It is easy to discount the fact that the 2010/2011 FA Cup has stretched over nine months, featuring more than 700 competitors. However, this year’s version of the oldest knockout competition in the history of the sport will finally reach a conclusion on Saturday, 14 May when the most expensively-assembled squad in the land take on this year’s surprise package as Manchester City and Stoke City do battle at Wembley in an intriguing final, because of the contrasting styles and personnel, that will be shown in front of a large scale audience across the globe.
We may even see a first time winner, with Stoke set to appear in their very first FA Cup final after several failed efforts in the semi-finals. They made no mistake this time around though, thumping Bolton Wanderers 5-0 at Wembley last month to book a final date with one of the two Manchester giants. Yaya Toure scored the only goal of the game as underdogs Manchester City prevailed over their hated rivals Manchester United, winning 1-0 and in turn put his team within touching distance of securing their fifth FA Cup; their first since 1969.
And it’s of no surprise that Manchester City, the team with the greater pedigree and the big names, are the favourites to win Saturday’s show-piece. Several hundred million has been spent by their multi-billionaire owner, Sheikh Mansour, for this very purpose, to win major honours, and so it would almost be criminal were they not to be crowned 2010/2011 FA Cup winners. Stoke, though, won’t care less regarding any inferiority complex and will, as they have done for the most part throughout their highly successful three-year tenure in the Barclay’s Premier League, look to defy all the odds en route to claiming another significant scalp – though there will be none bigger than Man City in the final of the FA Cup.
Indeed, recent history is also on the underdogs’ side. Since 2008, these two very teams have clashed on no less than seven separate occasions, with Stoke losing just twice (W2 D3 L2) and even dumped Roberto Mancini’s City side out of last season’s FA Cup with a 3-1 victory at The Brittania Stadium. However, there is little doubt as to which of the two are on the right path to stardom.
It has been well documented that Manchester City have spent large sums on building a team capable of competing at the highest levels and winning trophies, and at long last, under the tactical nous of an Italian by the name of Roberto Mancini, whom had a tidy CV when it came to winning silverware at his former club Inter Milan, the club are beginning to see some of the fruits of their labour. Not only are they within 90 minutes of bringing the first piece of silverware to a club which has been starved of such a thing for 35-years , the glamour of Champions League football awaits them next season. Exciting times at Eastlands, then.
So whereas Man City expect nothing less than to be entertaining such fixtures for many years to come, it is the exact opposite for their opponents. And punters can rest assured that there isn’t a club more rooted than Stoke City; they know full well that opportunities like this are rare and are unlikely to come their way again for a very long time, so you can expect nothing less than a typically committed performance from The Potters on Saturday in what for some, including their highly rated manager but even more so their supporters, is the biggest match of their life’s.
On paper, I would say they are fairly evenly matched. Of course, it goes without saying that Manchester City boast the greater array of players, with manager Roberto Mancini having an embarrassment of riches at his disposal. They’ll also be in jubilant mood following victory over Tottenham Hotspur, which secured Champions League football for next season, just four days previous. Stoke, though, are in terrific form – it’s now five games without defeat, stretching back to their 5-0 hammering of Bolton in the semi-final to last weekend’s 3-1 rout of Arsenal at fortress Brittania – while their supporters, and I genuinely believe this, are some of the most passionate in the country and will shed just as much blood, sweat and tears in the Wembley stands as their team will on the pitch.
A lot does however depend on who does and does not make the team-sheet. Roberto Mancini is sweating over the fitness of star striker Carlos Tevez, who has scored 22 goals in all competitions this season but could only manage the last ten minutes of Tuesday’s league fixture with Spurs. Tony Pulis, meanwhile, has major concerns over two key players, with defender Robert Huth – a prominent threat from the air and a defender who has chipped in with nine goals this season – and winger Matthew Etherington both facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday’s colossal encounter. .. watch man city vs stoke city live stream online .........
