Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Steven from Belfast has not been able to book a hotel room so will be up all night whatever the result today before catching an early morning flight home tomorrow.

"I'll either be celebrating or drowning my sorrows," he tells me.

Steven is wearing a 1963 shirt - the year Manchester United defeated Leicester City in the final.

He was up at 3am to catch a 6am flight to Gatwick before getting a taxi to Wembley. He's keeping his fingers crossed United can make it a memorable weekend and do the business against their rivals.

Image source, BBC Sport

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

If City turn up with their a-game it will be very difficult for United, they are as good as we have seen in terms of passing and moving.

Haaland has everything - the ability to run in behind, strength and presence in the box. When you have so many exceptional players around you, it is a forward's dream to have De Bruyne whipping balls into the box. If you get your movement right, which most of the time Haaland does, then you're guaranteed goals.

But let's not forget United are going for an unbelievable season also - not only can they stop City winning the treble, they also have the chance of doing the domestic cup double. For them to win two trophies and get in the Champions League, that's an unbelievable season.

Image source, Getty Images

This was the scene earlier on the Wembley pitch, as the ground staff make their final preparations.

This is the first of three pre-match mows today. One vertical (with the yellow string keeping them straight) then two horizontal afterwards to create those lovely pitch patters.

Our man on the ground also informs us that the electric mowers are incredibly quiet, which must be a relief for the ground staff and their hearing.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Brotherly love is out of the window for the day for siblings Spencer and Henry. Manchester City fan Spencer, 13, and Manchester United fan Henry, 15, have travelled from Arizona, USA, with their dad, Steve, to be at the first all-Manchester FA Cup final.

The problem for Henry, however, is that their three seats are in the City end of Wembley.

"I'm going to have to go back to the hotel and change my shirt before kick-off," he tells me.

And how will he react if United score? "I'll be celebrating under my seat," he laughs.

Image source, BBC Sport

Jaap Stam
Former Manchester United defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is a big challenge because everyone knows from the last few months Manchester United has been doing well and City have been doing well. City has become one of the best teams in the world with a lot of investment from their owners.

There's always been the rivalry between the two teams, this United team need to make history within themselves. It's a very big game, everyone is looking forward to this one.

It's going to be a tough one, we all know the qualities of City and Utd have at the moment and are confident in what they can bring and I feel like Manchester United is going to do well in this game, they're going to make very difficult for City.

Steve: I’m a neutral and that usually means I root for the underdog, but I love watching City play, and they deserve it. Come on you blues!

Image source, Getty Images

It wasn't immediately apparent but football in England fundamentally changed on 23 September 2008, as did the course of the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs.

This was the date on which the Abu Dhabi United Group, backed by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took control of City.

"I think at that time we just all thought ‘oh, well there’s some money coming in and it might not be here to stay’ - because our history didn’t suggest it would be any different," admits Nigel Rothband, host of The Man City podcast.

It was a sentiment shared on the other side of the divide, as Motty, Stretford Paddock Youtube fan channel, explains: "I was down in London studying at the time and a mate of mine asked me: ‘Are you worried about City?’ And I remember saying: ‘It’ll go the same way it always does with City.’ I didn’t see it working out."

In their first full summer transfer window in charge, City's new owners sanctioned a spending spree that saw the club acquire talents from other Premier League rivals - Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure from Arsenal, Gareth Barry from Aston Villa, Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn and Joleon Lescott from Everton.

It was the capture of Carlos Tevez that really got people talking, including the United manager.

Click here to read Phil Dawkes' feature.

Image source, Getty Images

Since the appointment of Guardiola as manager, City have become the dominant force in English football.

In seven seasons at the club, the Spaniard has delivered the Premier League title in five of them, the League Cup in four and one FA Cup.

They have had challengers in that time, most notably Liverpool, but it has often taken previously unseen points tallies for sides to cling to City's coattails.

As City blossomed, United wilted.

In general, the reds have remained competitive in the top-flight during Guardiola's time in England, never finishing outside the top six and twice finishing second to their local rivals, albeit never really threatening them.

Such was United's perceived inability to properly challenge, the second-place finish in 2017-18 - a massive 19 points behind City - was labelled by then manager Jose Mourinho as "one of my greatest achievements".

There have been some United victories in recent seasons, such as a 2-1 away win and 2-0 home victory in 2019-20 to give them a first double over City in a decade. They also beat them 2-1 at home this season, coming from behind late on to secure victory.

Click here to read Phil Dawkes' feature.

DSSBrooks: City are overwhelming favourites to win today and also to go on and complete the treble. They’ve assembled the best squad in Premier League history and they will seal an emphatic treble. Has it been as exciting as United’s 98/99 season? Absolutely not.

Image source, Getty Images

For close to three decades either side of the millennium, United painted Manchester red.

In 31 of the 32 seasons from 1980 to 2012, they finished above City in the league ladder, suffering just two derby defeats in that time - 1-0 in 1981 and 5-1 in 1989, both coming at Maine Road. The latter of those two games is one our two fans remember well, but understandably for different reasons.

"It was a freak result, really," says Nigel Rothband, who hosts The Man City Show podcast. "Our FA Youth Cup-winning side of '86 had come through with Steve Redmond, Paul Lake and Ian Brightwell and so on and it was just one of those moments where you can think ‘that was good’ – a joyous moment in time.

"It was a moment to have some bragging rights in the city and with your friends who are Stretford fans."

Jay Motty from the Stretford Paddock YouTube fan channel adds: "My first derby memory is of that 5-1 hiding at Maine Road. Most of my mates at school were United fans, but there were a few who supported City. They gave us a bit of stick and it was horrible.

"The only goal I can remember from that day was Mark Hughes' volley, as you can imagine. But the derby was very kind to us after that for a long time."

It certainly was. United would remain unbeaten against City for the next 13 years.

Click here to read Phil Dawkes' feature.

Image source, Getty Images

In the beginning, there was no City or United.

The latter began its life as humble Newton Heath LYR in 1878, formed by the Carriage and Wagon department of the area's Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot. Funded by the LYR, their early games were against other rail companies and saw them wear the green and yellow colours that modern United fans now use as a protest symbol against the current Glazer ownership.

Two years later the club that would become City was formed in equally low-key fashion as St Mark's, by the church of the same name in West Gorton. Its aim was to provide recreational activity for young men in a time of high unemployment and social ills such as alcoholism and 'scuttling' - semi-organised fights involving street gangs.

Just two of a multitude of sides in the Manchester area at that time, there was no special significance or spite to encounters between them in those early days - the first of which came on 12 November 1881 and saw Newton Heath claim a 3-0 victory.

Click here to read Phil Dawkes' feature.

Image source, Getty Images

As the history of the Manchester rivalry has shown, things change.

City are on top right now, but their dominance over their near neighbours is unlikely to last.

Football being football, all it could take is one or two good signings, a purple patch of form, a sending off in a key derby or an injury-time winner to seal a dramatic 3-2 comeback win to take a title on goal difference to swing the balance from blue to red. And then possibly back again.

The two clubs have a date this weekend, when Wembley will be half red and half blue.

Click here to read Phil Dawkes' feature.

I’d love to hear your personal stories today. Are you at Wembley? Having a big garden party with the game on? In the pub?

Get in touch to let us know and I’ll share as many as I can!

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

Around six hours to kick-off and it feels calm around Wembley, but not for much longer. Wembley Way is full of shift workers making their way into the stadium while there are a few joggers getting their early morning exercise. There's also a police presence developing as the sun starts to appear from behind the clouds. Wembley is ready, and one of the most cherished days in English football's calendar is here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

Gary Maudsley (centre) has spent part of the night sleeping on a pavement after leaving Burnley at 18:45 BST on Friday to be at Wembley. "It'll have been worth it if United win," he tells me.

Gary is here with his sons Rhys and Ellis. They had an early morning stroll around Wembley before heading off to find food.

"Apparently most of the bars and restaurants around here are for City fans so we're off somewhere else," says Gary.

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport at Wembley

Image source, BBC Sport

One of the first fans on Wembley Way showing their colours was George Kallis who set off from Margate at 3.30 this morning to be near his beloved Manchester United team.

George, 68, does not have a ticket for the final and intends to drive to his sister's house in Enfield to watch the final on television at 3pm.

Before then he is soaking up the atmosphere on Wembley Way and mixing with fellow United fans.

"I've been a United supporter since they threw a red bib on me at infants school," George tells me.

"I couldn't sleep last night because I'm so excited for the final. I've got goosebumps just thinking about it."

Meanwhile, it's a cloudy start to the day at Wembley but I've come armed with sun cream - I'm told it's going to heat up.

Image source, BBC Sport