STAR PREVIEW: FA Cup Final

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]A Cup Final Saturday and how times have changed. Literally – please can we have the final back at 3pm?

And, while you’re at it, a Champions League place for the winner?

It’s never going to happen but that would rekindle the stature of the FA Cup at a stroke.

I remember EVERYTHING coming to a standstill for the FA Cup Final, even Beverley starting their race meetings early so punters could be home in plenty of time for the big kick off.

It’s partly due to over-saturation of televised football – and, for me, the semi-finals also being played at Wembley that the final itself has lost so much of it’s X-Factor. And, just like X-Factor, the winners will soon become ancient history.

The head to head records below tell you why Man U are the odds-on favourites – although they have drifted slightly as we approach kick off.

Man U hold a 2-0 aggregate victory over Palace across the two league games this season.

Palace have already knocked out Southampton, Tottenham, Stoke and Watford having given the competition plenty of priority since their league form tailed off dramatically after Christmas.

Palace are expected to be re-united with Wilfried Zaha after his hamstring injury and Bakary Sako has also been passed fit.

Man U also welcome back Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin and Marcos Rojo after injury and Marouane Fellaini is back after a ban.

Louis Van Gaal said: “Always your starting point is to impress and perform well. That depends on a lot of factors, including your opponent. Then you get a fantastic match. Our starting point is to win well and score beautiful goals. But if we win 1-0 that is also enough. Winning is the most important thing in a final, otherwise you have nothing.”

Crystal Palace v Man Utd
FA Cup Final
17:30 BBC One / BBC One HD / BT Sport 2 / BT Sport 2 HD / BT Sport Ultra HD

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Apr 2016 PREMIER Man Utd 2 – 0 C Palace
Oct 2015 PREMIER C Palace 0 – 0 Man Utd
May 2015 PREMIER C Palace 1 – 2 Man Utd
Nov 2014 PREMIER Man Utd 1 – 0 C Palace
Feb 2014 PREMIER C Palace 0 – 2 Man Utd
Sep 2013 PREMIER Man Utd 2 – 0 C Palace
Nov 2011 CARLING CUP Man Utd 1 – 2 C Palace
Mar 2005 PREMIERSHIP C Palace 0 – 0 Man Utd
Dec 2004 PREMIERSHIP Man Utd 5 – 2 C Palace
Nov 2004 CARLING CUP Man Utd 2 – 0 C Palace

It’s clearly a one-off match and ‘anything’ could happen but you really, as a punter, have to come back to the formbook and Man U are not only playing better football this season but they come here with the best recent form too.

Man U / Man U makes plenty of appeal at 15/8 with Star Sports.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-100 points)

BACK MAN U HT/FT for 12 points at 15/8 with Star Sports

Friday: NO BET

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