Man City Clinch FA Cup To Keep Treble Dream Alive
04 June, 2023
Manchester City remain on course to clinch the treble after securing the FA Cup title with a 2-1 victory over city rivals Manchester United.
FA Cup Final
Result: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United
Date: 03 June 2023
Venue: Wembley Stadium
United manager Erik ten Hag recalled Fred and Jadon Sancho in midfield as Anthony Martial and Antony missed out through injury, while City started Stefano Ortega over Ederson.
It took the Citizens 13 seconds to find the breakthrough when Victor Lindelof's headed clearance fell kindly to Ilkay Gundogan, who sent a superb volley into the top corner. The Citizens dominated thereafter and barely gave United a sniff of the ball, although Ten Hag's were able to thwart any clear-cut attempts in the 18 yard area.
United were given a lifeline on 30 minutes after the referee awarded a penalty for a handball on Jack Grealish following a VAR review. Bruno Fernandes stepped up and calmly slotted home to level matters.
The Red Devils could have went into the break in the lead when Raphael Varane got on the end of a corner but sent his first-time volley wide of the mark.
Pep Guardiola's charges had another perfect start in the second stanza as Gundogan doubled their lead six minutes into the second stanza with a shot that got past the grasp of goalkeeper David de Gea and into the bottom corner from a chipped free-kick by De Bruyne.
City remained a threat as De Gea kept United in the game just after hour-mark with a save from his legs to deny De Bruyne and Ten Hag reacted with an attacking change just after that as Alejandro Garnacho replaced Eriksen.
In a tightly contested closing period, Garnacho almost levelled matters for the Red Devils on 73 minutes with a low cracking shot that zipped just wide after he cut inside the box.
Guardiola made an attacking change of his own a couple of minutes later as Phil Foden replaced De Bruyne for a different approach.
The game was on the edge in the dying minutes, with City the more threatening side, although they had nervy moments defending in their own half and in the end the Citizens prevailed and were crowned FA Cup champions for the seventh time.
Here's how they lined up:
Manchester City: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo, Grealish, Haaland
Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lindelof, Shaw, Casemiro, Fred, Eriksen, Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford
Source: www.snl24.com