Although the FA Cup final is no longer an end-of-season showpiece, which somewhat devalues the competition, it's still a great day in the English football calendar.
Saturday afternoon will see Pep Guardiola's Manchester City side step out at Wembley for their third successive final - the competition's 144th - mirroring Chelsea from the 2019/20 to 2021/22 finals and Arsenal from both the 2000/01 to 2002/03 seasons and 1977/78 to 1979/80.
Not forgetting Manchester United's own three-peat in the 1993/94 to 1995/96 seasons and Everton's run in three finals from 1983/84 to 1985/86.
Palace looking for FA Cup final win at third attempt
City are competing in their 14th FA Cup final overall, having won the trophy seven times previously, putting them behind only Arsenal (14), Manchester United (13), Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham (eight wins each) in the all-time list.
Opponents Crystal Palace, by contrast, are playing just their third final, having lost the previous two to Man United (1990 and 2016).
Along with Queen’s Park Rangers (1884 and 1885), Birmingham City (1931 and 1956) and Watford (1984 and 2019), Palace are in a select group of clubs to play in two finals and lose both.
Though it's been City's worst season for a while, both in terms of level of performance and points accrued, history is weighted heavily in their favour for this game.
Man City's current form across competitionsFlashscore
For a start, they are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Crystal Palace in all competitions (W4 D3), since a 2-0 loss in the Premier League in October 2021, and they've also won their last three FA Cup meetings against the Eagles by an aggregate score of 18-4.
The most recent meeting came in the fourth round in 2016/17, with the visitors to Selhurst Park winning 3-0.
Guardiola won't want to see a repeat of the 2024 final
Having lost last season's final, they'll be keen to avoid a repeat. If they do lift the trophy, Guardiola will have won the FA Cup three times (2019, 2023, 2025) and the League Cup on four occasions (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), making him the second manager after Alex Ferguson (five FA Cups, four League Cups) to win both major English domestic competitions three or more times.
Although City have lost just six of their last 44 FA Cup games (38 wins, no draws), five of those defeats have come at Wembley.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledges the fans after the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham ForestCraig Mercer / Alamy / Profimedia
Palace have conceded just one goal en route to the famous old stadium and scored three in their fifth-round, quarter-final and semi-final ties this season.
Glasner the first Austrian to manage in the FA Cup final
Oliver Glasner becomes the first Austrian to manage a team in an FA Cup final, though he could become the third debutant (in terms of nationality) after Germany’s Thomas Tuchel (against Leicester in 2021) and Israel’s Avram Grant (against Chelsea in 2010) to lose the game.
We could be in for a classic too, as both teams have scored two or more goals in each of the last four meetings, including two 2-2 draws, as well as 4-2 and 5-2 victories for City.
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City recent resultsFlashscore
If the game is to be settled by a piece of individual skill, Palace might look towards star man Eberechi Eze to provide the goods, whilst Kevin de Bruyne will surely keep City ticking over during the 90+ minutes.
Eze has been involved in four goals in his last four games in the FA Cup (three goals, one assist), including putting Palace 1-0 up in their semi-final win against Aston Villa.
He's clearly come into form at the right time, as he hadn’t registered a single goal or assist in any of his first 14 appearances in the competition.
Radar graphic comparing Eberechi Eze and Kevin De BruyneOpta by StatsPerform
De Bruyne set to be vital for City once again
This final is likely to be De Bruyne’s swansong and also his fourth FA Cup final appearance with City. In his previous three finals, he's scored one and assisted three more, so the Eagles certainly have to be on their guard.
If the Belgian is allowed to get into his metronomic rhythm, he will dictate the ebb and flow of the game, and that'll spell danger for the South Londoners.
That exciting pair aren't the only two players to keep an eye on, of course.
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne during the Premier League match against Crystal PalaceČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Conor Molloy
City's Nico O'Reilly has emerged as a player of real substance in 2024/25, and he's had a hand in five goals in this season’s FA Cup (three goals, two assists). Only Josh Magennis, with six, has had a hand in more goals in the competition proper this season.
If it's Palace that need a goal later in the game, don't bet against Eddie Nketiah's introduction either.
The former Arsenal man has been involved in a goal in each of his last three FA Cup appearances (two goals, one assist), all as a substitute. He’s also won the FA Cup once before, playing eight minutes from the bench in the Gunners' 2-1 win over Chelsea in 2020.
All the pressure is on Manchester City
Given where Palace were at the start of the season - with only one win from their first 13 Premier League games - it's a triumph that Glasner turned their season around and got them this far.
Their relative inexperience in the final could be a hindrance, though with all the pressure on City to deliver something at the end of a poor season, it might just be third time lucky for the Eagles.
Jason PettigroveFlashscore