Man City vs Man United LIVE: FA Cup final result and final score as Kobbie Mainoo goal wins it at Wembley

Pep Guardiola speaking ahead of kick-off:

“We never played a City-United final before and now we’ve done it two years in a row. The universe wanted it,” he said.

“The mood has been really good the last few days but it’s back to business, we have to reset, the league has nothing to do with the final. The final is one game.

“It was a difficult choice today. Some players I thought could play but at the end it’s tough. All the defenders played really well recently.”

On a day when any tension was largely illusory, there was considerable symbolism. Arsenal lifted themselves to the 89 points that were required last season, only for Manchester City to go that bit further. They easily beat West Ham United to make it 91 points, illustrating how they always raise the bar.

Many point to this as a sign of the Premier League’s supposed competitiveness, but it really just shows how difficult it is to even keep pace with the apparently perpetual champions. City force teams to go the distance only to then go that bit further themselves. That comes from a combination of maybe the greatest manager of all time overseeing a squad and infrastructure as he idealises it, to now go further than anyone has before.

City have become the first team in English history to win four successive league titles and the first with as many as six in seven years. That’s all through returns of points (average 91.1), wins (average 29) and trophies (50 per cent of those available) that are superior to any previous club over a spell so long. It is an unprecedented level of domination, now akin to what has recently been seen in Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga.

There is of course, another number hanging over that, which played into a more potent piece of symbolism on the day. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters was not at Manchester City for their win, and that ensured there were no comments about the competition’s most senior figure again handing another Premier League title trophy to the club it has been investigating for so long.

Miguel Delaney on City’s dominance:

Manchester United may face an almost impossible task against rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, but the club should not ditch manager Erik ten Hag next season, according to former full-back Paul Parker.

United head to Wembley very much the underdogs as neighbours City look to complete another Double following their successful Premier League title defence.

Having finished down in eighth place – a lowest ever Premier League finish – and after crashing out of Europe before Christmas, the spotlight is on Ten Hag’s future.

Parker joined United from QPR in the summer of 1991, going on to win two Premier League titles and also the 1994 FA Cup final as part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.

The 60-year-old feels despite the odds now being stacked against his old club to lift more silverware at Wembley on Saturday, there could just yet be a chink in City’s armour.

Pep Guardiola hinted he could extend his contract at Manchester City after they became the first team to win four consecutive English titles but also cast doubt on his future as he described himself as “closer to leaving” the club.

The Catalan has one year left on his contract, which was signed in 2022, and suggested he might be willing to discuss an extended deal as he spoke about how he found the motivation to target new achievements.

Guardiola hailed a sixth title in seven seasons as an “crazy” achievement that he would never have thought possible when he arrived after a 3-1 win over West Ham made City champions again.

He stayed at Barcelona for four years and Bayern Munich for three and said he is closer to leaving City than staying, but still galvanised by the chance to make history. City could become the first team in English football history to win back-to-back doubles today when they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final and while he believed he had won all there was to win last year, he then found new targets.

Pep Guardiola’s jubilant Manchester City side will look to complete the domestic double on Saturday as they face local rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

The Spaniard led his team to their fourth successive Premier League title last week, with an enthralling season culminating in a 2-1 win at home to West Ham on the final day, marking another successful league campaign for the Cityzens. And City will be looking for the third FA Cup win of Guardiola’s tenure as they face a struggling Manchester United side in a repeat of last season’s final.

Erik ten Hag’s team finished eighth in the Premier League, and will be banking on a win in this competition to scrape at least one positive out of what has been a dismal season overall.

Dozens of rumours are circulating regarding ten Hag’s future, and with new part-owners Ineos bringing plenty of personnel changes, this game could prove a defining moment in the Dutchman’s tenure. Here’s everything you need to know.

Erik ten Hag fired back at his critics on the eve of the FA Cup final, accusing TV pundits of attacking him “to make themselves look better”.

The Manchester United manager’s job hangs in the balance going into the match against Premier League champions Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday, with reports suggesting the club’s new hierarchy – led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – is considering replacements for Ten Hag such as Thomas Tuchel and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna.

In an interview with Dutch publication VI, Ten Hag admitted the season had been “crap” as he led United to eighth place, their worst ever Premier League finish. But he was irked by the criticism he has received along the way, insisting the club is “not ready” to meet sky-high expectations.

United boss’ quotes here:

CONFIRMED LINEUPS!

Man City: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Foden, Silva, Haaland

Man United: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot, Amrabat, McTominay, Mainoo, Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford

TEAM NEWS: Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson will miss the final due to a fractured eye socket he suffered against Tottenham earlier this month.

Pep Guardiola has no other fresh injury concerns before the final, with no new injuries picked up during the last week’s win against West Ham.

Conversely, Erik ten Hag is dealing with several injuries, both long-term and short-term, ahead of the game. In his Thursday press conference, the Dutchman confirmed that Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia will all definitely miss the match.

Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial have all trained this week and could be part of the 20-man squad, with Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez also looking likely to feature.

Chris Wilson’s Predicted line-ups

Manchester City predicted XI: Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic, Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland

Manchester United predicted XI: Onana; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro, Mainoo; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund

Confirmed lineups will be available soon...

Latest odds for today on a few markets for the final:

FT result

City win 6/17

Draw 21/4

United 9/1

First goalscorer

Haaland 11/4

Foden 6/1

Alvarez 8/1

Bobb 10/1

De Bruyne 11/1

Hojlund 12/1

Score a hattrick

Haaland 12/1

Foden 50/1

To be sent off

Maguire 28/1

Amrabat 28/1

L Martinez 33/1

Casemiro 33/1

There aren’t too many at Old Trafford who, as it stands, will look back on this season fondly. Yet there is a still smaller group of Manchester United players: those who have been fit for all of it.

Erik ten Hag’s results are wildly inconsistent but he shows consistency in citing their injuries. United have had more than 60; many lasting longer than originally forecast, sometimes taking out most or all of the players from one position. It got to the stage where even the seemingly indestructible Bruno Fernandes missed a couple of games.

It leaves a trio as the last men standing: only goalkeeper Andre Onana, Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo Dalot have not been injured. The full-back has leapfrogged the ubiquitous Fernandes to play the most minutes among outfield players, some 4,274. He has only sat out two of United’s 51 matches: when he was suspended at West Ham in December, following his dismissal for dissent at Anfield, and when he was an unused substitute on the opening night against Wolves. He has started 47 of the last 49, including 25 in a row. He has not missed a minute since January.

How Diogo Dalot became United’s unexpected exception: