The roars grew louder inside Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag addressed Manchester United fans from the middle of the field, reminding them of the role they have in protecting the club바카라s greatest ever achievement.
There was one game to go this season, the United manager told the baying crowd, and his players standing right in front of him were ready to give their all to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
바카라We count on you as well,바카라 he said, pointing to the supporters, who by now were punching the air in defiance. 바카라They will give everything when you are at our backs, and I바카라m sure we바카라ve a really good chance to take the cup back to Old Trafford.바카라
As rallying cries go, it was pretty much pitch perfect from Ten Hag, who knows exactly what바카라s at stake on Saturday in a local derby with widespread repercussions.
For United, this is about much more than capturing a second trophy of the season 바카라 after the English League Cup in February that ended the club바카라s six-year title drought 바카라 to cap an encouraging first season under Ten Hag. It바카라s also about preserving United바카라s proud status as the only English team to have won the league-FA Cup-European Cup treble in the same season.
City, after all, is two wins from emulating that feat, having already clinched the Premier League title and booked its place in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.
That United can ruin City바카라s treble bid adds more spice to the first cup final between the rivals, which is taking place about 170 miles (270 kilometers) south of Manchester.
City starts as the undoubted favorite on the back of its stunning form since February that reeled in long-time leader Arsenal in the Premier League race and saw Bayern Munich and Real Madrid swept aside in the Champions League knockout stage.
Before a much-weakened team 바카라 featuring a bunch of youth players 바카라 lost at Brentford 1-0 in a league match with little riding on it last Sunday, City went on a 25-match unbeaten run in all competitions and won 20 of them. Along the way, Madrid was beaten 4-0, Bayern 3-0 and Arsenal 4-1. Back in October, City thrashed United 6-3.
All those games were at home, though, and City hasn바카라t been quite so machine-like on the road. And that바카라s not the only source of hope for United, which is seeking its 13th FA Cup title 바카라 with only Arsenal (14) having more.
City manager Pep Guardiola talks often of his players having 바카라rhythm바카라 but that might have been lost after he chose to rotate his lineups for the final two league games, with the title wrapped up. Before the loss at Brentford, City was possibly fortunate to come away from Brighton with a 1-1 draw.
Erling Haaland has 52 goals in all competitions in a stunning first season at City but it바카라s just one goal in his last six games for the Norway striker.
Meanwhile, United won its final four matches in the league, conceding just two goals in that period. And in the last meeting between the teams, United won at Old Trafford 2-1 in January 바카라 albeit after a debatable equalizing goal from Marcus Rashford.
City is a different proposition four-and-a-half months on, though, and has more experience of these big, defining games than United in recent years. Guardiola certainly does 바카라 he is looking to claim the 34th trophy of his managerial career, and the 13th in his seven years at City.
That, of course, would set up City for a shot at standing shoulder to shoulder with United바카라s class of 바카라99.
바카라I will start to think about the treble,바카라 Guardiola said, 바카라when I go to Istanbul with two titles in my pocket.바카라
INJURIES
United striker Anthony Martial will miss the final after sustaining a hamstring injury in the team바카라s final league game of the season, the 2-1 win over Fulham on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford is expected to start up front, with Jadon Sancho set to be on the left wing and possibly Bruno Fernandes on the right to allow United to field a sturdier central-midfield three, likely comprising of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and either Fred or Scott McTominay.
Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish missed City바카라s final two league games because of minor injury issues, though Guardiola said he hoped the midfielders would be fit for the final.
City has no other injuries, with Nathan Ake playing 63 minutes against Brentford on his return from a hamstring problem.
PLANNING AHEAD
The engraver got a head start.
The word 바카라Manchester바카라 has already been engraved on the trophy to highlight the unique nature of this final, the 142nd in the world바카라s oldest knockout competition.
TRAVEL TROUBLE
There바카라s set to be travel chaos around the final because of rail strikes that mean there will be no train services running between Manchester and London on Saturday.
The Football Association is providing 120 buses 바카라 60 per team 바카라 to help transport fans of City and United to and from the match.
