![Erik ten Hag kisses the FA Cup](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379372461_17166546756870_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqBjjoK1PVI8uRBkAShwj-GbM3DAp9S_Ha7E0fSncPnU.jpeg?imwidth=680)
FA Cup final becomes Erik ten Hag’s finest hour as Man Utd beat Man City
![Erik ten Hag kisses the FA Cup](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379372461_17166546756870_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqBjjoK1PVI8uRBkAShwj-GbM3DAp9S_Ha7E0fSncPnU.jpeg?imwidth=680)
A manager on the precipice, a Manchester United team on the brink of being dismantled and an FA Cup final for the ages.
From where did this improbable halting of the Manchester City express train come? It was Erik ten Hag’s finest hour, the Dutch manager upon whom the clock is ticking, conjured victory against the team that never loses. For the first time since Dec 6, without recourse to a penalty shootout, City were outfoxed, outfought, outscored. Through one late goal, and seven minutes added on at the end, so United hung on to win the FA Cup, stop the City double, and show the rest of English football how it might be done.
This was a great final, with two first-half goals delivered by the teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. In any other circumstances this would point towards a glorious future – just as was the case the last time a United teenager scored in a FA Cup final: Cristiano Ronaldo 20 years earlier. Although this is United, a club living on its nerves. One moment frazzled, the next on top of the world. In a perpetual state of rebuild. Just as capable as plunging back again into despair.
In the Royal Box, the Old Trafford Politburo lined up to greet their victorious team – Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, Sir Alex Ferguson, Avi Glazer. An uneasy coalition of various knighthoods and family trust venture capitalists. Hard to know what kind of decision on the manager might emerge from this committee of ideas, although none are likely to have predicted this afternoon’s outcome.
Ten Hag played this final adroitly. Wearing a pair of trousers that only just skimmed his ankles – which revealed an FA Cup final manager without socks – he dropped Casemiro, originally named on the bench but then mysteriously struck off the list of substitutes. The United manager also left out Rasmus Hojlund and instead picked two wide attackers in Garnacho and Marcus Rashford with no central striker. Bruno Fernandes played as the false nine and made the pass of the match for Mainoo’s goal on 39 minutes.
Much later the United manager would come out fighting in his post-match press conference. He offered no assurances that he would be manager when the Premier League season starts in less than three months. Yet he claimed, somewhat plaintively, that United were “exactly where we wanted to be”. The progress of Garnacho and Mainoo? All planned, Ten Hag said. United had failed in the league this season because he simply did not have the players available. Not robust enough, he said.
“When we took over at United it was a mess,” he said. Meanwhile in another part of Wembley, Ratcliffe was suckered in by a question shouted at his back and only realised when he turned around that it was about Ten Hag’s future. He did not answer but by then the little bit of theatre was complete.
As for Pep Guardiola it was not as if he had not seen this kind of resistance to his team before. But this time his players fretted. Later the City manager would mutter about his own mistakes. “The game-plan was not good,” he said, refusing to elaborate further. Could the future problems of City really be read in this rare defeat?
For all the drama of this afternoon it was hard to take too much as definitive. The winners of four straight Premier League titles will already have known that there are some difficult decisions to make again in a summer of big change.
There was no role for Jack Grealish once again, an unused substitute. What has fractured that relationship for now is not yet clear. Jeremy Doku, who came on at half-time for Mateo Kovacic was City’s outstanding player in the second half, at last attacking the byline and scoring in the 87th minute. Kevin De Bruyne had been replaced by Julian Alvarez by then. Bernardo Silva had a quiet game too and failed to track Fernandes in the moments before he made Mainoo’s goal.
Perhaps there are changes to be made, but in the end it was United’s determination to concentrate on what they did well that made the difference. They did not chase City’s early build-up play all over the pitch, but when they did win the ball, they tried to hit their opposition quickly. Both goals came from fast attacks, the second more sophisticated than the first which owed everything to the mistake from Josko Gvardiol.
Of course, what United really need is a system that allows them to have certainty, in the way that City do. What Guardiola’s approach offers is a way of exerting over others City’s basic advantage – that they have better players than just about everyone else. United have good players but no such foundations to fall back upon. Which is why they can lose 14 games in a Premier League season, and also beat the single most formidable force in Europe in an FA Cup final.
It helped that United were carried forth on a great wave of emotion – foreboding, and no little fear at the consequence of the kind of heavy defeat that was entirely possible in these circumstances. In the first minute, they tried to get Marcus Rashford in behind Kyle Walker. The latter was just too quick and too powerful and he would dominate Rashford all afternoon although City made enough mistakes for United to make one count.
The first was Gvardiol’s error in heading the ball over his advancing goalkeeper Stefan Ortega for Garnacho. The second was Fernandes’ sumptuous concealed pass to Mainoo. It had been a great move even before that, beginning with Mainoo, and on there to Rashford, Garnacho, Fernandes. The finish was calm.
The chances would come for City in the second half. Erling Haaland hit the bar and there were others for Alvarez and Walker before Doku slipped one in at the near post and Andre Onana fumbled.
The City treble of 2023 becomes the single Premier League title of 2024. United had picked their moments and rode their luck, but Ten Hag – under the pressure of his life – alighted on the right team and the right system to do it. He was defiant afterwards, proclaiming that if he was not wanted at United he would go elsewhere to win trophies. He might yet have to.
Ten Hag’s United outfox Guardiola’s City – how it happened
Pep Guardiola speaks to the BBC in typical blood out of stone fashion
To paraphrase as there were long pauses and one word answers, punctuated by Paddington Bear stares:
He says all he did afterwards was congratulate his players on their wonderful season. He says that Manchester United have always been a transition team, for 20-30 years, and that his side were better on the day but nonetheless congratulates the winners. He says they were the dominant team in the second half, says mistakes like the one between Ortega and Gvardiol ‘can happen’ and that they had chances but should not be criticised for not taking them. Asked whether watching United lift the Cup could motivate his team for next season, he says that his team is not motivated by what United do only by their own goals.
Erik ten Hag talks to Messrs Lineker and Shearer
All the compliments to the ream. They played to our identity. When we had all the players on board you see how we can play. Not all fully fit but very good.
I have been telling you this the whole year, when the players are fit we can play good football and it was a good performance and against the best team in the world
When the local rivalry is there it’s much more important to prove that after all the setbacks and injuries that the team showed so much resilience and I’m so proud of them.
It was not good football [during the season] but we had to make compromises because of the injuries.
I don’t know [if this is my last game]. All I’m doing is preparing my players. It is a project for me. We are by far not where we want to be but when I came in it was a mess.
Football is about winning trophies. We had one opportunity and we did it. I’m so proud of the players and staff.
It was so enjoyable to watch Kobbie. I think we have to keep it calm. You are very good at pushing players very high and then you hammer them after two bad performances. I think we should be calm [about how far he can go].
Bruno Fernandes speaks to the BBC
It’s been a long season. Our last chance to take something positive. They are a great team, great qualities and a great manager. We had to suffer and sacrifice but we [also played well]. Happy with the result, happy with the performance. I don’t know what to say now. Congratulations to the staff, the players and the fans who gave us a big push. We know the manager’s been under too much criticism but that’s part of Manchester United but he, his staff and the players all deserve this.
The teenage goalscorers talk to the BBC
Garnacho: It’s an incredible feeling. No one believes in us. But we are a team. We fight like it’s the last game of our lives. We are very happy. [Mainoo] is the youngest player in the squad and the best player.
Mainoo: It’s been a tough season of ups and downs. Last year I was in the stands watching! It’s incredible.
90+4 min: Man City 1 Man Utd 2
Mount ⇢ McTominay
Lindelof ⇢ Garnacho.
Mainoo again evades a challenge, sprints forward and sets Hojlund off but he is squeezed out by Gvardiol. Bruno, spotting Ortega high, takes on a fanciful shot but settles for it going miles over and eating up some time before the ball comes back.
GOAL!
Man City 1 Man Utd 2 (Doku) Instead of shooting from the free-kick, City work it down the left to Doku. McTominay blocks the cross but the winger latches on to the ball again, cuts in to the angle of the box and flays a right-foot shot that beats Onana at the near post. Should have saved it.
![Doku shoots](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379364570_17166522041030_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf_4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
83 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Onana has commanded his box impressively today and comes out to claw away a corner that inspires a counter up the right which ends only when Garnacho is fouled.
Kyle Walker bounded over to give Martinez both barrels after feeling the United defender was taking too long to walk off. Both players launch into a verbal assault of each other as team mates rush over to separate the pair. Evans has now replaced Martinez and Hojlund is on for Rashford. This was more like the 30 goal striker of last season and the reaction to his substitution from United fans could not have been more different to the boos he got after coming off in the semi final against Coventry.
79 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Amrabat is penalised for a shove when battling Alvarez and concedes a free-kick 22 yards out, right of centre, much to his annoyance. Foden takes and plants it into the wall.
United break and Hojlund draws a foul from Akanji to earn a free-kick of their own, right of centre, 22 yards out again.
63 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
United are not showing signs of tiring yet but it has to be a consideration given the games missed by key players. Wan-Bissaka again does well to hold off Doku.
It’s a compliment to your team when Pep Guardiola is having to make two half time substitutions and then withdrawing Kevin De Bruyne after 57 minutes. One long struggle this for the City midfielder. Alvarez is now on. United are starting to get pegged back. Haaland has hit the woodwork and Onana makes a stunning save to keep out a Walker rocket.
62 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
All hands to the pump as United try to stem the blue tide. Brilliant one-handed diving save from Onana denies Walker’s swerving, fizzing 25-yard shot, Varane’s back-header stops Haaland nipping in at the back post and Alvarez, from the second of back-to-back corner, drives a rising shot over the bar.
59 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
All City now in terms of possession but United continue to flood midfield and defence, happy to hit them on the break when they can. Garnacho had one such chance, 1 v 4, but was picked off by Gvardiol.
![Guardiola](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379352401_17166501846830_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqrXQPXGvM58CJoUBPwmOnP-il7a1KV2STY3xRqqFt_No.jpeg?imwidth=350)
57 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Two really good City chances created down the left, first for Foden who ghosts into the box but scuffs his shot from 12 yards and then when Doku goes again and tees up Haaland, the centre-forward hammers his effort against the bar.
Third City substitution:
Alvarez ⇢ De Bruyne.
48 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Amrabat won’t get much attention but he has been very good so far. Dalot nicks the ball off Haaland and Bernardo and races up the left out he cuts back when confronted by Walker’s pace and rolls it back to Mainoo. When United lose the ball in midfield Rodri tries to catch Onana off his line from 50 yards but his audacious chip lands on the roof of the net and Onana had the time to get back to watch it land there.
Half-time thoughts
That was some first half from Kobbie Mainoo. Still only 19 and one of the most composed men on the pitch. He never looks rushed and physically imposing. United also look a far more content team with Lisandro Martinez on the pitch: Onana looks happier in goal, Mainoo and Fernandes more reassured in midfield as a consequence. There’s much greater cohesion. Can they sustain it in the second half? City will have to be a lot better if they are to win this game.
Half-time: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Every area of United’s team is working well and their tactics have caught City cold. The champions can’t operate in the midfield congestion. But let us not forget they were 3-0 up last time they were here against Coventry and then the wheels fell off.
If United’s first goal was scavenging, the second was predatory.
45+2 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 2
Say what you will about Ten Hag’s United, that second goal comes straight out of the very top drawer. A fast, precise, composed, brilliantly worked team move, the sort even Pep Guardiola must have to admire. United worked the ball calmly out to Rashford on the left and he sprayed a raking cross-field pass out to Garnacho on the other side. Credit to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, his run from the inside channel draws the attention of two City players and creates more space for Garnacho to play the ball inside to Fernandes. United’s captain shaped to shoot but had the presence of mind to nudge a delicious little pass into the path of Kobbie Mainoo who, cool as you like, steers his finish past Ortega. Yet another big goal from the teenager. It’s been a fine 10 minutes for United: two goals, another one chalked off for offside and City a little rattled.
GOAL!!!
Man City 0 Man Utd 2 (Mainoo) Fabulous move. What a goal! Who is this team and where the hell have they been? Rashford hits a crossfield from the left, bypassing Ake and Gvardiol. Garnacho races on to it and takes it 25 yards before squaring to Fernandes by the centre-circle. He shapes to shoot but then lays it off to his left. Walker doesn’t know whether to go with Mainoo or Rashford, chooses the wrong man and Mainoo sweeps a right-foot shot into the bottom right corner from the left of the spot.
GOAL!
Man City 0 Man Utd 1 (Garnacho) Dalot hits a diagonal from left to right, Garnacho bends his run back to stay onside as Ake plays him on. Gvardiol lets the ball bounce, doesn’t see Ortega racing out to deal with it and he heads it back … over the stranded Ortega and Garnacho gleefully races past to tap it into an empty net.
26 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
Lovely control and pass from Foden sets Kovacic free down the right but he pulls the ball back just behind Haaland’s run and Mainoo clears by the penalty spot.
United fans start singing: “You cheating b-------, you know what you are!” at their City counterparts, a reference to the 115 Premier League charges the club are facing for alleged financial irregularities which City deny. City fans respond with chants of: “Champions of Europe, we know what we are.” Suffice to say, there’s not much love between the two of them.
22 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
Mainoo wins the ball back and chips to the left for Rashford who is once again beaten by Walker but the ball squeezes out of the challenge to Ortega who snatches at the clearance and United pounce, Bruno trying to latch on to it but Kovacic hooks it away with his toe before Fernandes can shoot from eight yards.
18 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
De Bruyne takes and floats a diagonal into the left of the box and Varane heads it away. He might not have had the Old Trafford career he dreamt of but let’s not forget he is a genuine, all time great, a World Cup and four times Champions League winner … and only 31.
![Varane](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379354222_17166491368580_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqIGBrXjEx6ttpR7vQUDUeidHhMh81Y8GqX3ipA8YMo0k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
16 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
First sign of Onana’s shakes as he mishits a pass that fortuitously strikes Foden and goes out for a throw. From the re-start Martinez is penalised for a swipe at Foden which I’m not sure made contact as Foden jumped out of the way of the raking foot. The free-kick is 40 yards out, right of centre.
14 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
De Bruyne diddles Garnacho on the left and stands up a cross to the front post. Varane gets their first and heads it over Haaland and Dalot hammers a volley clear.
Erik Ten Hag’s very snug-fitting FA Cup suit trousers have been riding up his legs on a couple of occasions and the clear indications are that he is not wearing any socks. Whether that is a stylistic choice, or a simple failure to pack some, not immediately clear.
![Ten Hag and the FA Cup](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379346935_17166467632750_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqPuT91k5ORvC66u5_fRKqmv4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
10 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
First shot on target, from picking off the throw and Bruno shifts it to Garnacho running down the inside-right but he smacks his effort straight down Ortega’s throat.
Here’s City’s penalty shout:
![Haaland falls](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2024/05/25/TELEMMGLPICT000379346855_17166463023660_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqPuT91k5ORvC66u5_fRKqmuil7a1KV2STY3xRqqFt_No.jpeg?imwidth=350)
8 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
At last some sustained possession for United after Dalot won the ball back from Bernardo deep on the United left. They, too, can’t break into the City box and they work it back to Onana who chips it long for Rashford. Walker again catches him and wins the ball back though he gives Stones a pass he has to scramble to deal with.
1 min: Man City 0 Man Utd 0
City kick off, defending the half with their own fans in it, playing from left to right. And they roll it all the way back to Ortega. Deja vu? No. Haaland heads it but back towards his own goal and Rashford picks it up, races forward and is caught by Walker.
City want a penalty when Ortega knocks it long and Haaland goes down in the box under pressure from Martinez. Not enough contact, says the referee, and the VAR agrees.
Pep on his team
Kova has helped us a lot this last month. I was having a lot of doubts. I was thinking to let Julian [Alvarez] play as well. I thought a lot about that [but went for greater] control.
They have the pace of Garnacho and Rashford, experienced players back in Martinez and Varane, long balls for McTominay, we know the quality. Premier League it’s not been a good season but they are Man Utd. One competition for one game, they can do anything.
Casemiro off the bench
It looked very much like Erik ten Hag would start without a recognised striker having used Rasmus Hojlund as an impact substitute in United’s final two league games and so it proves. Bruno Fernandes seems likely to start as a false nine with Scott McTominay and Kobbie Mainoo behind him and Sofyan Amrabat anchoring the midfield.
Casemiro has been pulled out of United’s squad at the eleventh hour. The Brazil midfielder has been hampered by a muscle issue and was originally named among the substitutes but he apparently reported tightness as he warmed up in the dressing room and has now been replaced by defender Willy Kambwala on the bench. It remains to be seen if Casemiro has now, in effect, played his final game for the club amid the prospect of a move this summer. Saudi clubs are interested.
Your teams in black and white
Manchester City Ortega; Walker, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodrigo; Bernardo, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland.
Substitutes Carson, Dias, Grealish, Doku, Alvarez, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis.
Manchester United Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot; Amrabat; Mainoo McTominay; Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford.
Substitutes Bayindir, Lindelof, Mount, Hojlund, Eriksen, Diallo, Casemiro, Antony, Evans.
Referee Andy Madley (Huddersfield)
25 years ago
Manchester United won the Treble and City beat Gillingham at Wembley to climb out of League One.
Jim White watched the new documentary 99 and gave it a five star review. You can see it on Amazon Prime and I would recommend it highly even for non Manchester United fans.
Ten Hag hits back
Erik ten Hag hits out at ex-Manchester United players using him as ‘easy prey’
Erik Ten Hag has accused ex-Manchester United players of using him as “easy prey” to keep jobs as pundits during a scathing interview aimed at his critics.
The United manager rounded on his detractors in Dutch publication VI, insisting expectations have not been realistic and even defending disgraced Marc Overmars after his ban for sending inappropriate messages to women.
Ten Hag, ahead of the FA Cup final, insisted the likes of Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Roy Keane are looking to stay employed when they analyse his United team.
You can read the piece in full here.
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Preview: Adieu Ten Hag
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the 143rd FA Cup final, the second in succession between Manchester City and Manchester United and the first to feature the same two teams in back to back seasons since Blackburn Rovers beat the Spiders of Queen’s Park for the second time at Kennington Oval in 1885.
Manchester City, in pursuit of consecutive Doubles and their third overall, are overwhelming favourites given their superiority in talent and experience, their eight years of refinement, outstanding FA charges notwithstanding, under Pep Guardiola. They won 3-0 at Old Trafford in October and 3-1 at the Etihad two months ago, helping them to a 31-point advantage over United by the season’s end. Ten Hag did beat them once, in January 2023, and they were competitive in a relatively dreary Cup final last June, when Alejandro Garnacho should and Raphaël Varane could have equalised at the death.
Whatever the outcome for Manchester United, it has been widely leaked that the Ineos men now calling the shots will sack Ten Hag regardless of result. Being potted by Manchester United in the past 11 years does not make you a bad manager or a bad person. They have been badly run in epic proportions, even in Sir Alex Ferguson’s latter years when he managed to pull of the greatest con trick of them all by winning his final title because Roberto Mancini lost the dressing room at City and Chelsea went to war with their fans by appointing Rafa Benítez as interim manager.
He has made many mistakes, notably in recruitment from the Eredivisie, but has also suffered an injury epidemic that cannot solely be his fault. It has ruined his chances of having them play like his excellent Ajax side, the style that earned him the job, on more than a handful of occasions. Today he starts yet again without a recognised left-back. Both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are unavailable, as is Harry Maguire, but Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial are all in contention for the bench. For City, Ederson, who broke an eye socket in their penultimate league match against Tottenham is out but likely would not have played anyway. Stefan Ortega, who saved their bacon against Spurs and thwarted Varane last year at Wembley, has been first choice in domestic cup games for two years.