Match Preview: FA Cup Final, Manchester City vs. Wigan Athletic

Who will win the coveted trophy?

Today afternoon’s FA Cup clash sees a typical David versus Goliath match-up at Wembley Stadium. Manchester City, with Champions League qualification already in the bag, are in second place in the Barclays Premier League table.

Wigan, on the other hand, are engaged in a relegation dogfight and are eighteenth in the table. Currently three points from safety, they have two games to assure themselves another season the the EPL.

Form

Manchester City: WDWLW

07/05/2013: West Bromwich Albion, 1-0 (H), Barclays Premier League

04/05/2013: Swansea City, 0-0 (A), Barclays Premier League

27/04/2013: West Ham United, 2-1 (H), Barclays Premier League

21/04/2013: Tottenham Hotspur, 1-3 (A), Barclays Premier League

17/04/2013: Wigan Athletic, 1-0 (H), Barclays Premier League

For the talent that Manchester City have at their disposal, their recent form is slightly worrisome. What seems to be lacking throughout the season is a lack of desire to win, and that has only intensified since they now know that second place is as good as can get in the league.

What best encapsulates their season was their 3-1 defeat away at White Hart Lane. They took the lead through Samir Nasri, but then capitulated after they became complacent and allowed in goals from Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Defoe and Gareth Bale. Once Spurs had found their equaliser, City struggled to raise themselves.

Fatigue may be an issue here, but that is still no reason for not coming away with three points against Swansea, where City stuttered and spluttered but never crackled to life as the game ended goalless.

Wigan Athletic: LWDLL

07/04/2013: Swansea City, 2-3 (H), Barclays Premier League

04/04/2013: West Bromwich Albion, 3-2 (A), Barclays Premier League

27/03/2013: Tottenham Hotspur, 2-2 (H), Barclays Premier League

20/03/2013: West Ham United, 0-2 (A), Barclays Premier League

17/03/2013: Manchester City, 0-1 (A), Barclays Premier League

The Latics have only won one of their last five games. This means that the FA Cup will come as both a welcome distraction and a catalyst for Roberto Martinez’s men to win their remaining games in an attempt to save their Premier League season.

But Wigan have always been quite skilled at getting out of this rut. They usually turn up for games at the end of the season. At the same time last year, the DW Arena side beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates and threw a spanner in United’s title chase as they defeated the Red Devils 1-0.

This season, however, with two games remaining, Wigan are in a much more dire position than they were last season. Their performance in the FA Cup could change all that.

Team News:

Manchester City

With the exception of Scott Sinclair, who has a blood clot and will be out until August, everybody is available for the FA Cup final.

Squad (from): Hart, Maicon, Richards, Kompany (c), Zabaleta, Lescott, Milner, Nasri, Dzeko, Pantilimon, Wright, Kolarov, Garcia, Barry, Aguero, Clichy, Kolo Toure, Yaya Toure, Nastasic, Razak, Rekik, Tevez, Silva, Guidetti

Probable Starting XI: Pantilimon; Zabaleta, Kompany (c), Nastasic, Clichy; Garcia, Toure, Nasri, Silva, Aguero; Tevez

Wigan Athletic

In contrast to Roberto Mancini, Wigan boss Martinez has several players over whom question marks loom for this game.

Antolin Alcaraz and Jean Beausejour are both struggling with hamstring injuries. Maynor Figuroa (groin) and Albert Crusat (knee) and Ronnie Stam (ankle) are all out for this game.

Ivan Ramis (knee) and Mike Pollitt (thigh) and also unavailable.

Squad (from): Al-Habsi, Scharner, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Boyce, Espinoza, McCarthy, Watson, McArthur, McManaman, McArthur, Maloney, Kone, Robles, Beausejour, Di Santo, Gomez, Redmond, Henriquez, Fyvie, Jones, Campabadal

Probable Starting XI: Al-Habsi; Boyce, Caldwell, Scharner (c), Espinoza; Watson, McCarthy, McArthur; McManaman, Maloney, Kone

Prediction

There are some who say that the FA Cup is a relic of the past. Those who say that are unaware of the romance and magic the cup conjures. It is a playing field where all are equal as can be seen with the giant killings this competition has thrown up in the past. City looked more equipped on paper, but it is going to be played on that big green thing at Wembley.

Manchester City 3-0 Wigan Athletic