‘Grealish starts, Ederson out’ – Man City FA Cup final predicted XI v Crystal Palace
Pep Guardiola has some incredibly difficult decisions to make on his starting lineup as Man City prepare to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
The last meeting, just last month, saw Oliver Glasner‘s side go two goals ahead at the Etihad Stadium before a dramatic 5-2 comeback was sparked by Kevin De Bruyne.
Supporters will be hoping for a comfortable victory on Saturday, 17 May, but Guardiola will still be without three players – John Stones, Oscar Bobb, and Nathan Ake – while Rodri is a doubt.
The Eagles, however, will be keen to bring the first major piece of silverware in their history back to Selhurst Park, and Guardiola has already talked up the opposition’s manager ahead of the game.
Football Insider takes a look at the starting XI Man City should field against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
Ederson to be dropped as Rico Lewis keeps starting spot
Stefan Ortega
The German is usually trusted between the sticks when it comes to domestic cup competitions, and the FA Cup final could be no different for Guardiola, especially given that Ederson could be in his final season at Man City.
Rico Lewis
Having played some of his best games against Crystal Palace, and also starting the 5-2 win last time out, Lewis should keep his right-back spot over out-of-position midfielder Matheus Nunes.
Ruben Dias
The Citizens have seriously struggled without Dias in the centre of defence, but when he is fully fit, there is no dragging him out of the starting lineup. He could even reclaim the captain’s armband.
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Josko Gvardiol
Dias and Gvardiol have formed an incredibly strong bond at centre-back, and even though Manuel Akanji has returned from injury, the Switzerland international may have to settle for a spot on the bench.
Nico O’Reilly
The 20-year-old has been sensational this season since making his breakthrough at the Etihad Stadium, and with four goal contributions in three FA Cup games, it would be harsh to leave him out.
| Man City | Crystal Palace |
| 68% possession | 32% possession |
| 21 shots (9 on target) | 8 shots (3 on target) |
| 10 big chances missed | 1 big chance missed |
| 10 fouls committed | 16 fouls committed |
| 1 corners | 4 corners |
Ilkay Gundogan
Gundogan is one of the most experienced players in the squad. With how disappointing the 2024/25 campaign has been for City, Guardiola will be in no mood to mess around in the middle of the park.
Mateo Kovacic
Although Mick Brown told Football Insider that Kovacic could lead an exile of six Man City stars this summer, the midfielder has continued to star in midfield and pop up in important areas. He absolutely deserves a spot in the XI.
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Bernardo Silva
Whether he is out on the wing or dropping back into a deep-lying midfield role, Silva has continued to play an important role in the team and will be looking to build on some brilliant displays in recent weeks.
Kevin De Bruyne
The end of an era. De Bruyne is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, and what a way to announce his final game in City colours by lifting the FA Cup for the third time during his decade-long stay.
Jack Grealish
Some supporters have suggested that Guardiola and Grealish have fallen out, given his total lack of game time this season, but his trickery and talent on the ball will be crucial at Wembley Stadium. Savinho and Jeremy Doku‘s outputs have been patchy recently, but they are likely to have the most impact off the bench either way, opening the door for the England international to potentially leave the club a goodbye present with silverware.
Erling Haaland
While some might be hoping for Omar Marmoush to be leading the line, the Norwegian star will be chomping at the bit to get back to scoring ways after missing six matches. In what many have called a “poor season” for him, he has still notched 30 goals across all competitions.