Chelsea v Manchester United FA Cup Final 2018
Expected Chelsea Team: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Rudiger, Moses, Alonso, Bakayoko, Fabregas, Kante, Hazard and Giroud
Expected Manchester United Team: De Gea, Valencia, Young, Smalling, Jones, Matic, Pogba, Herrera, Rashford, Lingard, Alexis Sanchez
Neither team will be completely satisfied with the performances in the Premier League, but Manchester United should be in a better place than Chelsea who have missed out on Champions League Football for the coming season.
Rumours continue to persist that Antonio Conte will be relieved of his position as manager of Chelsea in the coming days and I do think that has an impact on the preparation for the Cup Final.
It is almost in stark contrast to last season when Chelsea went into the FA Cup Final as the strong favourites to beat Arsenal and complete the Double after winning the Premier League a few days earlier. This time they come in with the questions and face a team who have achieved some of their goals and perhaps feeling in a better place all around.
However recent Manchester United performances have been under-par and it is hard to turn the switch to produce a much better display. In saying that Manchester United have raised their game against the best teams and you can't ignore the fact they have beaten Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal since their 2-0 loss here against Spurs in the Premier League at the end of January and 2 of those wins have come away from Old Trafford.
The likely absence of Romelu Lukaku is a blow as he has been a very important part of the team with the way Mourinho sets Manchester United up. His participation is touch and go, but I think Lukaku will be a bench player at best and Mourinho may decide to play with Alexis Sanchez as his most forward player in this one, although he will be able to interchange with Marcus Rashford who scored last week which may earn him the start.
Manchester United have shown they can score against the top teams in those recent wins and they have managed at least two goals in each of those. They won the FA Cup in 2016 so the majority of the squad will know the feeling of doing that as they snapped Manchester United's wait for a success in this competition which had dragged back to 2004.
On the other hand Chelsea know what it is like to lose a Final having done that just twelve months ago. This is a club who had won four of six FA Cups between 2007 and 2012, but who have not won the competition since then and the rumours about Antonio Conte's future will not be helping.
Chelsea did beat Liverpool a couple of weeks ago, but they had a poor recent record against the top clubs in 2018 prior to that having lost to Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur. The side have not found their best away from Stamford Bridge for large portions of this calendar year too and the negative display at Newcastle United last weekend is a big worry.
There is clearly some quality in the starting line up for Chelsea and they played well at Old Trafford for half an hour with the game turning on Manchester United's equaliser. I think they will pose problems and I expect the players to produce a much bigger performance than last weekend when they perhaps knew their chances of a top four finish was already beyond them.
A close game should develop, but I don't think it will be one without chances for both teams and the layers are taking a chance with the prices for at least three goals to be shared out.
4 of the last 6 FA Cup Finals have ended with at least three goals shared out including last seasons and that looks like it will have every chance of happening here at the big prices being offered.
Picking a winner in normal time is difficult with neither team playing their best football to end the season. However the difference in the results Manchester United and Chelsea have had in 'big' games over the last couple of months does make me believe Jose Mourinho can add another trophy to his list of honours and another to the heaving Manchester United trophy cabinet.
I just expect a more 'together' performance from Manchester United across the ninety minutes and there is a chance, albeit a slight one, that Chelsea produce another sub-par performance for their beleaguered manager. Both teams could play a part in this one, but I will look for Manchester United to prevail on the Asian Handicap which is effectively a 'Draw No Bet' market for the Cup Final.
MY PICKS: Manchester United 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Chelsea-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)
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