Jason Puncheon fires FA Cup Final warning at Manchester United: 'Underdogs tag suits Crystal Palace'

(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Giuseppe Muro25 April 2016

Jason Puncheon says the role of underdogs will suit Crystal Palace when they play Manchester United in the FA Cup Final.

The clubs meet at Wembley on May 21 in a re-run of the 1990 showpiece and manager Alan Pardew — a Palace player 26 years ago — wants the Eagles to avenge that defeat.

United are favourites but Puncheon is hopeful his side, who defeated Watford 2-1 in yesterday’s semi-final, will win the club’s first piece of major silverware.

“Being the underdogs suits us,” said the midfielder today. “It always has suited Crystal Palace. From the moment we got into the Premier League we were underdogs and look what we have done since then.

“Manchester United are Manchester United but this team can beat anyone on their day. You go to the final to try and win it. We have the capability of doing that. I think with this group we can really achieve something. We can go one better than that team of 1990. But that is down to us now.”

Chairman Steve Parish is also confident of defeating the “old enemy”.

“It is fantastic to be there but we are not there to make up the numbers,” he said. “We are there to beat them. It is a one-off game, a big occasion, fantastic sets of fans on both sides, and we have players who can hurt people. It is fantastic for the fans and it is another chance to take on the old enemy. “We are obviously excited and pleased, but we want to go one better than 1990 and we are looking forward to the opportunity to do it.”

Palace have three Premier League games — against Newcastle (a), Stoke (h) and Southampton (a) — before the final and Scott Dann believes it is important they finish the season strongly.

“We need to go into the final with some momentum,” he said. “Hopefully, we can take the experience of yesterday into the game next month.”

The build-up to the semi-final was overshadowed by speculation surrounding the future of Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores.

But midfielder Ben Watson said: “Everyone in that changing room hopes the manager stays. I thought he would be up for manager of the year. He has been incredible for us and brought in different ideas. There is not much we can do about the speculation. That is football”

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