Manchester United delivered their best performance of a lackluster season by defeating Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday, denying their rivals a double victory.
Amidst speculation about the future of manager Erik ten Hag, United overturned expectations with first-half goals from teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, securing their 13th FA Cup trophy.
The match, held at Wembley Stadium, saw United withstand a second-half onslaught from City. A late goal by Jeremy Doku set up a tense finish, but United held on to celebrate their first FA Cup triumph in eight years.
Premier League champions City, aiming to become the first club to win consecutive doubles, had been unbeaten in 35 matches across all competitions. However, a week after clinching their fourth consecutive Premier League title, Pep Guardiola's team faltered. Garnacho capitalized on a City error to score in the 30th minute, and fellow 19-year-old Mainoo doubled the lead.
In a historic first final between the same teams in consecutive seasons since 1885, City came alive in the second half. Erling Haaland hit the crossbar, and substitute Doku scored in the 87th minute to reduce the deficit. Despite the pressure, United held firm to secure the victory, marking the best result of Ten Hag's two-season tenure and ensuring qualification for next season's Europa League, although Ten Hag's future remains uncertain.
"Incredible. Nobody believed in us. But we're a team, all together. We fought, the game of our lives," said Garnacho, who became the first Argentine to score in an FA Cup final since Ricky Villa for Tottenham Hotspur against City in 1981.
The build-up to the final was dominated by talk of the vast difference between the two Manchester clubs. City, under Guardiola, had won the league title six times in eight years, while United endured their worst Premier League campaign, finishing eighth. Photo by André Zahn, Wikimedia commons.