Man Utd lost the FA Cup final because they have weak David De Gea and City have serene Stefan Ortega
WEMBLEY — On a day of train strikes, roadworks and a significant percentage of a northern powerhouse city all journeying to north London, it seemed an awful lot of faff to discover a series of things we already knew.
Ilkay Gundogan wakes up in March like a hibernating bear with a can-do attitude and a to-do list. Manchester United have too few options in reserve for those in the team to perform below par. Manchester is blue and we are approaching permanent marker territory. Manchester City march on and the only thing that can stop them is themselves.
There were a few frantic moments, whispers of doubt at one end of Wembley and hope at the other. There was unexpected parity for a large chunk of the game’s middle, thanks to a penalty decision and a dominant team playing a little too emphatically at half pace.
But you never really contemplated Manchester United beating Manchester City – not really. City are one step away from replicating United’s treble. Sir Alex Ferguson watched on with the face of a man asked to chew three wasps and a hornet in one go.
What is worse than being thrashed? Being patronised even in defeat. Erik ten Hag’s team fought and occasionally flustered City, but they exist in a different sphere in 2023. Christian Eriksen and Fred cannot cope with Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne. Jadon Sancho is a shadow of his Dortmund self. Don’t get me wrong, Wout Weghorst is a lovely bloke – but should he be working here?
This was a final that can be viewed through the prism of two goalkeepers. Pep Guardiola chose to rest Ederson in favour of Stefan Ortega, who has played throughout this run and possesses the composure under pressure that allows City-ball to progress serenely. Manchester United have David de Gea, whose distribution makes his team one-dimensional, who failed to dive for the first goal and who reacted so tardily for the second that he made a tame shot look potent.
The timing of those goals, and De Gea’s inaction, punched United in the gut.
At 12 seconds, Gundogan halved the record for the quickest FA Cup final goal. But his second, from a corner and screwed off his left foot, killed United’s spirit.
Around them, United huffed and puffed and, once or twice, might have blown over a house made of straw. Manchester City prefer concrete and reinforced steel (and that’s just Rodri ruling a midfield).
De Gea should provoke a conversation, but Ten Hag seems committed to upselling everything as good news. If this is to be a successful reign – at least according to United’s historic standards – he must be provided with the funds that allow him to jettison those who are not up to task, whatever their reputation or their past service. But Ten Hag must also be ruthless. Publicly backing De Gea is no surprise; arranging for a new contract would be a mistake.
United needed this to make a fruitful season an excellent one. This is not even City’s highest priority of this fortnight. There were years, even under Guardiola, when reigning over Manchester at Wembley would have been the highlight. This week they will travel over land and sea to attempt the completion of a treble only United in this country can match. They will be heavy favourites there too.
Who knows how our judgement of this era may change in time. Following all legal procedures, 2022-23 may become the ultimate asterisk season. City face allegations of systemic breaches of regulations that threaten to rule a line through what they still consider to be a good news story. They will fight them. This will take time. Until then, you might argue that all of English football exists in a state of purgatory. It is deeply unsatisfactory.
But there were few in blue at Wembley who cared and fewer still in Istanbul who will worry about what might be and what might have been done if City complete the treble that Abu Dhabi considered their ultimate goal when they took over this club in 2008.
The aim was to trample over the competition. The aim was to loom over their city rivals and haunt their dreams. The aim was to possess a team and a coach who could reel off domestic trophies as nonchalantly as if they were shelling peas. The aim was to make winning FA Cup finals possible even in third gear. Mission almost completely accomplished.
