Soccer fans have a packed schedule this Saturday with major matches from leagues across the globe. The day kicks off with one of the season`s biggest games, the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium at 11:30 a.m. ET, featuring Crystal Palace against Manchester City. This will be Manchester City`s 14th appearance in the FA Cup final. Crystal Palace, known as the Eagles, are making their third final appearance, having lost to Manchester United in both the 1990 and 2016 finals.
The FA Cup final promises star power, notably with forward Erling Haaland back for Manchester City. The Norwegian star recently returned after an ankle injury sustained in the FA Cup quarterfinals kept him sidelined for nearly two months. Haaland has scored 21 goals in the Premier League this season, and the odds for him to score anytime during Saturday’s match are -105. Manchester City are strong favorites to lift the cup at -230 odds, while Crystal Palace are listed as +180 underdogs.
The excitement continues beyond the FA Cup final. MLS action includes the Columbus Crew hosting FC Cincinnati at 7:15 p.m. ET, followed by the NWSL match between the Washington Spirit and Utah Royals FC at 7:30 p.m. ET. With a variety of soccer games available, SportsLine`s expert Brandt Sutton has analyzed the odds to offer valuable insights and predictions for Saturday, May 17.
Sutton, a former collegiate soccer player, has been a leading soccer editor and expert for SportsLine for over six years. He proved profitable for subscribers across multiple leagues in 2023, including the Champions League, English Premier League, Europa League, and FA Cup. He was also recognized as SportsLine’s top soccer expert in 2022.
Here are Brandt Sutton`s top soccer picks and predictions for Saturday, May 17:
FA Cup Prediction
Manchester City Win (90-minute money line)
Sutton highlights Manchester City`s dominant 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace on April 12, where City scored five unanswered goals after falling behind 2-0 early. City remains unbeaten in their last seven encounters with Palace, winning four of those matches and scoring a total of 18 goals in their last six meetings. Based on this strong performance record, Sutton is backing Pep Guardiola`s side to secure the victory within 90 minutes.
MLS Prediction
Columbus Crew vs. FC Cincinnati – Over 2.5 goals
Sutton notes that the “Hell is Real” derby between these rivals often produces high-scoring games. Five of the past six meetings between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati have finished with over 2.5 goals scored, leading him to anticipate at least three goals in this upcoming fixture as well.
NWSL Prediction
Washington Spirit Win (90-minute money line)
Sutton points out that Utah Royals FC has been struggling recently, losing three consecutive games. Furthermore, the Royals have failed to score in five of their last six matches. Given Utah`s poor recent form, Sutton predicts the Washington Spirit will earn all three points playing at home.
