JACK GAUGHAN: This was the one final they were most worried about… downing their closest rivals has put Man City on the brink of the Treble and a place among the game’s greats
As Jack Grealish took his leave, with just seconds until stoppage time, he did so on the far side of Wembley.
Walking behind the goal in front of Manchester City’s supporters, there was the chance for an early victory lap before the real one later.
But this was not the day for one of those. It was tight and often niggly, this FA Cup final. Somehow, Manchester United were still in it until the death.
Grealish was not given the opportunity to take any prolonged applause as the west end of this ground tensed as one, largely ignoring him and fixed on the grass.
He himself actually stopped behind the netting as City gave cheap ball away and United threatened on the break, wincing momentarily. That whole section, their £100million super signing included, froze.
The FA Cup final felt on a knife edge until Erling Haaland ended the match by the corner flag
Victory over Man United in the FA Cup final was seen as City’s hardest test in their Treble bid
This was the one they were most worried about. United with their own legacy on the line, crashing the party.
Right until Erling Haaland finished perfectly by messing about wasting time in the corner flag, it felt on a knife edge, with one slip letting United back in and taking this into extra time.
City’s instinctive joy after the whistle from the players, jigging in a way that felt straight out of the Nobby Stiles playbook, told that story.
‘One more, one more,’ Haaland shouted to his teammates. And only Inter Milan are in their way now, standing in the way of history and this team — this manager — earning recognition among the very best that has ever been. A place in the pantheon of names, a list that is not very long.
Lifting the FA Cup has now given Man City a very presentable chance to secure a Treble
‘It’s stuff you dream of when you’re a little kid,’ Grealish said. ‘The best thing about this team is we have a mix of everything. Everyone is confident, we’ve got older more experienced lads and the younger lads are learning too.
‘We’ll have a good night tonight and then straight back at it on Sunday and Monday for a big game next week.’
A big one, but not the hardest one. That was this. United might not have the powerful attacking strength that really frightens their closest rivals but had staying power here, hanging in, and that was enough to give the final a feel of nervousness.
Tactically, Inter will not be too dissimilar in Istanbul but City should be freer, uninhibited by local emotion. Truthfully, there will never be a more presentable chance of winning a Treble.
