Latest Betting Odds
Crystal Palace: 5.00
Draw: 3.50
Manchester United: 1.75

The FA Cup, is the oldest cup competition is world soccer and is just one game away from conclusion. In a repeat of the 1990 Cup Final Crystal Palace will play Manchester United, and we’ve reviewed the best bets available.

United under pressure

Manchester United are definitely the team under pressure. After a lacklustre and often boring league campaign under Dutch manager, and Europe’s most stubborn man, Louis Van Gaal, Manchester United are somehow in a position to regain top spot (jointly with Arsenal) as the English team with the most FA Cup wins.  However, as any Manchester United fan will tell you, never ever expect the straight forward win with LVG in charge. He’s as likely to play 5 holding midfielders as an attacking formation. United start the game as clear favourites at odds of 1.75

The odds only tell half the story in this year’s FA Cup, Manchester United’s route to the final was less than impressive.  Far from impressive in fact. A highly unconvincing win against Sheffield United (a team two divisions below United) which saw Van Gaal playing 2 holding midfielders and United struggle to get out of their own half. The Sheffield United debacle was followed by reasonable wins against the mighty Derby County and the even more (less) mighty Shrewsbury Town. A tough looking draw against West Ham United ended in exactly that, a draw, and was followed by a well earned victory at Upton Park in the replay.

The Semi-Final against Everton at Wembley was an odd game, with United totally dominating Everton for 70 minutes, during which time they could have easily scored 10 goals. However, Van Gaal’s men could only score once with Belgian Microphone Head and Elbow Merchant, Marouane Fellaini scoring on 34 minutes.  Any soccer fan could predict what happened next, with United sitting back with 20 minutes to go, Everton equalising via a calamitous Chris Smalling own goal (75 mins). What happened next was pure Fergie Time magic, the world’s most expensive teenage footballer, Anthony Martial, popped up on 94 minutes to win the game for United.

“Tony Martial Came from France, The British Press said he had no chance, Fifty Million down the Drain, Tony Martial scores again…..”

Palace flying highly

Palace’s run was not dissimilar, however a generally ‘weaker’ team probably couldn’t have expected to have coasted through qualifying in the same way as United were. Incredibly Palace have only won 7 games in 2016, and 5 of them were in the FA Cup.  The Palace FA Cup journey started at St Mary’s against high flying Southampton with a 2-1 victory for the Eagles.  Then a reasonably regulation win at home against Stoke was followed by a very impressive 1-0 win away at Spurs. An easy win at Reading lined up a Semi Final against Watford, a game Palace won a lot more comfortably than the scoreline of 2-1 suggests.

Our Tips

With both teams struggling to score goals this season, a shrewd bet might be to back 0-0 at odds of 7.50. Certainly the Under 2.5 Goals Market isn’t going to be troubled at very short odds of just 1.59.  We also like the look of Chris “It could go anywhere” Smalling for first goal scorer at odds of 15.00.

Will United win the 2016 FA Cup Final? Yes.  Will the game be a yawn-fest of dull central midfield trudgery? Yes.  Will this be LVG’s last game in charge of United? We certainly hope so….-