Just three more games remain before the latest edition of the FA Cup culminates. We can have a repeat champion unless Chelsea can stop Manchester City from reaching the final on Saturday. The second semi-final will greet us on Sunday, with Coventry City looking to produce a giant-killing effort to beat Manchester United.
Coventry City reached the FA Cup semi-finals by beating Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Maidstone United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the previous rounds. The win over the Black Country outfit, in particular, was special as they came from a goal down to qualify for the penultimate knockout stage with two injury-time strikes.
As for Manchester United, they eased into the FA Cup with a straightforward 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic. A 4-2 victory against Newport Country saw them unnecessarily complicated matters before normal services resumed in the fifth round. However, it was the 4-3 win over Liverpool, where they twice came from behind to clinch a victory in extra time, that brought them to the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Coventry City and Manchester United have blown hot and cold since sealing their spots in the FA Cup semi-finals. While the Sky Blues have won two of their five subsequent fixtures, Erik ten Hag’s men have failed to emerge victorious in all four matches (D3 L1), with nearly every game seeing them drop points from winnable positions.
The most recent match-up between Coventry City and Manchester United ended in a shock 2-0 win for the Sky Blues in the EFL Cup in 2007, with Michael Mifsud scoring a match-winning brace. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Coventry City
Mark Robins has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Against Manchester United, the Coventry City manager will be bereft of the services of three first-team players.
Kasey Palmer is the latest absentee, with the 27-year-old serving a suspension after picking up an unnecessary booking in the quarter-final. Meanwhile, Jamie Allen (broken cheekbone) and Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (back) are in the treatment room.
Coventry City will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Manchester United, with Brad Collins starting in the goal. The backline should feature Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, and Jay Dasilva.
As for the midfield unit, Ben Sheaf and Josh Eccles should pair up in the double pivot, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Callum O’Hare is the go-to man for Robins in the final third and will look to pull the strings. Ellis Simms will lead the line for Coventry City, with Milan van Ewijk and Haji Wright completing the numbers in the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Collins; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Kitching, Dasilva; Sheaf, Eccles; Van Ewijk, O’Hare, Wright; Simms
Manchester United
Unlike his counterpart in the Coventry City dugout, Erik ten Hag does not have any new concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to Wembley. The Manchester United manager will be without seven first-team players on Sunday.
The Dutchman had been sweating over the fitness of Harry Maguire (thigh), Scott McTominay (knee), and Antony (knock). However, the trio will be fit and available to take on Coventry City on Sunday.
Luke Shaw (hamstring), Lisandro Martinez (calf), Victor Lindelof (thigh), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Raphael Varane (muscular), Jonny Evans (muscular), and Anthony Martial (groin) remain on the sidelines, with Evans the closest to returning to action.
Andre Onana will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Coventry City. The backline should feature Diogo Dalot, Willy Kambwala, Maguire, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who will start in an unusual left-back spot.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot. Bruno Fernandes will reprise his usual no. 10 role, with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford starting as the wide attackers. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line for Manchester United.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Onana; Dalot, Kambwala, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka; Casemiro, Mainoo; Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Key Stats
- Manchester United have won 13 of their last 15 meetings with Coventry in all competitions (L2). Sunday’s clash is the first game between the two sides since September 2007, with the Sky Blues winning 2-0 at Old Trafford in the League Cup.
- Manchester United can reach the FA Cup final in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2004/2005. In addition, they are looking to reach successive finals at Wembley for the first time since a run of three between 1994 and 1996. A victory on Sunday will also help Manchester United reach a record 22nd FA Cup final.
- Manchester United have won/progressed from 50 of their last 52 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, the exceptions coming against Leeds United (January 2010) and Middlesbrough (February 2022).
- Coventry City have scored 19 goals in this season’s FA Cup, more than any other side (first round onwards). The last club from outside the top flight to score more in a single campaign was Wrexham in 1977/78 (22). However, they have not knocked out more than one Premier League team in a single FA Cup campaign since 1997/98 (3), when they themselves were a top-flight club.
- Marcus Rashford has scored at Wembley for Manchester United in the EFL Cup final (against Newcastle United) and the Premier League (against Tottenham). However, he has never scored at the stadium in the FA Cup in seven previous appearances.
Player to Watch
Rasmus Hojlund
Hojlund looked unstoppable before an untimely muscle injury rendered him sidelined for several weeks. That spell in the treatment room has killed all the momentum he was building, and he has not looked the same menacing striker since returning to action against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final.
However, a game against a vulnerable Coventry City backline might be the perfect catalyst for Hojlund to regain his lost form. While Manchester United might only have an outside chance of clinching a top-four finish in the Premier League, a strong showing from the Dane can help them win the FA Cup. So, Erik ten Hag will hope to see the youngster getting back to his best.
Prediction
Coventry City 1-2 Manchester United
Neither side has looked convincing since reaching the FA Cup semi-finals last month. A vulnerable backline has been the undoing for Coventry City and Manchester United, which bodes well for neutrals planning to tune in to watch the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday.
With nothing to lose, Coventry City will take the game to Manchester United and take a shock lead in the first half. However, an inspiring performance by the in-form Bruno Fernandes will be the catalyst for a comeback, with the captain scoring a brace. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 victory for Erik ten Hag and his charges.
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