Man City vs Man United LIVE: FA Cup final result and final score as Kobbie Mainoo goal wins it at Wembley
Manchester United ended a poor season on a huge high as Erik ten Hag ignored intense speculation about his future to mastermind a shock FA Cup final win against rivals Manchester City
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 Saturday 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.
Manchester United seize the day to earn a famous FA Cup win as City lose their edge
In an FA Cup final when new Manchester City history was supposed to be made, and Erik ten Hag’s future supposed to be set, he and Manchester United lift the old trophy by seizing the day.
The new winners were fully immersed in the moment. It may be a moment if history in itself with how United silverware is such a surprise, but it was all the sweeter for that. The celebration of the crowd said enough. Ten Hag has the last word. The Dutch coach relishes a second trophy in two years – especially if this FA Cup final was indeed to be his final match at the club. Belatedly, Ten Hag has at least given the best possible case to keep his job, and maybe change expectations. His team changed all expectations about this match, as well as Pep Guardiola’s recent record. The Manchester City coach was beaten in a domestic cup final for the first time since 2011, to ensure he will not enjoy English football’s first ever double double, to amplify last year’s treble.
Such a record, and recent disparity, ensured United had to think and set up like underdogs. They threw themselves into that, for a 2-1 win over their great rivals that was also a reverse of last year’s final. Amid such history, and the club’s 13th FA Cup, there will be some authentic debate about the extent of a shock this is. United had finished eighth in the league, lower than Wimbledon when they beat Liverpool in 1988 in one of the biggest final shocks of all.
Miguel Delaney’s Wembley match report:
Manchester United seize the day for a famous FA Cup win as City lose their edge
Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: First-half goals by Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo stunned the Premier League champions at Wembley
Erik ten Hag belatedly produces a tactical masterclass to land FA Cup - and make it harder to sack him
So to the most illogical conclusion to a season for the most illogical of teams. This might have been the weirdest thing Manchester United have done; not so much winning the FA Cup, odd as it was, but the opponents, the manner, the context.
Erik ten Hag came dressed for his own funeral, his dark suit and naturally stern demeanour accentuating the sense he would be a witness to his own demise. Instead, it was the end of Manchester City’s double double. They did not make history after all. Ten Hag may yet be consigned to United’s history but if so, what a way to go.
United have arguably never been such underdogs in a final; not against Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona; not against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. They did not just win against Guardiola’s City. They won competently. The most disorganised team in the country looked organised. Ten Hag had a gameplan that wasn’t based on chaos. The only hint of ineptitude came when Andre Onana fumbled Jeremy Doku’s shot into his own net. It has been a theme of the season: United are never far away from a Ten Hag signing erring.
They had been a long way away from a Ten Hag masterclass. They got one. It was a reminder of last year when he seemed pragmatic, tactically astute, a manager with the ability to beat the best; even if it only really happened at Old Trafford then. It came from belatedly concluding that his tactics for most of the season were nonsensical.
Because United had a midfield. It isn’t normally news, but this is a team who had tended to press high with a low block, who were stretched from one end of the pitch to the other with a massive gap in between the sections of the side, were suddenly compact.
Richard Jolly at Wembley on the victorious boss:
Ten Hag produces tactical masterclass to land FA Cup - and make it harder to sack him
Manchester United shocked their local rivals with an organised and determined showing at Wembley
Erik ten Hag sends message to Manchester United owners
Erik ten Hag claimed that if Manchester United sack him, he will go to another club and win trophies for them instead – because that is what he has done throughout his career.
Full story:
Sack me now: Erik ten Hag sends message to United hierarchy after FA Cup triumph
The Dutch manager is under pressure after a poor league campaign but finished the season with a stunning FA Cup win over rivals Manchester City
Kobbie Mainoo and the box-to-box run that won Manchester United the FA Cup
Against some of the best players in the world in Manchester City’s midfield, United’s 19-year-old academy graduate shone with a tireless display at Wembley:
Kobbie Mainoo and the box-to-box run that won Manchester United the FA Cup
Against some of the best players in the world in Manchester City’s midfield, United’s 19-year-old academy graduate shone with a tireless display at Wembley
Guardiola admits he made mistakes in Cup final
Pep Guardiola admitted he got his tactics wrong as Manchester City’s reign as FA Cup holders was ended by a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the final at Wembley.
Six days after securing a record fourth consecutive Premier League title, City were hit with two goals in nine first-half minutes by United to dash their hopes of becoming the first team in English football history to win back-to-back league and cup doubles.
Despite dominating the ball and putting United under sustained pressure for much of the game, Guardiola’s side lacked the attacking edge they have demonstrated during the season and looked out of sorts in the final third, ultimately coming unstuck at the hands of clinical finishing from Erik ten Hag’s team.
“Tactically, it was not good,” said Guardiola. “I was not good today. You plan a game for different positions but it didn’t work.
“Even with that, we arrive two or three times in the final third and byline and made nothing from crosses. They made one goal from one shot and the goal from (Kobbie) Mainoo and no more than that.
“Always when we play against United we have the control, and we created in the second half but we were not able to do it.”
Erik ten Hag defiant amid speculation over his United future
Fighting talk from the Manchester United manager:
Ten Hag:
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) May 25, 2024
"If they don't want me any more, I go somewhere else and win trophies, that's what I've done my whole career."
Pep Guardiola refuses to blame Josko Gvardiol for mix up
A mix-up between goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and defender Josko Gvardiol gifted Garnacho United’s opener in the first half.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said of that incident: “It can happen. Many things happen in a final. They scored two goals and we could not score more.”
Erik ten Hag admits he still doesn’t know his future
Erik ten Hag admits he does not know what his Manchester United future holds following their FA Cup final win over Manchester City but believes the Red Devils have been unfairly treated by the media.
United’s win comes amid intense speculation about Ten Hag’s future, with reports on Friday suggesting the Dutchman would be sacked regardless of the result at Wembley.
When asked by the BBC if he has been unfairly treated by the media, Ten Hag said: “I think so. The team, me as well, it’s not right.
“We did not have the players. We have seen the same things, it has not always been good football so we had to compromise and we can’t play the football we want to play. In two years since I have been here we’ve had the full squad two, three or four times.
“It was about us to prove a point after a year with so many setbacks, injuries and all the times we had to survive. The team showed so much resilience and I am proud of them.”
Regarding his future at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said: “I don’t know. The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team, developing my team, progressing my team and individual players. To me this is a project. When I came here it was a mess, we know better but we are by far not where we want to be.
“Football is about winning trophies, I want to play the best football and at the end it is about winning games and trophies and that’s the mentality we’ve brought in.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe speaks
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spoken following his club’s stunning FA Cup triumph:
Ratcliffe statement: "It is a glorious feeling... Man Utd clearly were not the favourites to win but they played with total commitment & skill & overcame one of the great teams in football. We're all very proud of the players and the staff who work tirelessly to support them" https://t.co/ttkVrcAlfj
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) May 25, 2024
FT - Man City 1-2 Man United
Fernandes lifts the FA Cup, Ten Hag bounces on the gantry and applauds the fans.
Dalot, Garnacho and Varane are next in line - each had a good game today, did exactly the job needed of them.
Garnacho of course scored that opener in fortunate circumstance but the second, by Mainoo, was excellent.
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