Palace will come at City like an express train right from the start so let's not have any of the several dozy moments the back four have had between them over the season. City's lovely football might not be on show these days but at least let's play lively football. Get some intensity in there. Marmoush up front. And please, Pep, start Jack Grealish in the middle.
Cup Final eve brings many memories of this great day. There's the story of Frank Swift who was a spectator at the 1933 Final having ridden his motor-bike down from Fleetwood where he worked on the fishing trawlers, then playing in goal himself the next year and fainting with excitement at the final whistle. I can still see Bobby Johnstone's diving header against Newcastle in '55 and Bert the next year - Bill Leivers from that team is still alive but increasingly frail, I believe. How about Summerbee going down the wing and pulling it back for Neil Young to score in '69, let's have Doku doing the same for Marmoush while Mike watches from the stands and laughs and remembers. Above all, City, play like you WANT to win the Cup! If there's one story from past Finals for the present City team to be inspired by I'd take Roy Paul before the Birmingham game threatening the players with violence if they lost two finals in a row. Who's going to supply that fury tomorrow? Come on, City, send Palace the way of B'ham, Leicester, Stoke, Watford and Trafford, the F.A. Cup wins in my lifetime. City 3-0.