Manchester United

Ben Croucher is joined by former players, fans and journalists as they unpick the FA Cup final on The Football News Show.

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Manchester United supporter Kim Burdett says winning the FA Cup on Saturday "is the only way to alleviate" the pressure on the players and manager Erik ten Hag.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of the final against Manchester City, Burdett said: "It is a really important game. City want to do the double back-to-back, but for us it is our route into Europe.

"Ten Hag and the team are under so much pressure so silverware is the only way to alleviate that because it has been a very disappointing season."

In response to Bruno Fernandes' interview with the Players' Tribune, external, in which he said he would like to stay if the club match his expectations, she added: "You could say some of the players have not been as committed and as driven as you would expect this season, but you can never say that about Fernandes.

"He is the heartbeat of the team. In the games he was injured we really missed him.

"I am concerned because if he is feeling that way and he does not get the right answers from the club then he will be gone."

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The Guardian's Jamie Jackson and former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown discuss the merits of Manchester United sticking with manager Erik ten Hag following their poor season in the Premier League on the latest episode of The Football News Show.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Who would be in midfield of a combined 'Treble XI' from Manchester United's 1999 team and Manchester City's 2023 side?

In a special joint episode of BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here and The Devils' Advocate podcasts, the teams try to choose who should make the XI from the history making squads.

Listen to more from the Devils' Advocate team here

Listen to the latest from We're Not Really Here

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Manchester United suffered the most injuries in the 2023-24 Premier League season with 45 separate cases recorded.

Research conducted for more than 20 years by the Premier Injuries website, external suggests that the total number of individual injuries, where a player missed at least one Premier League game, was the highest they had recorded.

Many players suffered more than one injury.

Throughout the course of the season, 21 Old Trafford players were injured and a total of 1,620 days were lost to those on the sidelines.

This does not include left-back Tyrell Malacia because he was injured before the start of the campaign, but it does include Lisandro Martinez who has missed 214 days from three separate injuries.

The sight of Casemiro exposed as United's makeshift centre-back reflects that, at times, the club has had an entire XI out injured.

Erik ten Hag's side are one of four clubs, including Newcastle, Chelsea and Luton Town, that had 11 players absent in one game week.

Read the full breakdown of injuries in the 2023-24 Premier League season

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Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker says "it's impossible" to see them winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday, but believes the club should keep Erik ten Hag.

Speaking to the PA news agency the 60-year-old said: "No-one can put their hand on their heart and say 'I expect Manchester United to win'. It's absolutely impossible.

"You have got to really explain the reasons why you believe it. Just on form, everything about it, it is impossible to see Manchester United winning it.

"The only thing which does come into it is in the last three or four league games, City were not the same side who had the similar run-in last season - they have not got that kind of spark."

United have been linked to a number of different managers recently, but speaking about Ten Hag, Parker said: "I personally would stick with him."

"If you change the manager, that means a whole new coaching staff. It would be rinse and start again.

"There would be too many changes too quickly - and there would still be a lot of dead wood [players] left there."

You can watch all the action live on BBC One from 13:50 BST on Saturday or listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 15:00 BST

The FA Cup final is now Manchester United’s biggest game of the 2023-24 season, after finishing eighth in the Premier League and failing in Europe.

It is more important than last year's final against Manchester City because of what came before it. United had ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup and fans were happy as we collectively sang the praises of Erik ten Hag.

Fast forward 12 months and a lot has changed, yet we are left with the same two finalists at Wembley in the FA Cup.

I refuse to believe the club's hierarchy will pin Ten Hag's job on one match, although Ineos are likely to make demands before this season's finale, even if United go into it as underdogs.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's driving force at United are keen to see the right mentality on the pitch, as much as they want to see Ten Hag bringing the FA Cup back to Old Trafford.

United have not been able to deny their neighbours any league titles in recent years, which is something we need to see change as the Reds take a new direction. It would bring added joy to our success if it meant denying City the Double.

Victory at Wembley would go a long way towards restoring pride in the team after a loss of belief throughout the season.

On Saturday, it is our job, as fans, to continue our support of the manager and his team. Hopefully, the players can repay us somewhat following a difficult campaign.

Que sera, sera...

Marcus Rashford has endured a difficult season for Manchester United, scoring just nine goals and being left out of the provisional England squad for Euro 2024.

Former United striker Danny Webber tells The Football News Show why he would start the England forward ahead of Amad Diallo in Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

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Former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen says "there is more at stake" than just winning a trophy in Saturday's FA Cup final.

The Red Devils' only hope of qualifying for Europe now rests on beating holders Manchester City following a "disappointing" Premier League campaign.

"Since I was at Manchester United, the tables have turned dramatically," said Meulensteen on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It is a one-off game and they have to win to get into Europe, so there is a bit more at stake than just winning the trophy.

"It is hugely important because winning the FA Cup would mean it is a poor season with a silver lining.

"For Erik ten Hag it is important because he has been under scrutiny for a long time, but he is a fighter. He will not give up and he will do everything he can to get it right on Saturday.

"He is under huge pressure but that only affects you if you let it. He keeps reminding everyone that he is there to do a job and that is the only thing he can do. The answer is on the pitch.

"It is consistency versus incontinency on Saturday, but Ten Hag has to get it right.

"All the odds are stacked against them and that is something they have to overcome as well."

Listen to the full discussion with Meulensteen on BBC Sounds

For the second successive season Manchester City and Manchester United come face to face in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.

Manchester derbies are rarely stale affairs and when it comes them meeting in cup competitions you can almost guarantee drama.

This is the 11th time the two sides have met at any stage of the competition, with United leading the head to head with six wins to City's four.

So let's take a look back on the five most recent FA Cup ties...

FA Cup final 2023: Man City 2-1 Man Utd

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The most recent instalment saw Pep Guardiola's side trying to keep themselves on track for a Treble against the only other club in English football to have achieved that feat.

Ilkay Gundogan's stunning volley after 12 seconds put him in the record books for the quickest goal in FA Cup final history.

VAR came to United's aid in awarding a penalty that Bruno Fernandes coolly slotted away to restore parity, before Gundogan became the hero with a second-half volley to keep City on track.

FA Cup third round 2012: Man City 2-3 Man Utd

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Before last season's final, the last time the two sides met in the competition was 11 years earlier in the third round.

Things took an eventful turn even before kick-off when, just half an hour before, it had been announced that Paul Scholes would come out of retirement and start on the bench.

United threatened to run riot at 3-0 up by half-time. But, when the Sky Blues got themselves back in it with a free-kick, it was 37-year-old substitute Scholes who gave the ball away for City's second goal that made for a nervous finale.

FA Cup semi-final 2011: Man City 1-0 Man Utd

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Less than 12 months before the 2012 meeting, it was City who were looking to spoil United's hopes of a historic 'double-Treble' in the semi-final at Wembley.

Yaya Toure showed power and poise to score the only goal of the game that sent City fans into raptures in the stands and took Roberto Mancini's men to a first FA Cup final in 30 years.

They would go on to win a first major trophy in 35 years and begin their era of domestic dominance.

FA Cup fifth round 2004: Man Utd 4-2 Man City

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Even with six goals, when it came to the fifth round in 2004, the biggest moment of the derby was Gary Neville - both figuratively and literally - seeing red.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side had been dominant in the game when right-back Neville dived in the box. Confronted by Manchester City's Steve McManaman he reacted by putting his head into the midfielder's face.

This sparked a melee and saw the defender dismissed, but United still went on to win comfortably 4-2.

FA Cup fifth round 1996: Man Utd 2-1 Man City

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A real throwback.

The fifth round derby of 1996 saw Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson pit his wits against Alan Ball of Manchester City.

City took a surprise lead after 11 minutes at Old Trafford through Uwe Rosler. But goals from Eric Cantona and Lee Sharpe saw Ferguson's side through.

They would go on to complete the Double with a win over Liverpool in the final.

A record fourth consecutive Premier League title cements Pep Guardiola's Manchester City as one of the best Premier League teams in years.

So how do City compare with some of the other great Premier League dynasties?

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Manchester United 1995-2001

Sir Alex Ferguson's first great Manchester United team, the Red Devils won seven of the first nine Premier League titles.

The highlight was undoubtedly the 1998-99 Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

Almost half of the team came from the 'Class of 92', with stars from the academy like David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were some of the other icons of the time.

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Manchester United 2006-2011

This was seen as Ferguson's second great United team.

After three seasons without a Premier League title, they went on to win three in a row, and four in five years.

They lifted their second (and most recent) Champions League trophy in this time, beating Chelsea on penalties in 2007-08.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were the attacking stars of this team, with Ronaldo leaving after the third consecutive title.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was finally a worthy replacement for Schmeichel, Rio Ferdinand was impressive at the back and Giggs and Scholes were still going strong.

Read our list of Premier League dynasties and rank them here

Which goalkeeper would make the combined 'Treble XI' from Manchester United's 1999 team and Manchester City's 2023 side?

In a special joint episode of BBC Radio Manchester's The Devils' Advocate and We're Not Really Here podcasts, the teams try to choose who should make the XI from the history-making squads.

Listen to more from The Devils' Advocate team

Listen to the latest from We're Not Really Here

Thomas Tuchel, who is a free agent after leaving Bayern Munich, is the leading candidate to take over at Manchester United if the the Old Trafford club sack Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final. (Guardian), external

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is open to taking over at Manchester United if Ten Hag leaves. (Manchester Evening News), external

United are leading the race to secure the signature of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, 22. (Football Transfers), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column