The 144th edition of the FA Cup is drawing to an end. In the semifinal matches, Crystal Palace won against Aston Villa 3–0, while Manchester City defeated Nottingham Forest 2–0.
Now, Crystal Palace will meet Manchester City for the final match, which is scheduled for Saturday, 17 May at Boxpark, Wembley Stadium. The match kicks off at 4:30 pm UK time.
Who will dominate this fixture? Below, we give you team previews, head-to-head stats, and odds for the FA Cup final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
Where to Watch the FA Cup Live
Fans in the United Kingdom can catch the action on the BBC and ITV.
Key Details
- Day and Date: Saturday, 17th May 2025
- Time: 4:30 PM UK time
- Venue: Boxpark, Wembley Stadium
- Where to watch in the UK: BBC and ITV
Match Preview and Head-to-Head History
The two teams met twice this season in Premier League matches. Their most recent match was on 12 April at the Etihad Stadium. Man City won the fixture 5–2.
Crystal Palace scored early goals in the game – first by midfielder Eberechi Eze in the 8th minute, then by defender Chris Richards in the 21st minute. City responded with two back-to-back goals – a free kick by midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in the 33rd minute, followed by striker Omar Marmoush’s goal three minutes later. Midfielders Mateo Kovačić (47 minutes), James McAtee (56 minutes), and Nico O’Reilly (79 minutes) added three more goals to City’s tally.
Before this, their previous game on 7th December ended in a 2–2 draw.
While Manchester City is going strong in the Premier League, Crystal Palace has defeated major opponents like Aston Villa and Fulham to reach the FA Cup finals. Both teams are strong, so Saturday’s match is going to promise plenty of action!
Head-to-Head Record
Crystal Palace and Manchester City have played against each other 24 times in the last ten years. City won 16 matches, Crystal Palace won three, and five matches ended in a draw.
Recent head-to-head meetings:
- Man City 5–2 Crystal Palace (12 April 2025)
- Crystal Palace 2–2 Man City (7th December 2024)
- Crystal Palace 2–4 Man City (6th April 2024)
- Man City 2–2 Crystal Palace (16 December 2023)
- Crystal Palace 0–1 Man City (11 March 2023)
- Man City 4–2 Crystal Palace (27 August 2022)
- Crystal Palace 0–0 Man City (15th March 2022)
- Man City 0–2 Crystal Palace (30 October 2021)
- Crystal Palace 0–2 Man City (1st May 2021)
- Man City 4–0 Crystal Palace (18 January 2021)
- Man City 2–2 Crystal Palace (18 January 2020)
Crystal Palace’s Form (Across All Competitions)
- Won against Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 (11th May, Premier League)
- Draw with Nottingham Forest 1–1 (6th May, Premier League)
- Won against Aston Villa 3–0 (26th April, FA Cup semis)
- Draw with Arsenal 2–2 (24th April, Premier League)
- Draw with Bournemouth 0–0 (19th April, Premier League)
Manchester City’s Form (Across All Competitions)
- Draw with Southampton 0–0 (10th May, Premier League)
- Won against Wolves 1–0 (3rd May, Premier League)
- Won against Nottingham Forest 2–0 (27th April, FA Cup semis)
- Won against Aston Villa 2–1 (22 April, Premier League)
- Won against Everton 2–0 (19 April, Premier League)
Crystal Palace: Team Analysis and Preview
Crystal Palace started the Premier League season with just one win out of 10 and was in the relegation zone with just 7 points. However, under the guidance of manager Oliver Glasner, the Eagles have shown significant improvement. They have improved their form in 2025 and moved out of relegation. They are now in the 12th position with 12 wins, 13 draws, and 11 losses, giving them a total of 49 points.
Strikers Jean Mateta (17 goals, 4 assists), Ismaila Sarr (10 goals, 6 assists), and midfielder Eberechi Eze (13 goals, 11 assists) are leading the attack for Crystal Palace across all competitions.
Aggregate Record
- Championship: 2 titles
Squad
- Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson, Matt Turner, R. Matthews
- Defenders: Daniel Muñoz, Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell (1 assist), M. Lacroix, Chris Richards (1 assist), Chadi Riad, N. Clyne, Ben Chilwell, Joel Ward, Caleb Kporha
- Midfielders: Eberechi Eze (3 goals, 1 assist), J. Lerma, D. Kamada (1 assist), Will Hughes (1 assist), Adam Wharton, C. Doucouré, Romain Esse, Justin Devenny, Matheus França, Kayden Rodney
- Strikers: Jean Mateta (1 assist), Ismaïla Sarr (3 goals, 1 assist), Eddie Nketiah (2 goals, 1 assist), Zach Marsh, Franco Umeh, M. Ebiowei
2025 Transactions
Players In
- Midfielder Romain Esse transferred from the second-level English club, Millwall
- Left-back Ben Chilwell, on loan from Chelsea
Players Out
- Jeffrey Schlupp, on loan to Celtic
- Rob Holding, on loan to Sheffield United
- Luke Plange, on loan to Motherwell
Injuries Update
- Adam Wharton: Ankle injury, ruled out till mid-May 2025
- C. Doucouré: Knee injury, ruled out till early August 2025
- Chadi Riad: Knee injury, ruled out till early January 2026
Manchester City: Analysis, Team Preview, and Lineup
City is currently 4th in the Premier League with 19 wins, 8 draws, and 9 losses. Their fantastic run this season has been thanks to striker Erling Haaland, who has scored 30 goals for City in all competitions this season. The striker has been sidelined since March after sustaining an ankle injury. He has since made a full recovery and is expected to return in Saturday’s final FA Cup match.
More standout players for the team are striker Phil Phoden, who has scored 10 goals and given four assists across all competitions this season, and midfielder Mateo Kovačić with 7 goals and one assist.
In other matches, City clinched the FA Community Shield this season. Their UEFA Champions League campaign ended with a 1–3 loss to Real Madrid.
Aggregate Record
-
- Premier League: 10 titles
- FA Cup: 7 titles
- EFL Cup: 8 titles
- FA Community Shield: 7 titles
- UEFA Champions League: 1 title
- UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1 title
- FIFA Club World Cup: 1 title
- Championship: 7 titles
Squad
- Goalkeepers: Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Spike Brits, Scott Carson
- Defenders: Joško Gvardiol (1 goal), M. Akanji, Rúben Dias, Nathan Aké, John Stones, Rico Lewis (1 goal, 1 assist), A. Khusanov (1 goal), Vitor Reis, Max Alleyne, J. Simpson
- Midfielders: Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Gündoğan, K. De Bruyne (2 goals, 1 assist), Mateo Kovačić (1 assist), Nico González, Matheus Nunes (1 assist), James McAtee (3 goals), Nico O’Reilly (3 goals, 2 assists)
- Strikers: Erling Haaland (1 goal, 1 assist), O. Marmoush (1 goal, 1 assist), Phil Foden (2 assists), Savinho, Jérémy Doku (2 goals, 2 assists), Jack Grealish (1 goal, 3 assists), Divin Mubama (1 goal)
2025 Transactions
Player In
- Defender C. McFarlane, free transfer from New York City
- Striker O. Marmoush from the German club, Eintracht Frankfurt
- Center back Abdulai Juma, free transfer from the Spanish club Real Valladolid
- Center back Vitor Reis transferred from the Brazilian club Palmeiras
- Center back A. Khusanov transferred from the French club Lens
- Midfielder Nico González transferred from the Portuguese club Porto
Players Out
- Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, to be released on 1st July 2025
- Defender Yan Couto transferred to the German club, B. Dortmund
- Center-back Abdulai Juma, on loan to the French club Lens
- Defender Kyle Walker, on loan to the Italian club, Milan
- Defender Josh Wilson-Esbrand, on loan to Stoke City
- Defender Issa Kaboré, on loan to the German club Werder Bremen
Injuries Update
- John Stones: Thigh injury, ruled out till mid-April 2025
- Rodri: Cruciate ligament rupture, out for the season
- Oscar Bobb: Broken leg, return doubtful
FA Cup Season Highlights: Key Stats
| Crystal Palace | Stats | Manchester City |
| 5 | Won | 5 |
| 0 | Drawn | 0 |
| 0 | Lost | 0 |
| 12 | Goals scored | 17 |
| 1 | Goals conceded | 3 |
| 11 | Goal difference | 14 |
| 4 | Clean sheets | 2 |
Crystal Palace: Home and Away Record in the FA Cup
Home Matches:
- Won against Aston Villa 3–0 (26th April, FA Cup semifinals)
- Won against Millwall 3–1 (1st March, FA Cup 5th round)
- Won against Stockport 1–0 (12th January, FA Cup 3rd round)
Away Matches:
- Won against Fulham 3–0 (29th March, FA Cup quarterfinals)
- Won against Doncaster 2–0 (11th February, FA Cup 4th round)
Manchester City: Home and Away Record in the FA Cup
Home Matches:
- Won against Salford City 8–0 (8 January 2025, FA Cup, 3rd round)
- Won against Plymouth Argyle 3–1 (2nd March, FA Cup, 5th round)
Away Matches:
- Won against Nottingham Forest 2–0 (27th April, FA Cup semifinals)
- Won against Leyton Orient 1–2 (8th February, FA Cup, 4th round)
- Won against Bournemouth 1–2 (30th March, FA Cup quarterfinal)
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Odds as per 7bet
1×2 Odds
| Crystal Palace (1) | x | Manchester City (2) |
| 4/1 | 14/5 | 11/17 |
Both Teams to Score
| Yes | No |
| 3/4 | 1/1 |
Total
| Over 2.5 Goals | Under 2.5 Goals |
| 20/27 | 21/20 |
Please note that the odds are accurate as per the publishing time of the article. Make sure to check the latest odds before placing a bet.
Want to follow every goal, card, and corner as it happens? Head over to our 7bet FA Cup betting page, where we track all the main facts of the match in real time.
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