Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United will have to "cheat a bit" with their tactics if they are to claim the FA Cup next weekend.
The Red Devils head to Wembley as firm underdogs with Manchester City heavy favourites to claim the trophy. It would be the second part of a treble with the Premier League already wrapped up, but that will only fuel United, who remain the only English team to achieve the feat.
Ten Hag's side have already beaten City this term, although they were hammered in the contest at the Etihad, conceding six. United will know that their neighbours will enjoy the majority of possession at Wembley, which leaves them chances on the counter and Rooney wants to see their forwards maintain high positions to give their opposition fresh conundrums.
He told The Times : "For City’s players, staff and supporters, the FA Cup final will feel no less significant than it does for United and I’m expecting an exciting, tight game. I have a feeling it’s going to go to extra-time and penalties and, for some reason, I feel United will win. I certainly hope they do. How could they do it? Well, I think Erik ten Hag has to gamble a bit.
"My strategy would be to go the other way and ask City to do something different. I’d try something similar to a tactic José Mourinho sometimes deployed in his first spell at Chelsea, where he would get the likes of Joe Cole, Arjen Robben and Damien Duff to take up 'half' positions.
"They didn’t come all the way back and defend when Chelsea were out of possession but instead cheat a bit and wait higher up the pitch in areas from which they could counterattack as soon as Chelsea won the ball back.
"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?"
Guardiola has only claimed the FA Cup once in his City tenure - back in 2019 when his side hammered Watford. Ten Hag and his team have already tasted Wembley success this term, winning the Carabao Cup with victory over Newcastle to end their trophy drought.
Gary Neville has told Sky Sports on the potential of an upset: "I’m just happy Manchester United have got an opportunity to try and stop them. That, for me, was what I wanted out of the semi-final when it went to penalties against Brighton. I think Manchester United - the one thing I’ll say about Wembley and City can defy logic when it comes to playing well - I think Wembley’s a hard stadium to play well on."
