Rio Ferdinand explains tactic Man United should deploy to beat Man City in FA Cup final

Rio Ferdinand believes he has the answer to how Manchester United can beat rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday.

United are looking to finish a first season under Erik ten Hag with a second trophy after lifting the Carabao Cup following a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in February.

But there is also added motivation as United can stop City from matching their historic treble achievement from 1999.

Pep Guardiola's men pipped Arsenal to the Premier League after a stunning run of form at the business end of the season, while they are also play the Champions League final against Inter Milan a week on from meeting United at Wembley.

City had gone 25 games unbeaten until the defeat to Brentford on the final game of the season and have looked unstoppable in recent times.

Ferdinand thinks United have it in them to beat their rivals for a second time but believes United need to get it right by getting Bruno Fernandes to disrupt Rodri, who has been unplayable in anchoring City's midfield this term.

The six-time Premier League winner believes it's in United's interest to get their vice-captain running off him in order to pull City apart.

Image: Alamy

"I think I would play Bruno on Rodri," Ferdinand said on his Five podcast.

"Everything great about this City team, a lot of it comes through him. I want someone on him who can just buzz around him but when we get the ball run off him.

"He (Rodri) is so integral to what they do so stop him getting on the ball, allow John Stones to come out and create holes for the front three to run into.

"I would want to keep Rodri quiet and I would entice one of the back four to keep coming out with the ball, which has been Stones recently, and I would let him come as far as he wants when you have people like [Marcus] Rashford and [Jadon] Sancho to run into those big gaps."

Ferdinand's former teammate Wayne Rooney hit headlines last week for urging Ten Hag and United to take a "gamble" with his set-up at the national stadium.

Image: Alamy

As opposed to sitting back, he called for United to play 4-4-2 with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial up top and leaving them up there for counter attacks in a tactic Jose Mourinho used during his first spell at Chelsea.

"United could do similar using Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial: defend with eight players and have those two waiting in counterattack positions", Rooney wrote in his column for The Times.

"That would ask City different questions: should John Stones still come into the midfield or would it leave that side of the pitch open for Rashford to run into? Should Kyle Walker go high or would this open up space?"

The final will see tradition broken for the first time in 151 years as the iconic trophy has already been partially engraved with the word 'Manchester' in.

'City' or 'United' will be added, depending on who emerges victorious in the showpiece.