Can Manchester City Do the Domestic Double Again?
Deja vu descends as we once again get a Manchester United and Manchester City derby clash in the FA Cup Final. After two goals from departed player İlkay Gündoğan in the last final, a new player will have to step up for either side to win. Before kickoff even starts, history is already being made. This match will be the first time since the late 1800s that two teams have met in consecutive FA Cup Finals when Blackburn Rovers played Queen’s Park in consecutive years. Even further, after outlasting Arsenal, Premier League champions, Manchester City, will be looking to add their second trophy of this league campaign to their shelves after winning the league the past weekend. Only eight teams in English football history have ever won the league title and FA Cup in the same season. However, what’s even more notable is no club has ever done so in back-to-back seasons like City will be hoping to do.
Yet despite this historic feat on the line, Manchester City, who sound like a broken record every time they break a record, are no strangers to making history in these past couple of years. Since manager Pep Guardiola took over the side in 2016, the historically poor club ascended to heights few have ever reached before. The list of all their records could fill up a whole article itself, but most recently they became the first team in Premier League history to win four consecutive league titles. They also have the most points in a Premier League season, most goals scored, least goals conceded, most wins and the list goes on and on. Truly, Manchester City is a powerhouse to be reckoned with and few stand a chance when up against the English giants.
On the other side of this match, Manchester United will be going for some less-than-fortunate records. After having their worst finish to a season in their history, reports are swirling that regardless of the result of the final, Manchester United will look to sack manager Erik Ten Hag. This would make him just the third manager in history to win the FA Cup Final and lose his job in the following days. However, that is if they even win it, as all signs point to Manchester City thumping their rivals. In their two matches this season, United lost at the hands of their rivals 3-0 and 3-1, being held scoreless at home. And with City sitting seven spots, 31 points, and a whopping 63-goal difference ahead of United it seems unlikely that the struggling side stands a chance. In fact, City has a better goal difference than United has points in general. A sane person would’ve sooner bet on David to beat Goliath than United to take down this juggernaut City side.
So, can United really dare to dream of lifting this trophy? Amidst the anticipation and the seeming certainty of Manchester City's dominance, the beauty of football lies in its inherent unpredictability. The pitch transforms into a canvas where the brushstrokes of fate can alter the outcome in a second. A single moment of brilliance, an unexpected hero rising, the sheer will to defy the odds, these are the elements that remind us why we love this game. As the starting whistle approaches, we are reminded that in football, anything can happen. It is this enchanting uncertainty that keeps us captivated, as each match unfolds, rich with possibility and promise. In the end, it is the unpredictable nature of football that makes it a beautiful game, where dreams can come true in the most astonishing ways. As history has shown us, anything can happen, even the tale of David and Goliath didn't end too well for Goliath.
