A year after their last encounter in the FA Cup final, the Manchester derby saw a reversal of fortunes.
Last year, Manchester City clinched the title, completing their treble.
This season, Manchester United thwarted City's double aspirations, having already secured the league title, by claiming victory.
United celebrated back-to-back trophies for the first time in ages,
bringing the FA Cup back to Old Trafford after eight years.
Manchester City, for reasons unknown,
omitted Ruben Dias from the lineup and had their goalkeeper Ederson out due to injury.
Ortega took his place in goal, with a back four of Gvardiol, Ake, Stones, and Walker.
In midfield, Kovacic and Rodri were positioned, with Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva ahead of them.
Erling Haaland led the attack as usual.
Manchester United, on the other hand, finally reunited their starting center-back duo,
a combination not seen since the early season.
This pairing sparked thoughts about what could have been had they stayed fit throughout.
As always, Onana was in goal.
The back four included Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Varane, and Wan-Bissaka.
In front of them were Amrabat and Mainoo as a double pivot.
The attack saw some changes with Rashford returning from injury and Garnacho moving to the right.
McTominay and Bruno Fernandes played centrally, functioning as a false nine or dual attacking midfielders.
The match unfolded as most expected, with City attacking and United defending.
City's backline of Ake, Stones, and Walker facilitated the buildup, with Rodri and Kovacic distributing and transitioning play.
Gvardiol pushed high like a winger, widening the play with Silva.
Foden and De Bruyne roamed the center, searching for opportunities.
United, meanwhile, applied minimal pressure above the halfway line, allowing City to initiate their build-up.
They formed a solid three-line block below the halfway line to prevent central penetrations.
Upon regaining possession, United launched long passes to the flanks,
utilizing Rashford and Garnacho's speed for counterattacks.
This strategy mirrored their approach in the league derby, with little difference in lineup or gameplay.
However, United executed much better this time.
The returning center-back duo proved their worth.
Despite his physical disadvantage, Martinez used his awareness and quick movements to win duels against Haaland.
Varane marked Foden, De Bruyne, and occasionally Kovacic,
neutralizing City's favored half-space exploitation.
Dalot was reliable as always,
and Gvardiol, despite his growth, couldn't break through Wan-Bissaka's defense.
City's attack appeared lackluster compared to before.
Haaland was invisible for much of the first half, trapped between United's center-backs.
Gvardiol couldn't penetrate Wan-Bissaka's defense,
and Foden, despite creating a few chances, didn't pose a significant threat.
Even Bernardo Silva, typically impeccable, made uncharacteristic touch errors.
Amrabat, the unsung hero, played a crucial role.
Displaying his World Cup form for Morocco,
he marked Gvardiol alongside Wan-Bissaka when City attacked down the flanks, and diligently tracked City's attacking midfielders entering the box.
He maintained his position despite the movements of Kovacic, Foden, and De Bruyne, effectively blocking passing lanes.
Most importantly, Amrabat retained possession under pressure, a stark contrast to United's previous turnover issues.
He shielded the ball from City's pressing players, allowing United to maintain control.
United's goals were the result of their well-executed plan.
They defended deep and counterattacked effectively, exploiting City's backline.
The first goal came from Garnacho, whose performance has drawn mixed reviews this season.
Dalot's long pass found Garnacho, who engaged in a duel with Gvardiol.
Although Gvardiol won the duel, Garnacho kept his concentration.
A momentary lapse in concentration led to a miscommunication between Gvardiol and Ortega.
If Gvardiol was going to clear it out with his header, Ortega should have kept his position.
Or in case Ortega was going to clean in up by running out from the goal net, Gvardiol's header shouldn't be happens.
But unfortunately, Gvardiol's header sailed over Ortega, allowing Garnacho to slot the ball into an empty net.
The second goal followed a similar pattern.
Now this time Rashford's long pass again targeted Garnacho, who this time controlled the ball and broke down the flank.
His calm and simple pass found Bruno Fernandes in the center, whose dummy run by Wan-Bissaka created space for Bruno to assist Mainoo.
Mainoo's composed finish past Ortega extended United's lead to 2-0.
It had been a while since United showcased such clean counterattacks.
It’s a pity they couldn’t maintain this form all season.
City's tactics failed this time.
They deployed more players in defense to counter United's counterattacks but failed to stop them and couldn't attack effectively with so many players in the back.
Guardiola, however, is not one to remain passive.
At halftime, he brought on Doku and Akanji, and soon after, Alvarez, replacing Kovacic with Doku and pushing Foden into midfield.
Gvardiol moved back to defense, with Doku taking over the wing play, creating the most significant and effective change.
Doku, facing Wan-Bissaka, possessed the ability to break through, forcing United to defend deeper.
At times, it took two United players to contain Doku, freeing up space for Foden, Alvarez, and Silva in the half-spaces.
This change was evident in City's shot count, which rose from three in the first half to sixteen in the second.
Doku’s efforts paid off with a solo dribble and a stunning long-range shot in the 87th minute,
reigniting City's hopes.
Ten Hag responded by bringing on Hojlund, Mount, and Lindelof, fortifying the defense.
With a back five, four midfielders, and Hojlund up front, United adopted a highly defensive stance.
Hojlund's role was to retain possession and waste time rather than attack, leveraging his superior aerial ability to maintain United's possession.
City failed to score the equalizer, and the match ended 2-1 in United's favor.
City, despite winning the league, missed out on the FA Cup, failing to achieve the historic double-double.
However, their second-half adjustments showcased why they remain a formidable team.
United's victory marked a successful end to a difficult season, earning them a European competition spot they hadn't secured through league standings.
Lifting a trophy for the second consecutive season, a sight long unseen, added to their joy.
The FA Cup has returned to Old Trafford after eight years.
