

Opportunity for United

With the third spot in the Premier League confirmed and one prize already in the trophy room, Manchester United has experienced a season of improvement after years of turbulence and failure.

The elimination from Europe was a setback, but the EFL Cup was a welcome trophy, and Eric Ten Haag's squad now has the opportunity to win the more prestigious Cup tournament.

United last won the FA Cup in 2016, although it finished second to Chelsea in 2019, but it has won this tournament more than any other club aside from Arsenal. A win here would take the club to 13 all-time FA Cup wins, just one behind the Gunners.

Ten Haag's squad enters this match in great form. It concluded its Premier League tenure with four consecutive victories, defeating Wolves, Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Fulham by a combined score of 9-2, and now has the opportunity to complete the season with a victory over its city rivals at Wembley.

FA Cup Match Betting Head-to-Head

This is one of the oldest rivalries in English soccer, dating back to 1891. Manchester City and Manchester United will meet for the 190th time this weekend at Wembley, in what is arguably their biggest derby of all time.

Manchester United has had the upper hand in this city rivalry, despite the fact that Manchester City has enjoyed greater success in recent years. United has won 78 games, while City has won 58 and 53 games have ended in a tie.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, the clubs have consistently alternated victories in this fixture. This pattern was repeated this season as City won the first Premier League matchup against United by a score of 6-3, but United retaliated with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford.

The most significant FA Cup match between these teams prior to this year occurred during the 2010-2011 season, when Yaya Toure scored the lone goal in City's 1-0 semi-final victory.

FA Cup Match Betting Team News

The next two weeks will be challenging for Pep Guardiola as the club prepares for two major finals. Due to injuries, Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, and Jack Grealish were all ruled out of the weekend's loss to Brentford, which was not the team news that the City head coach needed.

All three may be fine for this game, but Guardiola must determine whether to risk them given the upcoming Champions League matchup a week from now.

United's primary concern is winger Antony, who was carried off on a stretcher during Thursday's victory over Chelsea but is expected to play on Saturday. Donny van de Beek, Lisandro Martinez, Marcel Sabitzer and Phil Jones are all missing.

FA Cup Match Betting Pick

Manchester City is a deserving favorite in this matchup, as Manchester United, despite recent advancements, trails the Premier League champions in ability, consistency, and winning experience.

However, successful sports wagering is about discovering value, not selecting winners and despite the fact that a City win is the most likely outcome, there are indications that United offers the value here. United beat City in the Premier League and has recently claimed a trophy at Wembley. It also has no other games to concentrate on, so its players can give it their all here, whereas City undoubtedly prioritizes the Champions League. United looks like a good pick to upset City's treble charge.