Hull City boss Steve Bruce is no stranger to FA Cup finals, having played at Wembley for Manchester United, writes Peter Swan. However, it's the first time he's experienced the occasion as a manager and all eyes will be on his team selection. Here's my XI to take on Arsenal.
ALLAN MCGREGOR
WHEN Steve Bruce signed McGregor in the summer, it was to be his first-choice goalkeeper.
In a game of this importance, Bruce has to go with the strongest side.
That's a shame for Steve Harper, who has done a brilliant job in the earlier rounds and when he has been covering for McGregor after he was hospitalised following a challenge in the defeat at West Ham a couple of months ago.
McGregor needed to play in the Everton game last weekend and he showed in that 90 minutes he's over that kidney injury.
PAUL MCSHANE
THIS may be a gamble, but I'd play McShane at right back.
He brings plenty of energy to the team and he got a valuable hour of playing time under his belt after an ankle injury threatened to keep him out of the cup final.
The timing has been perfect for McShane who just loves to defend.
He's an out-and-out defender and the chances are City will be asked to do a lot of defending by an Arsenal side who like to move the ball around with pace. McShane also has a bit of pace about him and can be a threat from set pieces.
ALEX BRUCE
EVEN if James Chester had been fit, I'd still have expected Bruce to play just in front of the centre halves.
You can imagine the conversation around the Bruce family table with Alex asking his mum to tell his dad to pick him for the FA Cup final.
Joking aside, Bruce has been a revelation this season and you could count on one hand the mistakes he has made.
He will always have fans say he's only playing because his dad is manager but, make no mistake about it, Bruce deserves his place in the team on merit.
CURTIS DAVIES
DAVIES has to be one of the best signings in the Premier League this season.
He only cost the Tigers £2.25m and his form has seen him rightfully pick up all the major club awards.
His form has led to some calling for him to be included in Roy Hodgson's World Cup squad. While that was always going to be a long shot, the fact he was talked about shows how well he has played.
We know from the semi-final, if things aren't going to plan, then Davies may need to be called upon to deliver another Churchillian half-time speech to get his team performing.
LIAM ROSENIOR
ROSENIOR has proved a lot of people wrong this season, me included, with his performances at full-back.
So much so that I'm sure Steve Bruce has him down on the team-sheet as one of the first.
The only decision is whether to play him on the left-hand side or the right. Maynor Figueroa has had two or three chances to prove he can be trusted, but Rosenior's selection is less of a gamble.
Rosenior also likes to go forward on the overlap and his delivery from the wings has improved a lot this season.
AHMED ELMOHAMADY
IF Steve Bruce goes with Paul McShane at right-back, then I think Elmohamady will have a great game.
The pair complement each other perfectly with great balance and energy.
City might not see much of the ball and when they do, a lot will be expected of Elmohamady.
I'd like to see him get to the byline and whip crosses in that will trouble the Gunners' defence.
Elmohamady has been getting seven or eight in the weekly ratings and being the first Egyptian to play in the final should inspire him to new levels.
DAVID MEYLER
MEYLER has played a big part in City getting to the FA Cup final and has chipped in with a couple of goals as well.
The lad is full of energy and with Jake Livermore alongside him, he will be expected to get up and down the pitch as often as he can.
The game will no doubt be decided in midfield and City will look to him to be a pest when Arsenal have the ball.
He has goals in him and if he can time his runs from midfield correctly, he could add a cup final goal to his impressive repertoire.
TOM HUDDLESTONE
CITY need to see the form Huddlestone showed when he was discussed as a possible World Cup player.
Arsenal will allow the former Tottenham man time on the ball deep in midfield and hopefully he can conjure something up.
He will probably have got messages from his former Spurs team-mates urging him to do them a favour and make it another season without a trophy for the Gunners.
His delivery from set pieces will have to be accurate and maybe they will have another trick up their sleeve like the free kick at Villa that saw Liam Rosenior's cross go in off a Villa defender.
JAKE LIVERMORE
THIS could be his final game for City as his loan spell comes to an end.
If that's the case, what better stage to go out on than with a win in the FA Cup final? Tom Huddlestone may have taken the initial midfield limelight, but as the season has gone on, Livermore has stolen it.
Wembley is made for players who have bags of energy and Livermore is one of those players. He covers every blade of grass and keeps the ball well. If Livermore does return to Spurs next season, he'll do so a hero if he can prolong Arsenal's trophy drought.
STEPHEN QUINN
THIS might raise a few eyebrows but I think Quinn has proved his worth to the team when he has come off the bench.
He may not have had as much game time as he would have liked, but he is fit enough to overcome that.
He provides balance on the left and he is good on the ball. Rarely does he give possession away and that is important against an Arsenal side who keep the ball for long periods themselves.
I think he brings more to the team than others who could be considered and his goal in the semi-final will give him plenty of confidence.
MATTY FRYATT
I'VE gone for just one up front and I agree with Steve Bruce that he deserves to start the FA Cup final.
It must make all those miserable days recovering from his Achilles injury worth it now.
He has been given his chance in the cup and certainly taken it with four goals already.
This is a chance for Fryatt to make a name for himself and as he showed in the semi-final, playing at Wembley won't faze him. His strike rate for City has been very impressive and it's no surprise he will be offered a new deal. Unlike some other strikers, all he needs is one chance to find the net.
FA Cup final a match too soon for Robbie Brady
IT'S great to see Robbie Brady back in training, but I feel the Cup final could be a game too soon for him.
Only Steve Bruce will know if he has done enough to be considered for a place on the bench. If his fitness is good then maybe he will give him a chance.
To be in this position is a credit to Brady and his hard work in rehab.
His form earlier in the season would merit a place on the bench for set-pieces, but there are others who can do that, like Tom Huddlestone.
Sone Aluko and George Boyd can feel unfortunate if they miss out on the starting XI but I'm sure they will get a chance from the bench.
Bruce will probably leave it as late as he can before telling his players the starting side.
Announcing the team early can have a detrimental effect in the group as negative vibes can creep in from those not selected. The manager needs all the positive energy he can get for a game of this magnitude.
Leaving it late will also keep all the players on their toes and bring out their best in the sessions leading up to the final in which the Tigers are again billed as the underdogs.
That tag suits City as they have played with it for the majority of the season and they have performed well enough to secure their place in the Premier League next season, which is no mean feat.
Bruce has the team playing as a unit and I expect them to be well disciplined and well organised.
The one thing we don't want to see is Arsenal getting off to a fast start and getting an early goal. Once Arsenal get in front, they are hard to peg back.
City have to believe in their ability. They are in the FA Cup on merit and deserve their day on the biggest of stages.
Arsenal may be better man for man and not many City players would get in the Gunners team.
But, as Wigan showed against Manchester City in last season's FA Cup final, anything can happen.
If all the players do their individual jobs and win their one-on-one battles, then City can nick the win.
Bruce will tell his players to enjoy the game and the day because they don't come around very often.
Wigan made the most of their day at Wembley and that will make Bruce's team-talk a little easier, especially against a manager in Arsene Wenger who is under immense pressure to win a trophy for the first time in almost a decade.
