MAN CITY 1, MAN UTD 2
Rank outsiders and huge underdogs Manchester United lifted the Emirates FA Cup for a 13th time after beating neighbours Manchester City in the final at Wembley.
The Reds, who finished the season eighth and a massive 31 points behind champions City, caused a huge upset by deny City a piece of history as no team had ever won back-to-back domestic doubles.
City were stunned by first-half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo – the first time two different teenagers had ever scored in the final – put Erik ten Hag’s side in the driving seat.
United conceded a late goal from City substitute Jeremy Doku and withstood considerable second-half pressure to lift the cup for a 13th time.
And it was a tactical triumph for ten Hag, in what could be his last match as manager, over City’s Pep Guardiola as he came up with a masterplan to stifle City with the pace of Garnacho and Marcus Rashford their attacking threat.
But it was a highly disciplined display in which Mainoo and Sofyan Amrabat were the lynchpins in midfield while Lisandro Martinez and the departing Raphael Varane the cornerstones of the back line.
If this is to be ten Hag’s swansong, what a way to bow out as he delivered silverware and European football with victory earning a place in the Europa League, having missed out on an European spot following their lowly league finish.
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Ten Hag said: “It is always the best to end the season on a high and enjoy the summer.
“The FA Cup was on my bucket list as it is a huge trophy.
“All compliments to the team. We played very good to our identity. Very strong. You have seen how we can play when we have the players on board. Some were not even match fit, but the performance was very good.
“I tell you [media] this all year. When the players are fit, we can play good football. A very good performance against the best team in the world.
“With a local rivalry it’s there and it’s much more important when you play a team from your own city. But for us it wasn’t about this, it was to prove a point after so many setbacks. The team showed so much resilience and I’m proud of them.”
On criticism of his team being unfair, ten Hag added: “I think so. The team. Me as well. It was not right.
“But we didn’t have the players. We have seen the same things, not always good football – definitely not, but we had to make compromises all the time and then you can’t play the football you want to play.
“I had maybe three or four times in two years we had the full squad available. Even today we were missing massive players like Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Casemiro.”
And of his future at Old Trafford, ten Hag explained: “I don’t know. The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team, developing my team. This is a project for me. When I came in, I can say it was a mess. Now we are better. We are not where we want to be.
“Football is about winning trophies. I want to play the best football, dynamic, attacking football but in the end you have to win games and trophies. That’s the mentality we brought in. This was our one opportunity, and we did it. I‘m very proud of the players and staff.
“If the club does not want me, I will go somewhere and will win trophies.”
Garnacho said: “Incredible. Nobody believed in us. But we’re a team, all together. We fought, the game of our lives.
“Incredible [fans]. The fans are always there when we win, or lose, home or away.”
On Mainoo, Garnacho added: “Incredible. The best player in the squad and he’s the youngest. We’re also good friends. I’m so happy for him.”
Mainoo added: “[It means] absolutely everything. It’s been a tough season with ups and downs. This is the only thing we’ve had to look forward to. Last year I was in the stands.
“We knew we had to come together. The preparation for this game has been amazing. We’ve shown we can compete and win games.”
Embed from Getty ImagesCaptain Bruno Fernandes said: “It was the last chance to get something positive from the season. We were here last season, and we weren’t good enough and we had to see them go up and get the trophy.
“They have great quality, great players, a great manager. We had to sacrifice and suffer but we did great things. I try my best to help the team.
“Kobbie Mainoo is really good, such a quality player and you can see the composure he had with the finish. He came through the academy and once more on the biggest stage in the world he showed it again.
“Congratulations to everyone, the staff, the players and all the fans, they have given us a big push – finally we have something to celebrate.
“It is crucial for everyone. We know the manager is under so much scrutiny, he deserves this, also everyone in the backroom staff and the players, we all deserve this.”
Guardiola took the blame for the defeat saying it lay squarely on his shoulders.
“It was my mistake in the first half,” he said.
“We were not good in the first half, but in the second half we were much better and were more intense.
“When we were 2-0 down, we had nothing to lose. We had chances and scored late.If we had scored before, it might have been different.
“It is disappointing when you lose a final. This season has been extraordinary fighting for all the trophies.”
There were three changes for City from the side that started the final game of the Premier League season last Sunday.
In came John Stones, Nathan Ake and Mateo Kovacic. Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji and Jeremy Doku dropped to the bench.
Rashford was given a chance to prove Gareth Southgate wrong after he was left out of England’s provisional squad for Euro 2024. He returned to the starting line-up along with Raphael Varane. Casemiro and Amad Diallo were the two players to lose out.
Casemiro was named on the bench but later was removed from the teamsheet with United posting he was injured as Willy Kambala was drafted into the side.
Just as in last year’s final – when City took the lead after 12 seconds – there was a dramatic start.
City had a shout for a penalty waved aside in the opening minute when Erling Haaland went flying, claiming he had been shoved by Lisandro Martinez.
United worked their first clear-cut chance in the ninth minute but Garnacho fired straight at keeper Stefan Ortega.
City dominated possession but United stole ahead on the half hour after a defensive mix-up following a long through ball.
Ortega raced from his line and Joski Gvardiol knocked the ball past his keeper leaving Garnacho to race clear and slot home a shot into an empty net for his 10th goal of the season.
Garnacho was the first teenager to score in an FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo for United against Millwall in 2004.
United had the ball in the net for a second time when Garnacho crossed for Rashford to score at the far post, but there was a flag for a clear offside.
City were further stunned when United doubled their lead six minutes before the break.
Garnacho crossed from the right and Bruno Fernandes laid off a first-time flick to Mainoo who was free to fire low past Ortega, his fifth goal since breaking into the team late last year.
Guardiola’s response was a double change at the break as Nathan Ake and Kovacic were replaced by Manuel Akanji and Jeremy Doku.
Doku set up City’s best chance of the match in the 55th minute for Haaland whose shot struck the crossbar.
There was a third change inside the hour as Kevin De Bruyne, who was having an off day, was replaced by Julian Alvarez.
City were piling on the pressure and a 30-yard drive from Kyle Walker produced a stunning save from Andre Onana.
Alvarez was put clean through by Phil Foden but fired wide of the far post as City were an ever-increasing threat.
In a rare attacking moment, Garnacho came close to scoring a third for the Reds as his fierce angled shot was beaten behind for a corner by Ortega.
United made a double change with 17 minutes left as Martinez and Rashford were replaced by Jonny Evans and Rasmus Hojlund.
Walker tried his luck from 30 yards for a second time only for Onana to make a great stop low to his right.
City halved the deficit in the 87th minute through Doku’s drive from 20 yards which crept past Onana at the near post – the keeper will be disappointed as he got two hands to the shot but could only push it into the net.
United made two further changes in the third of seven added minutes as Garnacho and the hobbling Scott McTominay were replaced by Victor Lindelof and Mason Mount.
They held on and at the final whistle their celebrations showed what it meant with the players hoisting ten Hag aloft in a show of solidarity to their boss.