Anthony Martial capable of defining Man United display in FA Cup final

Rarely can a club have arrived at an FA Cup final with so many of its fans showing open discord against its manager, but that is the curious position in which Manchester United find themselves. Following the team's final game of the Premier League season, a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, Louis van Gaal was booed by a significant number of supporters as he addressed the crowd. Those match-goers, like many other United fans around the world, have grown tired of the often-stultifying football that they have seen under his watch.

It is ironic, then, that United have reached this final by playing in a style unrecognisable from almost everything else they have produced this season. Their 2-1 victory over Everton in the semifinal showed them at their best, a level they have attained all too rarely with the Dutchman in charge. In that game, Anthony Martial was his typically ruthless self, as he provided a moment as thrilling as any from his club's most glorious years -- a last-minute winner, rolled home as calmly as if he were kicking about with friends in his back garden.

Crystal Palace

Manchester United

4:30 PM UTC

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United's opposition in the final are Crystal Palace, who should be far less obliging than Everton. Their main threat will come from Wilfried Zaha, a player who was once mooted to have the finest of futures at Old Trafford but whose £15 million transfer ended in a subdued return to Selhurst Park. On his day, Zaha is as devastating an attacker in one-on-one situations as almost anyone in the Premier League.

This is an accolade which he arguably shares with the winger on Palace's other flank, Yannick Bolasie, but it is Zaha who can be relied upon to set the tone against his former club. Two of United's full-backs, namely Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian, have shown themselves to be extremely vulnerable against wide forwards who attack them with pace and directness, and Zaha will be well aware of the damage that he can do.

The other major factors to consider here are Yohan Cabaye, in Palace's midfield, and Alan Pardew, directing matters from the bench. Cabaye and Pardew will have no fear of United, having both been involved in Newcastle United's 1-0 win at Old Trafford during David Moyes' sole season in charge. Cabaye was long identified as a transfer target for United, and there is little question that he would have been a very good asset for them in recent seasons.

Meanwhile, Pardew -- like Zaha -- may have something of a score to settle with United, given that he was on the losing side when these teams previously met in an FA Cup final, in 1990. That year, Pardew scored the winning goal in the semifinal against a Liverpool team that had beaten Palace 9-0 during the league season. A victory over this United side would not be anything near as much an upset, particularly given how much they have struggled for goals under Van Gaal -- scoring just 49 in 38 matches, a record low for them in the Premier League era.

If United are to overcome Palace, then it will be the first FA Cup that Wayne Rooney has won. Rooney has made no secret of his craving for this trophy, having twice been a frustrated onlooker as the other team has walked victorious up Wembley's steps. He will most likely be deployed in midfield, where he performed creditably against Everton, and with him in the side, United will be fully aware of the gravity of this occasion. He will also be accustomed to saving his very best for this stage, as he did in the 2005 FA Cup final, when United were defeated on penalties by Arsenal. On that occasion, the then teenager effectively played as a winger, and his creativity troubled Arsene Wenger's team throughout.

It is fitting, then, that United's fortunes most likely lie at the feet of another gifted teenager who can play all across the forward line. Against Palace, Martial will be central to their efforts. His acquisition and development is something that Van Gaal can rightly be proud of, and he concludes a fine first season -- a commendable return of 17 goals in 45 games -- with a chance to shine once more.

His dominance of his flank against Everton in the semifinal was reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo's showing in the 2004 FA Cup final against Millwall. Martial, as Ronaldo had done 12 years before him, used the stadium's width to its best effect, constantly calling for the ball and isolating his man before overwhelming him with speed, trickery or a bewildering blend of both. It is telling how much United looked to Martial in that semifinal, much as they did with Ronaldo in 2004 -- and now it only remains for him to produce a defining performance, and to end this season as thrillingly as he began it.

Musa Okwonga is a football author, poet, musician, broadcaster and social commentator. He is on Twitter @Okwonga.