Crystal Palace v Man Utd FA Cup final team news and stats

Wayne Rooney & Emmanuel Adebayor: Who will be smiling on Saturday night?

Wayne Rooney & Emmanuel Adebayor: Who will be smiling on Saturday night?

Manchester United and Crystal Palace boast near full-strength squads going into Saturday’s FA Cup final at Wembley (5.30pm).

Team news

Joe Ledley is Crystal Palace’s only absentee.

The Wales international has fractured his fibula and his participation at Euro 2016 is therefore in doubt.

Bakary Sako has been passed fit after training on Thursday, while Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to start what could be his last match for the club from the bench.

Wilfried Zaha faces a late test after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury, but is expected to be passed fit.

Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin and Marcos Rojo return for Manchester United after missing out in midweek against Bournemouth.

Marouane Fellaini is back after a ban, but Adnan Januzaj and Timothy Fonsu-Mensah are unlikely to be fit. Bastian Schweinsteiger and Luke Shaw are out.

Wayne Rooney is expected to continue in his deeper role, with Marcus Rashford starting as central striker, with support from Anthony Martial.

 

Opta stats

Previous Meetings Palace wins Draws Utd wins Palace goals Utd goals
All Comps: 48 7 10 31 43 88
FA Cup: 4 0 2 2 5 8

 

  • These sides met in the 1990 FA Cup final – Crystal Palace’s only FA Cup final to date – United won 1-0 after a replay following a 3-3 draw. Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew played in both of those games for the Eagles.
  • United have reached their first FA Cup final since 2007, and 19th overall (W11 L7). Only Arsenal (12) have won the trophy more times than the Red Devils.
  • Indeed, Manchester United haven’t won the trophy since 2004, and haven’t won it at Wembley since 1999.
  • Crystal Palace have never beaten Man United in the FA Cup (D2 L2).
  • Indeed, the Eagles’ last win in any competition against the Manchester outfit came in November 2011 (2-1 at Old Trafford in the League Cup).
  • Manchester United have won 15 of their last 20 games against the Eagles in all competitions (D4 L1).
  • The London side have won their last three games at Wembley Stadium, including both games since it was reopened in 2007 (both against Watford).
  • This will be Man United’s 14th game at the new Wembley Stadium – no team has played more games there (Chelsea also 14).
  • Manchester United have won five of their last seven games at the new Wembley (L2), after failing to win any of their opening six (D5 L1).
  • Palace have won six of their last seven FA Cup ties against fellow Premier League sides (L1).
  • The Red Devils have won their last two FA Cup matches against fellow Premier League sides, after failing to win any of the five before that (D2 L3).
  • Only Reading (14) have scored more goals than Manchester United in this season’s FA Cup (12).
  • Anthony Martial has been involved in exactly half of Manchester United’s 12 FA Cup goals this season (two goals, four assists).
  • Eight different players have scored for Man United in the FA Cup this season, more than any other team.
  • However, Crystal Palace have had the joint-second highest number of scorers (7, level with five other clubs).
  • Should Crystal Palace win, 83% of their opponents in the competition this year will have been from the top flight – the highest proportion since Liverpool in 2006 (also 83%).
  • Anthony Martial has been directly involved in 25 goals in all competitions this season (17 goals, eight assists); four many than any other Man Utd player.
  • Juan Mata has assisted more goals in all competitions for the Red Devils this term than any other player (9), although the Spaniard has set up just one goal in his last eight appearances.
  • Marcus Rashford has scored eight goals from just 14 shots on target for Manchester United in all competitions.
  • Since his first team debut on February 25th, no Manchester United player has scored as many goals for the club as Marcus Rashford (8).
  • Manchester United have won eight and lost two of their last 11 matches in all competitions (D1).

Memory Match

Relive the 1990 FA Cup final as Manchester United and Crystal Palace played out a classic 3-3 draw.