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Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC
LONDON — Two down, one more. Manchester City are just 90 minutes away from a historic treble.
They needed just 12 seconds in the FA Cup final against Manchester United to take a giant step towards their place in the record books. Ilkay Gundogan’s opening goal in 12 seconds, the fastest in FA Cup final history, was canceled out by a first-half penalty from Bruno Fernandes, but the City captain’s second goal — a weak effort from outside the 18-yard box that United goalkeeper David De Gea saved — enough to find Erik ten Hag’s team for a 2-1 victory that left the team Pep Guardiola needs to beat Inter Milan next Saturday in the Champions League final to become only the second English team to do the treble.
The first? United, back in 1999. Despite the challenge — the need — to be an obstacle in the way of City to match their incredible success, the red side of Manchester failed to ensure the glorious legacy of their predecessors.
– Stream an FA Cup final replay between Man City and Man United on ESPN+
United’s tactics have broken down into little more than hit and run. They tried it, with a surprisingly long effort, but that kind of approach just doesn’t work against this City team.
Inter will need to have a better game plan, and better players, to put City away in Istanbul next week. There appears to be an air of inevitability about the European Cup being draped in sky-blue ribbons, however, just like the Premier League trophy and FA Cup this season.
“We can talk about the treble now,” Guardiola said after the match. “Of course we still have to win the Champions League, but we did very well for our city and our fans.
“We’re in a position that we’ll probably never get to again.”
There are many reasons for this feeling of City closing the third part of their trophy trilogy: Guardiola, striker Erling Haaland (who was remarkably quiet at Wembley) and the midfield strength provided by Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri. The simple truth about City, however, is that they know how to win, regardless of the opposition in front of them or the challenge they face.
Do you want to take the City? Try it and find yourself cracking up as Real Madrid went on their 4-0 Champions League semifinal second-leg demolition last month.
Maybe you are sitting deep and trying to fail, but that only invites the City to mount waves of attacks, pass opponents into submission and defeat.
United tried another approach. The Ten Hag sent on Fred to mark De Bruyne and hope to nullify City’s driving force, but they left only Gundogan and Rodri to enjoy acres of space in midfield, with auxiliary midfielder John Stones also providing at United is a problem they cannot solve.
When United managed to get a foothold in the game midway through the first half and brought a sense of chaos with Fernandes and their forwards trying to stretch the City defense, it was like a journeyman boxer who throws aimless punches in hopes of landing a big blow. .
United just tired themselves out, though, and when City regained the lead, there was no real sense that they had conceded again. United tried sporadic flurries once more, with substitute Alejandro Garnacho injecting some pace and purpose on the hour mark, but City were always at arm’s length.
City have lost just once in their last 27 games, and that was a 1-0 defeat at Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season, when the title was secured and Guardiola rested key players in preparation for the FA Cup and Champions League Finals.
They are a team in unparalleled form and have not only beaten all their opponents but also inflicted heavy losses on them. Arsenal, Liverpool and Madrid have all got four against City in recent weeks, so good luck to Inter.
United didn’t end up on the wrong side of a hammering, but they still lost, and that’s the reality check they need to watch out for. Even if City aren’t at their best, they’re still winning, and teams like United will have to find something more to beat them if they have a chance.
The city is now so far ahead of the pack that the challenge is on the chasers to find a way to catch them. The only team looking for a way now is City, and you expect them to find a way against Inter next week.
History is watching. Yes, it has been done before, but the joy of doing the treble at the same time as denying United the chance to own it forever as their own is all the sweeter for City.
Two down, one to go.
