Whose side are you on?

In Wembley's east dressing room, the unfashionable Premier League overachievers, with their mad fans and wheeler-dealer gaffer, who've reached their greatest position in 50 years.

In the west dressing room, the Championship underdogs, with their dignified boss and Premier League veterans, who shrugged off £30m debts to reach English football's annual showpiece.

Given this is the oddest-looking FA Cup Final in years - it was Chelsea vs Manchester United last year, after all - it's a tough choice for many neutrals. Ultimately, it may come down to a matter of nationality.

Much was made of Cardiff's ban - later overturned - from entering the Uefa Cup if they won, for being a Welsh club in an English competition. Much less was said when the Welsh FA overturned a clear red card for Bluebirds' skipper Darren Purse, allowing him to play in the Final.

However, the moment Wembley breaks with tradition and honours Cardiff with the pre-game Welsh national anthem (they never played the French anthem for Arsenal, controversially), it turns the FA Cup Final into England vs Wales.
For many players, it's a fitting finale to a great career, with Pompey veterans Sol Campbell, David James, Kanu and Lauren coming up against fellow Premier League oldies Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Trevor Sinclair and - if fit - Robbie Fowler.

But even amongst that illustrious bunch, it's likely to be the younger stars who decide the outcome, with Croatian wizard Niko Kranjčar capable of running the show and Cardiff pondering a gamble on prodigiously talented 17-year-old midfielder, Aaron Ramsey.

The game may not be a rollercoaster affair, especially as Pompey have used an increasingly cagey gameplan this season, and aren't the free-flowing side that some take them for. Cardiff will also be keen not to go behind early, especially as their rivals have won every game this season in which they've scored first.

But the history, atmosphere and the guarantee of a surprise winner still makes this a special occasion.

The Six Wembley Stars

Niko Kranjčar, Portsmouth
The Croatian winger has Wembley previous - his 30-yarder (and Scott Carson's massive howler) helped stop England reaching Euro 2008 - and he's going to be the most skilful player on display. Whether he can impose himself on the game is another matter.

Lassana Diarra, Portsmouth
A revelation since his £6m move to Pompey from the Emirates in January (he got itchy feet after less than a year in North London), Diarra has quickly become the engine room of the Pompey side. Almost impossible to get off the ball, his tackling and surging runs will drive his team forwards.

Milan Baros, Portsmouth
May not start and not a huge favourite with the Pompey fans, but he won the penalty that beat Man United and set up the winner in the semi-final. He could yet make a contribution late on, using his pace against a tiring defence.

Peter Whittingham, Cardiff City
Cardiff's most creative player, Whittingham will need to use all his Premier League nouse gained in four seasons at Aston Villa. His quick feet will be crucial in helping the Bluebirds win the battle against Pompey's muscular midfield.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Cardiff City
He may be 36, but the mad-eyed marksman knows where the goal is and can still smack a ball pretty hard. Sol Campbell will be wary of the veteran Dutchman's threat, even if Jimmy may run out of steam.

Aaron Ramsey, Cardiff City
A talented passer, with a composed head and the versatility to drop into right-back if needed, teen Ramsey's already receiving admiring glances from Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United. Could be a key sub for the Welshmen.

Martin Tyler Interview

"It's been a great year for the cup!"

How excited have you been by this year's FA Cup?
I don't subscribe to the theory that this has been a bad year for the competition. It's been a great year for the FA Cup. What's happened has happened and purely highlights how good a competition this still is. It can still surprise, still offer romance and still throw up so many stories. It's been a season that has reminded us all that there is so much more to our football than just the Big Four clubs. We have huge depth and we should be proud of it.

What story will you be looking for in the Final?
I won't go looking for stories. The key is to just let them happen and then react. They are there, though. David James has been a loser three times, but has played a massive part in getting Portsmouth to Wembley. Dave Jones has had hard times, as has his chairman Peter Ridsdale, but this could be their time. Harry Redknapp has never got beyond the quarter-final as a player or manager, but would be a very popular winner. It promises to be a special day.

Do you think Cardiff City have a good chance?
Of course. Isn't it great that Cardiff, the city that looked after the English FA Cup Final so well while the new stadium was being built, have their football team in the Final? Football throws up these incredible scenarios. There was no way a team from the Championship was supposed to be in the Final but here we are. It's wonderful.

Portsmouth are so strong. Would you say too strong?
I don't know about that. On the third round day, I was asked by Sky where I'd like to go. I looked at the list and picked out Pompey at Ipswich. It was a game that stood out and since then, I have commentated on every one of their rounds except the Plymouth match. In each of them against Championship sides, they have been worked so hard and I think that will be the case again at Wembley on Saturday.