Two days before Manchester City stage their 2018-19 Premier League title parade and celebration, Pep Guardiola’s men will aim to achieve the first ever domestic treble by an English side. No team has ever won the League Cup, FA Cup and League title in the same season, and the only thing standing in the Sky Blues’ way is Watford.
Yes, it’s a good time to be a Man City fan, as former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher will be the first to tell you. City have won the FA Cup five times, with the most recent glory coming in 2011. This will be the first FA Cup final appearance since 1984 for Watford FC; where they lost to 2-0 to Everton.
As you would expect, City are strongly favored in this one. If you watch sport online, you’ll want to know the odds on this match, and Betfair backs the Citizens at the price of 1/5. Odds for a draw are set at 6/1 while Watford FC are 14/1 long shots for the Saturday late afternoon/early evening affair at the national stadium. Now we’ll take a look at the fitness situation for the next installment of the oldest knockout competition in world football.
For the Hornets, the only injury absentees are Domingos Quina (shoulder) and Sebastian Prodl (knee). Star man Etienne Capoue made his return on Championship Sunday, giving the underdogs a nice moral boost- which they’ll need given what they’re up against.
For City, Kevin de Bruyne is in contention for a starting place after he came on as substitute during City’s 4-1 league title clinching win at Brighton & Hove Albion. Meanwhile Fernandinho could be fit enough to feature in this one, or at least that’s what Guardiola indicated at his news conference this past Friday.
Claudio Bravo and Benjamin Mendy remain long term injury absentees.
Manchester City vs Watford FC FA Cup Final FYIs
Kickoff- Saturday May 18, Wembley Stadium 5pm
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Referee: Kevin Friend
VAR: Andre Marriner
Prediction: Manchester City 2, Watford FC 1
No, the unprecedented quadruple didn’t happen, but at least City will become the second team in Manchester to accomplish a treble. 2018-19 Manchester City is a club that will be talked about for ages.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.