File photo of Joshua Zirkzee.© AFP

Manchester United lifts the trophy after their victory in the Emirates FA Cup Final match against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on May 25, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Manchester United saved their best performance of a mediocre season to the very end as they upset Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final on May 25 to deprive their rivals of the double.

With speculation swirling about the future of manager Erik Ten Hag, United ripped up the form book as first-half goals from teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo proved enough for them to lift the trophy for a 13th time.

They had to endure a second-half siege, however, as City swarmed forward and a late goal by Jeremy Doku set up a nerve-shredding finale before United could celebrate at Wembley.

Premier League champions City, bidding to become the first club to win the double in successive seasons, had been on a 35-match unbeaten run in all competitions in open play.

But they were well below their best in the first half, gifting Garnacho a 30th-minute opener before Mainoo made it 2-0.

City woke up in the second half and Erling Haaland hit the crossbar, but they had to wait until the 87th minute for substitute Doku to halve the deficit.

United hung on, however, to seal the best result of Ten Hag’s two-season reign and qualification for next season’s Europa League.

“Incredible. Nobody believed in us. But we’re a team, all together. We fought, the game of our lives,” Garnacho, who became the first Argentine to score in the Cup final since Ricky Villa for Tottenham Hotspur in 1981, said.

The build-up had been dominated by talk of the chasm between the two Manchester clubs with City having won an unprecedented fourth successive English title and United suffering their worst Premier League campaign.

Future doubt

Ten Hag’s future was also clouded in uncertainty with reports that the showpiece would be his last game in charge, whatever the outcome.

Even the most optimistic United fans would have walked down Wembley Way in the sunshine fearing a drubbing, but their team turned logic on its head.

Garnacho, one of the few positives in United’s season, had the game’s first shot on target and his movement was a constant threat to a City defence featuring two changes with John Stones and Nathan Ake handed starts.

City looked ruffled by United’s energy and offered a rare gift after 30 minutes.

A long ball forward should have been easily dealt with by Josko Gvardiol but his headed back pass went over advancing keeper Stefan Ortega and Garnacho ran through to tap the ball into an empty net.

Marcus Rashford had a goal ruled out minutes later with Garnacho adjudged offside in the build-up but it was not long before United were in dreamland.

This time there was no help required as a brilliant move saw Garnacho play the ball in to Bruno Fernandes whose no-look pass released Mainoo to slot his shot past Ortega.

City moved up several gears in the second half with substitute Doku causing problems and it was from his pass that Haaland smashed a shot against the crossbar.

United keeper Andre Onana had to make a superb save to keep out a Kyle Walker effort and Julian Alvarez, who came on for Kevin De Bruyne, fired a shot over as City began to exert real pressure.

Alvarez side-footed wide from in front of goal but United’s rearguard began to wobble and City finally broke United’s resistance when Doku cutting in to drive a shot past Onana but they had left it too late.

Erik ten Hag made a convincing case to be spared the sack as Manchester United upset Manchester City to take the FA Cup with a shock 2-1 victory in Saturday’s final. Ten Hag was reportedly set to be dismissed regardless of the result at Wembley after a troubled campaign that even the United manager described as “terrible” this week. But United’s hierarchy might be having second thoughts after Ten Hag’s tactical masterclass ruined City’s history bid. City were hot favourites to win a second successive Premier League and FA Cup double. Yet Ten Hag found a way to neutralise Pep Guardiola’s side as first half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo put United on course to win the FA Cup for the first time in eight years.

Jeremy Doku squeezed an 87th minute strike past Andre Onana’s weak attempted save but it was too late to rescue City.

Having ended a turbulent season on a high note, if Ten Hag’s two-year reign does end, his exit would provoke memories of fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford departure.

Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016.

Ten Hag will hope a more apt comparison is Alex Ferguson’s 1990 FA Cup final win against Palace, which kick-started his remarkable run after calls for his sacking earlier that season.

Ferguson was in attendance as a match labelled Ten Hag’s funeral turned into a triumph for the much-maligned Dutchman.

United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, who has control of football operations at Old Trafford, was also watching from the stands alongside co-owners Joel and Avie Glazer.

Linked with Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Gareth Southgate, among others, there is still plenty for Ratcliffe to ponder after United finished eighth in the Premier League this season — their lowest final position since 1990 — and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage.

Ten Hag believes a lengthy injury list was the root of the problems and can point to the two trophies he has won in three cup final appearances with United as proof of what he can do when his team are at full strength.

Ten Hag ended United’s six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup last year and has now avenged their 2-1 loss to City in the FA Cup final 12 months ago despite finishing 31 points behind the champions this term.

United will also qualify for the Europa League, avoiding a first season without European action since 2014-15.

They benefitted from an unusually tepid City performance as their double bid fell flat in their first domestic defeat since losing at Aston Villa in the league 171 days ago.

Last weekend, City became the first team to win the Premier League in four consecutive seasons.

But Guardiola’s men looked hungover after the celebrations that followed their sixth title in seven years.

City were furious when their strong penalty appeal was rejected inside the first minute after Lisandro Martinez’s shove sent Erling Haaland sprawling.

Content to sit deep with all 11 men behind the ball, United stifled City impressively and gleefully accepted their gift-wrapped opener in the 30th minute.

Diogo Dalot’s punt forward should have been dealt with by Josko Gvardiol, but the left-back hesitated as he looked for an offside flag.

Gvardiol headed the ball over City keeper Stefan Ortega, who had rashly rushed off his line, leaving Garnacho with the simple task of tapping into the empty net as Ten Hag clenched his fist in celebration.

Garnacho, 19, was the first teenager to score in the FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo for United against Millwall 20 years ago.

Just nine minutes later, the 19-year-old Mainoo punished more sloppy City defending.

Garnacho advanced unchecked down the right wing and found Fernandes, whose superb first-time pass reached the unmarked Mainoo for a clinical close-range finish.

City pushed harder after the interval but although Doku’s shot slipped through Onana’s grasp to set up a tense finale, it wasn’t enough to deny United.

As the final seconds ticked away, Ten Hag stood in the sunshine nervously waiting to celebrate a dramatic win that could earn an unexpected stay of execution or serve as his final fling.

FA Cup Final: Manchester City eye successive titles© AFP

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag hopes to bolster his chances of avoiding the sack by ruining Manchester City’s history bid in the FA Cup final on Saturday. For the second successive season, Wembley will stage a Manchester derby in the showpiece fixture. Last year, City beat United 2-1 in the final on route to an incredible treble-winning campaign that included Premier League and Champions League glory. City remain England’s pre-eminent force, as they showed by clinching an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title last weekend.

United left Wembley still optimistic about the future despite that defeat 12 months ago because Ten Hag had ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup earlier in the season.

But the Red Devils return to north London shaken by a turbulent campaign that leaves the Dutchman fighting to save his job.

United finished eighth in the Premier League — their lowest final position since 1990 — and failed even to make it out of the Champions League group stage.

Ten Hag has blamed United’s woes on injuries, but that might not convince the club’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe to keep faith with him.

The Dutch coach reportedly caused friction among his squad after clashing with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, setting the tone for a series of embarrassing defeats against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Fulham, Copenhagen and Galatasaray among others.

United only made it to the FA Cup final after blowing a three-goal lead and surviving a penalty shootout against second- tier Coventry in a semi-final that underlined the flaws in Ten Hag’s erratic team.

England boss Gareth Southgate, former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino and Ipswich chief Kieran McKenna have all been linked with the Old Trafford job.

Ten Hag’s hopes of staying at United into a third season would be improved if they can spoil City’s bid to become the first English club to win both the Premier League and FA Cup two years in a row.

“I came here to win trophies,” Ten Hag said. “I’m just focusing on the job I have to do. That is first to win the game on Saturday and then keep going in the project.”

‘Fight until the end’

Beaten in six of the past seven Manchester derbies, United must lift the Cup for the first time in eight years to avoid their first season without European action since 2014/15.

A Europa League place is hardly the prize United fans dream of, but Andre Onana, the club’s goalkeeper, wants to repay their support with victory at Wembley.

Onana, who has endured an error-strewn first campaign at United, said: “It’s been a difficult season for them and for us.

“For me, it was difficult at the start and they were behind me so I’m very thankful. Let’s end on Saturday at Wembley. We will fight until the end.”

City’s dominant reign in the Premier League has extended to six titles in seven years, a dynastic spell that has led many pundits label them the greatest English team of all time.

Pep Guardiola’s men pipped Arsenal by two points after winning their last nine league games, leaving them on the brink of more history at Wembley this weekend.

“To do what we’ve done year in, year out, I don’t think many teams would be able to do that, especially in this Premier League,” City captain Kyle Walker said as he contemplated a potential second successive double.

Walker believes Guardiola’s drive and intensity are central to City’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for success.

“I think it starts from the manager, first and foremost. He’s addicted to winning. He is addicted and it rubs off on us,” he said.

Ominously for United, City playmaker Bernardo Silva said his side, who have won the FA Cup twice in the Guardiola era, are at their best when the stakes are highest.

“Sometimes at the beginning of the season when we don’t have that much pressure, the team relaxes when it shouldn’t and at the end of the season we always compensate for it,” he said.

Marcus Rashford paid for his poor season as the Manchester United forward was left out of England boss Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024 on Tuesday. Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and Chelsea skipper Reece James were among the other big names to miss out on the squad, that must be trimmed to a maximum of 26 before the tournament in Germany begins. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is rewarded for the Eagles’ brilliant end to the Premier League season with his first-ever call up. Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Liverpool duo Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones are the other uncapped players selected with Southgate short on defensive options.

England face Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 3 and Iceland four days later before jetting off for Germany, where they are one of the favourites to win the tournament.

The wealth of options available to Southgate in attacking areas means Rashford misses out on a major international tournament for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.

Rashford has scored just eight times in 42 appearances for his club this season and only recently returned from injury.

“These are difficult calls. With Marcus I just feel other players in that area have had better seasons. It’s as simple as that,” said Southgate.

In a social media post, Rashford said: “Wishing Gareth and the boys all the best.”

Henderson’s injury-hit move to Ajax in January after a short spell in Saudi Arabia has not done enough to earn the 33-year-old a place.

“Henderson’s given himself every chance. The determining factor was the injury he picked up in the last (international) camp,” added Southgate.

“He missed five weeks and wasn’t able to get back up to the level of intensity. It was a difficult decision.”

The same goes for Jadon Sancho despite his renaissance on his return to Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund on loan from United. 

Raheem Sterling and Kalvin Phillips were also overlooked despite shining for Southgate in the past at major tournaments.

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, who fired Manchester City to the Premier League title on Sunday, and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka are included as part of a fearsome collection of creative talent to supply England’s all-time top goalscorer Harry Kane.

England’s men begin their quest to win a major tournament for the first time in 58 years against Serbia on June 16 before facing Denmark and Slovenia in Group C.

The Three Lions have come agonisingly close to glory under Southgate before, losing the Euro 2020 final on penalties to Italy.

England also reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and last eight of the 2022 World Cup.

“Are we one of those teams who can win? Of course,” said Southgate.

“I’d be an idiot if I said no, but if I said yes, that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of work ahead of us.

“They know what is possible, they know what they’ve won at club level and what that’s taken. You can see cup football, you have to navigate game-by-game.”

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Burnley)

Defenders: Kyle Walker, John Stones (both Manchester City), Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire (both Manchester United), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Jarell Quansah, Joe Gomez (both Liverpool), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Lewis Dunk (Brighton)

Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones (both Liverpool)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/GER), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), James Maddison (Tottenham), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/ESP), Phil Foden, Jack Grealish (both Manchester City), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)

Erik Ten Hag hoping to see a Man Utd win in FA Cup final© AFP

Raphael Varane (L) in action© AFP