Can Watford Upset Heavy Favorites Man City In The FA Cup Final?

Remember Wigan!

It’s a chant Watford players and supporters alike should be chanting as they head into Saturday’s FA Cup Final at Wembley. Just six short years ago, it was Wigan who faced even longer odds against this same Manchester City team in the 2013 FA Cup Final. Wigan were not only at the bottom of the table (they’d be relegated a week later with a loss in the final weekend) but they also hadn’t won a cup in the team’s 81 year history. But thanks to a late Ben Watson header, they pulled off one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup Final history, while subsequently helping Man City show Roberto Mancini the door.

Could it happen again? Let’s break it down?

What does Manchester City Have Going For Them?

In a word, um, everything.

• They won the Carabao Cup back in February, and sealed the top of the table last week, so they’ll be going into Saturday’s match looking to be the first English side to complete the domestic treble.
• They’ve been the best team in England for over two years, with a 64-6-6 record in the Premier League since the beginning of the 2017-18 season. 
• Sergio Aguero. 21 goals and 8 assists on the season, plus a history of fine form against Watford, having scored 7 times in four games against the Hornets, including a hat trick last year at Vicarage Road.
• Raheem Sterling. Pretty sure you’ve heard of him. Young Player of the year award followed by FWA’s Footballer of the Year.
• Pep Guardiola. For many managers, leading a group of stars can be overwhelming. (we’re looking at you, every manager for Chelsea and Man U the past 3-4 years.) For Pep, however, it has been a not-so-simple matter of instilling a belief in the team concept, focusing on wins over stats. Some less stable teams might overlook at Watford. There’s little to no chance that happens under Pep’s watch.

Who Needs To Step Up For Watford?

In a word, um, everyone.

• Maybe they were looking ahead to the Final, and with a win, a place in the Europa Cup, but their performance last weekend at home versus West Ham was less than inspirational. A 4-1 loss kept them out of the Top Ten in the league, but on the bright side, defender Jose Holebas had his red card from the match rescinded so Watford will have a full squad available.
• Heurelho Gomes. Playing in his last game after receiving “a call up from God” to become a pastor, the veteran Brazilian goalkeeper will need all the divine intervention he can get against the onslaught that is the Man City offense.
• Troy Deeney. The center-forward will need to match the aggressive play of fellow CF Vincent Kompany if the Hornets are to have a chance. They’re both great at attack ans well as defense, so whoever can take advantage of any miscue from the other might have a breakthrough.
• Gerard Deulofeu. He doesn’t like coming off the bench, but, man, when he does, magic happens with 7 goals in the last 11 PL games. Just ask Wolves, who he almost single-handedly took down in the semis, with two goals after subbing in late in the match.

How To Bet The Match

We’re not going to sugarcoat it.

Man City are the clear favorite in terms of winning the trophy at -835 to Watford’s +630.Like we said, the FA Cup has a history of upsets, but Pep has his team focused on winning something rare, and the oddsmakers believe in him.

Other than taking a huge chance on Watford, there are some other things you can look at to win big on Saturday.

• Correct Score: Lowest odds are a 2-0 Man City win at +540. But even if Manchester City win, if Watford can get on the board, there are some good bets available, including 2-1 at +800, and 3-2 at +2500.
• Who To Score: Oddsmakers think Man City will keep a clean sheet, so betting on specific Watford players to score (and when) can win big. Look at Deulofeu and Deeney, both a +500, and maybe even someone out of the blue, like Abdoulaye Doucouré at +950.

In no time, we’re going to be without English soccer for a while (well, expect for the Champions League Final of course) so sit back, enjoy and good luck!