Man City XI vs Crystal Palace: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for FA Cup final

Evening Standard

·16 de maio de 2025

Man City XI vs Crystal Palace: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for FA Cup final

Pep Guardiola confirms Rodri is doing “much, much better” ahead of Wembley showdown

Manchester City face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Vídeos OneFootball

Pep Guardiola’s side are seeking their first piece of major silverware of a difficult campaign having surrendered the Premier League title to Liverpool.

The Community Shield victory on penalties over rivals Manchester United back in August was their only taste of success this term, having been knocked out of both the Carabao Cup and Champions League prematurely.

City were beaten 2-1 by Tottenham in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup, while they fell to defeat to Real Madrid in the knockout play-off round in Europe’s elite club competition.

Domestically, the campaign has not quite gone to plan for Guardiola, who lost his star midfielder and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri for the majority of the season after the Spaniard sustained an anterior cruciate ligament tear in the dramatic 2-2 draw against Arsenal last year.

City are currently deep in the midst of the race for a top-five finish, and they are well-placed to qualify for the Champions League, sitting fourth in the table.

They hit a slight bump in the road by drawing 0-0 at relegated Southampton last week, with defender Ruben Dias blasting the home side’s lack of ambition when it came to style of play.

Comeback close: Manchester City have been without influential Ballon d’Or winner Rodri since September

Getty Images

To book their return to Wembley, Guardiola’s side swept Nottingham Forest aside 2-0 to set up a meeting with Palace, who themselves impressively dispatched Aston Villa 3-0.

In terms of injuries, City have had four major absentees of late. John Stones, Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake are all still out, while it remains to be seen if Rodri can yet play any part at Wembley.

The Spaniard has been back training with the squad in recent weeks, and Guardiola is waiting to receive the all-clear on his fitness.

“He is much, much better,” Guardiola said of Rodri on Friday.

“I will speak to doctors. When he is ready, he will start. We don’t want to tackle a step back now.”

On City’s general injury situation ahead of the FA Cup final, Guardiola confirmed: “It’s the same as last week.”

Injured: Stones, Bobb, Ake

Doubt: Rodri

Time and date: 4.30pm BST on Saturday May 17, 2025

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London

How to watch: BBC One, ITV1