Manchester City on Saturday won the 2023 FA Cup. Thanks to a double from Ilkay Gundogan, City beat United 2-1 at Wembley Stadium. The two Manchester sides met in the FA Cup final for the first time.
The win already gives City their second double in history, following that of 2019, which was a national hat-trick because they also won the League Cup that year.
United are certainly good enough to make life difficult for City, but not good enough to actually put them in danger.
Even if United were able to come back to score with an almost miraculous penalty by Bruno Fernandes, too many players, like Fred, Christian Eriksen or Jadon Sancho, seemed too fair in the face of this level of adversity.
There was a ball that bounced off the top of the bar in the second minute of added time before being cleared for a corner, but this opportunity was chaotic and lacking in sharpness, much like the red attacks.
However, City was not, frankly transcendent, with Erling Haaland not very dangerous, apart from a center cut in the 16th and a shot too removed in the 21st minute.
But City captain Gundogan had already launched his team into space after just 13 seconds of play. With a magnificent half-volley from the right at the entrance to the surface.
In the middle of the left corner of David de Gea who had barely moved, he had taken over the record for the fastest goal in the final of the FA Cup to Frenchman Louis Saha who scored after 25 seconds for Everton in 2009 against Chelsea.
“It was (is) the first time to talk about the treble. Against United it was special for our city and our fans. We performed really well.” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
