FA Cup Final

An FA Cup final between Chelsea and Man Utd would, undear usual circumstances, be a thing of beauty. All things being well, that's precisely how it will pan out, but there are a number of reasons to doubt that likelihood.

Ridiculous as it sounds, a clash with a Royal Wedding will certainly affect those who traditionally sit down for the Cup Final with friends and family, but even for those going to the game, or with their priorties clearly in order, things might not be as good as they might.

With both sides out of Europe, and looking on enviously at the Manchester City juggernaught that claimed both EFL Cup and the Premier League (with a mammoth 100pts) this really represents a last chance to avoid finishing the season firmly in the "failure" camp for both Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho this weekend. That risk arguably threatened further for United by the opportunity for Liverpool to win the Champions League in just over a week's time.

With all that in mind, this could we be a game that neither manager feels they can afford to lose, rather than representing a splendid opportunity to finish the season on a high. Basically, a high-stakes game of cat and mouse may well ensue.

Let's consider first how these two sides tend to lock horns. In the Conte-Mourninho era the pair have met five times, with Chelsea winning three, and United two. Three of the five have ended Under 2.5 Goals (1-0, 1-0, 2-0) while there was also a 1-1 draw when the paid came together when managing Atalanta and Inter in 2009. Those six games have produced an average of 2.16 goals per game. That's not exactly out of the ordinary when top sides meet - in fact 10 of the last 13 between these two sides have ended up Under 2.5 Goals, with two goalless draws, and a further four 1-0 results.

With more to lose than gain, the next logical question to ask might be "who has the MOST to lose?". Well factor in conventional wisdom than Conte is out of love and out of favour with Chelsea, and the answer is almost certainly Mourinho. He needs to get something from this to give him a springboard to next season, as finishing empty handed would surely increase the pressure into 2018/19.

Then we have their cup success. Excluding Community Shield/Supercoppa type curtain raisers, Mourinho has won 12 trophies, from 16 attempts (we've included UEFA Super Cups, although his record in those is poor). Antonio Conte is altogether less experienced and less proven - he's been involved in just two cup finals, losing them both (to Napoli when in charge of Juventus, and to Arsenal in last season's FA Cup Final).

All in all this one feels reasonably predictable, and the bookmakers struggling to split the sides is a bonus.

We'll back the half-time 0-0 draw at 8/5 with BetWay - something which has occured in five of the last 13 Cup Finals, and also have a good wager on the more motivated (and arguably more capable) Man United to lift the trophy.

1pt 0-0 at Half Time at 8/5 (BetWay)

4pts Man United to lift the Trophy at 19/20 (WillHill)

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