LONDON.- He Manchester United won the 13th English Cup in its history by surprising its neighbor Manchester City (2-1) this Saturday in London, so the ‘Red Devils’ achieve a place for the next Europa League.
City, on the other hand, ends the season with this bitter taste and without the national double, just six days after having won the Premier League for the fourth consecutive season.
Wembley was the theater of United’s dreams thanks to the goals in the first half from Argentine Alejandro Garnacho (minute 30, 1-0) and Koobie Mainoo (39, 2-0), both 19 years old. City’s only goal was scored by Belgian Jeremy Doku in the 87th minute.
“This is incredible. Nobody believed in us, but we are a team and we are united,” Garnacho celebrated in statements to BBC One.
Thanks to this FA Cup, United partly saves a bad season, in which they could barely finish eighth in the English league. If he had not won this title he would have been left without a place for next season’s European competitions.
The title initially alleviates the situation of the Dutch coach Erik Ten Haag, who is highly questioned and whom some of the press places close to leaving the club. This Saturday’s success could give him a new opportunity, but there are close precedents of coaches being dismissed after winning a trophy, as happened last week with Massimiliano Allegri, fired just a few days after winning the Italian Cup for Juventus.
In the historical record, United, the second club with the most FA Cups in its cabinets now with 13, is just one behind the team that leads this list, Arsenal with 14.
Painful result, not only for City:
Manchester United’s joy indirectly causes disappointment in Chelsea and Newcastle, sixth and seventh in the Premier League.
Chelsea would have qualified for the Europa League if Manchester City won the title, but they will now have to settle for the lowest-ranking European competition, the Conference League, while Newcastle are left out of next year’s UEFA tournaments. If City won, the ‘Magpies’ would have competed in the Conference League.
City’s setback seemed unlikely before the game, especially since Josep Guardiola’s team was unbeaten (excluding penalty shootouts) since December, taking into account all competitions.
For United it is also revenge: last season they lost the FA Cup final against City, by the same result.
Source: AFP
