The Circus Is In Town
On Friday 24 May, The Guardian declared in an exclusive that Erik Ten Hag would be sacked as the Manchester United manager, regardless of the next day’s FA Cup Final result against Manchester City. At that point I started to hum and sing the first lines of Bob Dylan’s ‘Desolation Row’; ‘they’re selling postcards of the hanging’. Whatever happened in the match, it would inevitably be overshadowed by the undignified speculation surrounding United’s beleaguered manager. And anyway, surely the 7/1 shots United had no chance against the newly crowned Premier League champions?
Sport has a way of making fools of ‘certainties’ and ‘sure things’ as many of us have found out to our cost. When the game started City soon got into their passing game, dominating the ball possession while United sat back in a solid defensive shape. For all their first half territorial advantage, United rarely threatened Onana’s goal. The presence of World Cup winners Varane and Lisandro Martinez gave United a solid, competitive centre and blunted the threat of Haaland. Bernado Silva, Foden, De Bruyne et al huffed and puffed but it was their opponents who scored twice before half time to take a well deserved lead. The first from Garnacho was a simple tap in after Gvardiol and Ortega got in a muddle and the Croatian defender headed a long ball over his advancing goalkeeper. The second goal was one of the best seen by this writer in over 60 years of watching FA Cup Finals. Fernandes’ disguised pass to Mainoo and the nonchalant pass across Ortega into the net was sublime. Pep brought on Doku and Akanji at half time then Alvarez ten minutes later. Yes Doku made an impact down the left wing and scored but the feeling was that United were in control and deserved the victory.
It would be wrong to question Guardiola’s team selection and see that as the reason for City losing the final. Rather, after having to endure a season of criticism and ridicule from ‘pundits’, the preparation, tactics and determination of Erik Ten Hag, his backroom staff and players should be applauded. Up in the posh seats, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the multi billionaire CEO of INEOS and also now delegated with responsibility for football management at Manchester United watched on. Alongside Sir Alex Ferguson. Perhaps Sir Jim might do well to consider the similarities between United’s position in 1990 and 2024. When Mark Robins scored a vital FA Cup goal at Nottingham Forest, United went on to win the cup and Sir Alex stayed at Old Trafford to build a dynasty. United were in a much worse position then than they are today.
So MANCHESTER UNITED won the 2024 FA Cup and THREE goals were scored during the game. Man of the Match was the outstanding KOBBIE MAINOO.
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