Manchester United legend delivers shock FA Cup final prediction with line-up demand

Gary Neville has made a shock prediction for the FA Cup final as he makes a demand to Erik ten Hag regarding his Manchester United team selection.

Manchester United will face Manchester City for the second FA Cup final in a row, having lost 2-1 at Wembley Stadium last season at the hands of Pep Guardiola and his team.

Erik ten Hag will be looking to win his second trophy at the club on Saturday afternoon as the two sides lock horns for the third time this season, although City, who have just won their fourth Premier League title in a row, are firm favourites.

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Despite this, former club captain Gary Neville has provided a shocking prediction. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he claims he thinks United will win on penalties.

“I know that Manchester United played well against Newcastle United and Brighton, but Manchester City also come into the game in really great form after securing the Premier League title,” Neville said.

“However, the fact they have those two victories under their belt means that they (United) can approach the final positively after showing a bit of consistency and it’s a good opportunity to beat the best team in the country or even Europe.

“So many players need a shake-up, but some of the players have done really well lately, which is a good sign, and if they win, the manager will be able to grasp what went wrong for them this season, and it could be something to learn from if he remains in his post.

“I think Manchester United will win on penalties after a 2-2 draw.”

Neville also demanded that Ten Hag makes a bold decision about the team he will select for the final, explaining that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Rasmus Højlund and Marcus Rashford come off the bench at Wembley rather than starting.

“It’s a tough one, especially when you use the example of Rasmus Højlund starting on the bench in the previous two games and coming on and scoring on both occasions,” Neville said.

“We don’t know if Marcus Rashford is in line to start, considering his recent injury, but there’s a good momentum at the moment with Amad Diallo playing well and Alejandro Garnacho continuing to provide a threat. We all know how creative Bruno Fernandes can be on his day, so the question marks are more focused on the defence at this moment in time.

“Højlund came off the bench on Sunday against Brighton, so it will be very interesting to see the lineup, but the manager is the only person who will know how fit both Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez are.

“Casemiro is still a good option, and he’s obviously much better when he plays in his preferred position. The lineup could be the same as it’s been in the last few games with a few changes at the back depending on the fitness of certain players.”