The FA Cup final will be a Manchester derby in a repeat of last season’s showpiece at Wembley.
It could so easily have been a Chelsea VS Coventry final as both Manchester teams barely scraped through.
Manchester City prevailed 1 – 0 over Chelsea in spite of not playing at their best. Manchester United, meanwhile, beat Coventry in spite of their best efforts not to.
Read: Champions League Elimination For Arsenal And Manchester City
There is a view that Chelsea dominated City and should have won. However, the statistics tell you it was an even game. It’s the fact the game was even that demonstrates how below par City were.
Nonetheless, with the way the game played out, Chelsea should have been ahead. Poor decision making in the final third cost them repeatedly. Bernardo Silva’s 84th minute suckerpunch was enough to send City through to the final, although Pep Guardiola’s postgame countenance was hardly celebratory.
For 70 minutes, Manchester United were enjoying a routine win over Championship side Coventry. They were 3 – 0 up thanks to goals from Rashford, Maguire and Fernandes. Then, Coventry mounted a comeback with goals from Simms on 71 minutes and O’Hare on 79.
Haji Wright scored a 95th minute penalty to level the score at 3-3, and Coventry were so close to winning. They thought they’d nicked a 4th goal right at the end only for it to be ruled out for offside. Coventry even took the lead in the shootout, but eventually succumbed to pressure allowing United to advance.
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It’s insane that this United team has the chance to win major silverware, but they do. They will be underdogs against Manchester City, but their rivals aren’t in top shape either.
Following their Champions League exit, there have been many reports of fatigue and injury in the City squad. Pep Guardiola’s postgame rant about the schedule certainly speaks to mental fatigue.
United have hung in there to reach the final. Hang in there for one more game, and they’ll have won the F.A cup at the expense of their neighbours.