By Samuel A. June 4, 2023
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City beat Manchester United to win the 2023 FA Cup. Manchester City class of 2023 have become the 13th team to win the FA Cup and be crowned league champions of England in the same season. City, who finished five points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League, beat Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
For a competition which arguably lost its luster over the years, due to several teams prioritizing other major trophies, the pedigree of this match stirred the oldest of cup ties back to the forefront of English soccer: a first FA Cup final between these two city rivals, one looking to defend its legacy, the other knowing victory would be a defining one during an era in which it has dominated English football for years.
It all started in the 13th second of the game, when goalkeeper Stefan Ortega hit a long ball upfield, which was flicked on towards Kevin de Bruyne by Erling Haaland. The Belgian found Gündoğan and before United’s defense could calibrate the ball was in the back of the net. City threatened to break loose thereafter, with Haaland going close twice, while De Bruyne also took aim at an overworked David De Gea, but in the 33rd minute, the game took a dramatic turn as fortune favored United. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) deemed Jack Grealish had handled the ball in the penalty area, which allowed Bruno Fernandes to calmly side foot home to level a match which had been threatening to go one way.
But just as in the first half, City exploded into action after the break, with Ilkay Gündoğan putting Guardiola’s side ahead by slotting in a second. It was another volley and though the hit wasn’t as clean as his first, its importance nonetheless should not be underestimated because not only did it secure a league and FA Cup double for the second time in the club’s history, but it kept City on course for greatness – a treble. Twenty minutes later, Gündoğan thought he had scored a hat-trick only for his goal to be ruled out for offside but, in the end, it didn’t matter, as they went on to win the game and set themselves up for history.
Guardiola had said before the match that United were dangerous opponents because the club’s legacy was on the line, there were the achievements of the past to protect. But while United were once the most ruthless accumulator of trophies in English soccer, dominating during those golden years under Alex Ferguson, this is the season of Guardiola’s City. United although still have global appeal, one which City does not yet match, and under manager Ten Hag the team has improved, it is now more consistent, qualifying for next season’s Champions League and winning the League Cup earlier in the season. Though United only had three shots on target during the match, the Dutchman told reporters afterwards that he was happy with his side’s performance and that “on another day we could have won this game.”
“I only have one plan and that is to improve this club and improve this team,” he added. “I will fight for it. I have my ideas, but also, as I said, I have to work with my staff, my players, I have to be better next season.”
The 2-1 scoreline did not justify the game, though the match was a tense affair, but as long as the saying “a win is a win” goes, it was enough for another Man City silverware. A victory for the blue side of Manchester was never a foregone conclusion. United had opportunities, yet City had the composure and class, as always. “Now we can talk about the treble,” Guardiola told reporters after the match.
