Paul Erewuba
Manchester City will face Watford in this season’s Emirates FA Cup Final. Man City overcame a spirited Brighton side 1-0 thanks to Gabriel Jesus’ early header, and head to their first Emirates FA Cup Final since 2013.
Watford secured their place with a fantastic 3-2 win over Wolves, in a game that went to extra time.
The 2019 Emirates FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Watford will kick-off at 5pm today.
Ticket prices for this year’s Final have been frozen at £45, £70, £115 and £145 and will be available through both Manchester City and Watford.
Each club has been allocated 28,000 tickets, the same number as in the 2017 and 2018 Finals. This represents approximately 80 per cent of the available seating at Wembley.
As well as the ticket split between the two Finalists, approximately 14,000 tickets will be distributed back into the game through the football family, which includes volunteers representing County FAs, FA affiliated leagues, clubs and charities.
Manchester City fans will occupy the east end of Wembley Stadium while Watford fans will be in the west end, determined by the travel requirements of the majority of each club’s supporters and based on the intelligence and advice we receive from both internal and external transport and security stakeholders.
Fan parks will be installed externally at the respective ends of the stadium. The allocation of dressing rooms for each club also replicates the ends where their supporters will be gathered.
All that stands between Manchester City and a domestic treble is Watford, a team who have lost all six of their previous meetings between the two teams.Vincent Kompany expressed his desperation to win the FA Cup final during the post-match celebrations of City’s second straight Premier League title win, while Pep Guardiola made sure his soundbites after the game reflected a desire to complete that treble and not settle for the already bagged double. Basically, Watford have a fairly tough 90 minutes to prepare for.
Guardiola’s side had 71 per cent of possession in the 3-1 win over Watford last time around and will almost certainly enjoy a similar share on Saturday. City’s main concerns, as ever, will be how to open up a rigid, organised defence without leaving too few players back to deal with any mistakes made. A high passing tempo is key, but how Gracia’s side attacks, or counter-attacks, is relevant to what City do off the ball.
Watford’s use of four central midfielders may prompt a small tweak in shape or personnel for City. Guardiola always tries to gain numerical superiority in every part of the pitch and alters his side depending on the strengths and weaknesses of opponents, even if City are the overwhelming favourites for the match.
In these midfield battle games, Ilkay Gundogan often starts with Fernandinho to add more defensive cover, but the Brazilian might not be fit, leaving Gundogan as the only holding player available.
City’s back four usually turns into a diamond at the back and the attackers make a W formation up top, but because Watford are dangerous through the centre, playing inverted full-backs helps block the spaces they might run to. If Watford’s width comes from full-backs, playing this shape makes it unlikely either of them will break beyond the press. The inverted full-backs can then follow Deeney or Deulofeu (or Andre Gray if he starts) moving out into the channel to prevent them receiving a forward pass.
All this will lead to domination of possession and an exhausted Watford side. City need only be patient for the inevitable mistake caused by tiredness to grab that crucial winning goal and secure a brilliant treble.