Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United
If this is to be Erik Ten Hag’s final game in charge of Manchester United – and there is no way it should be – then he will go out a winner.
An FA Cup winner. Following in the illustrious footsteps of some of legends of the game, not least Sir Matt Busby, Tommy Docherty and Sir Alex Ferguson, who was all smiles as he saw his club win the famous old trophy for the 13th time.
On a day when the SBOTOP FA Cup betting odds were turned inside out, upside down, back to front, the red half of Manchester reminded the footballing world just how good they can be.
This was about many things: the glory of silverware; the opportunity to turn an injury-riddled campaign into a successful one; the chance to ensure a trophy against their city rivals.
Even at Wembley, Ten Hag was without Casemiro, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, as well as without some players who were able to take their place on the bench but lacked match fitness to be able to start.
Add in the fact yesterday’s newspaper report that suggested the club had decided to sack the manager, regardless of the outcome of the showpiece – news which, if true, is as appalling as the timing lousy – the build-up could hardly have been worse.
Yet Ten Hag showed his class to dismiss such a humiliating story and walked tall, to the delight of United fans – two trophies as many seasons tall.
Highlights of the game
Champions for a record fourth successive year, City were chasing the ‘Double Double’ against opponents out for revenge after last season’s final when the paucity of options on the respective benches highlighted the difference between the red and blue halves of the city.
We expected FA Cup highlights and it was the young stars, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who got their goals during a golden first-half.
Yet this was a triumph of the collective resolve, exemplified by the returning central defenders, Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez, the combative on-loan expertise of Sofyan Amrabat and the captain, Bruno Fernandes, whose sumptuous pass for Mainoo’s goal will live long in the memory.
On the half hour, the speed demon Garnacho benefited from a mix-up between goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol to calmly slot home an open goal.
Eight minutes later, a superb cross-field pass from Marcus Rashford found Garnacho.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, surging forward from right back, may have distracted retreating City players and, from Garnacho’s pass, Fernandes’ delicate touch found Mainoo who calmly applied the finishing touch to a sweeping move.
There was no surprise that the champions came out fighting in the second half with the crossbar denying the country’s top scorer Erling Haaland, substitute Julian Alvarez missing a good chance and goalkeeper Andre Onana saving superbly from Kyle Walker.
United held firm until City substitute Jeremy Doku pulled one back with four minutes left after an Onana misjudgement but they would not be breached again.
The full-time reaction said it all as joyous players and fans joined as one, cheering their boss to the rafters as he lifted the famous cup and collected his winners’ medal.
Now the club needs to show the same class as Ten Hag and let him continue his job.
Key statistics
This was the first time two teenagers have scored in an FA Cup final.
Garnacho and Mainoo became the third and fourth teenagers to score in the Final for United after Norman Whiteside (1983 v Brighton) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2004 v Millwall). United won the competition both those years too.
City are the first holders of the cup to finish as runners-up the following season after United (winners 2004, finalists 2005).
This was the first time Spanish midfielder Rodri had lost while playing for City in an impressive 75 games, a run dating back to a 1-0 defeat at Spurs in February last year.
What’s next?
That concludes the 2023-24 season for both clubs.
It will be interesting to see what changes are made between now and the time both sides are in action again in August.
Ironically, as league champions and FA Cup winners, their first competitive match next season will be back at Wembley against each other in the Community Shield – the traditional curtain-raiser to a new campaign on Saturday, August 10.
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