Manchester City’s FA Cup 2-1 win against Manchester United on Saturday June 3, takes them to a giant step toward their position in the record books.
The City captain’s second goal, a weak effort from outside the 18-yard box that United goalkeeper David de Gea should have saved, was enough to defeat Erik ten Hag’s team for a 2-1 victory.
Pep Guardiola’s team needs to beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final on Saturday to become only the second English team to complete the treble. Ilkay Gundogan scored the first goal in the FA Cup final on 12 seconds, which was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history through a penalty.
United’s strategy consisted primarily of hitting and hope. They gave it a shot, making one odd effort from long range, but that strategy will never work against this City team.
Inter should have a superior strategy, and better players, to deny City in Istanbul one week from now. However, just as the Premier League trophy and FA Cup have been this season, the European Cup’s dress in sky blue ribbons already appears to be inevitable.
After the match, Guardiola said in an interview,
“We can now talk about the treble,” Guardiola said after the match. “Of course we still have to win the Champions League, but we performed so well for our city and our fans.
“We are in a position we will probably never be in again.”
There are many explanations behind that feeling of City surrounding section three of their trophy set of three: Guardiola, striker Erling Haaland, who was unusually quiet at Wembley, and Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri’s midfield strength.
However, the simple truth about City is that they are always successful regardless of the challenge or opponent they face.
Fred was used by Ten Hag to man-mark De Bruyne in an effort to stop City’s driving force. However, this only left Gundogan and Rodri with a lot of space in the middle of the field, and auxiliary midfielder John Stones also gave United a problem they couldn’t solve.
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United gained a foothold in the game halfway through the first half and caused chaos by attempting to stretch City’s defense with Fernandes and their forwards.
Alejandro Garnacho came on as a substitute for United and gave them some energy and pace on the hour mark, but City always held them off.
City has only lost one of their last 27 games, a 1-0 defeat to Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season, when Guardiola rested key players in preparation for the FA Cup and Champions League finals and the title was already secured.
They are an unrivaled team that has not only defeated all of their rivals but also dealt them with heavy ‘blows’. In recent weeks, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Madrid have all given up four goals to City.
United didn’t wind up on some unacceptable side, however they actually lost. City are now so far ahead of the pack that the challenge is on the chasers to find a way to catch them. The only team finding a way right now are City.
