Manchester City’s FA Cup glory: where final against Chelsea was won and lost

It was not rather astatine nan level of not playing Fernandinho aliases Rodri against Chelsea successful nan Champions League last successful 2021, but Pep Guardiola’s determination to commencement Omar Marmoush complete Rayan Cherki was surely an unexpected call. Pushed precocious and told to run alongside Erling Haaland, Marmoush struggled to make an impact. The Egypt forward’s positioning was off, disrupting nan relationship betwixt City’s midfield and attack. They lacked a nexus player, making it easy for Chelsea to sorb unit during nan first half of a disappointing FA Cup final, and it was not a astonishment erstwhile Guardiola replaced Marmoush pinch Cherki astatine half-time.

Even past location was still nary motion of an betterment from City astatine nan commencement of nan 2nd half. Chelsea grew into nan crippled aft a tense commencement and location were times erstwhile they looked nan likelier winners. Calum McFarlane, nan interim caput coach taking complaint of only his sixth crippled successful elder football, had travel up trumps by deploying a backmost three. Reece James and Moisés Caicedo were beardown successful midfield. The wing-backs, Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella, defended good and caused problems. City grew edgy. Nico O’Reilly looked susceptible astatine left-back and Chelsea had immoderate joyousness against Guardiola’s precocious line. João Pedro played connected nan enarthrosis of nan past man and led nan statement good earlier tiring during nan second stages.

They showed immoderate pridefulness astatine Wembley but Chelsea will still decorativeness a chaotic play quiet handed. A deficiency of condemnation successful nan last 3rd was their undoing successful nan end. João Pedro scuffed a decent chance successful nan first half and Caicedo had a header cleared disconnected nan line. Enzo Fernández volleyed complete moments aft City went up and while location were a fewer flashes from Cole Palmer, his decision-making was beneath par. Ultimately City recovered that important dash of people done Antoine Semenyo’s precocious winner, though Chelsea will look backmost connected a fewer refereeing decisions and wonderment if they should person had astatine slightest 1 penalty. Abdukodir Khusanov, a defender who does not cognize really to clasp back, surely strayed adjacent to nan statement pinch a mates of enarthrosis barges connected Jorrel Hato and João Pedro successful nan area. McFarlane fumed erstwhile Darren England waved some appeals away.

Reece James remonstrates pinch referee, Darren England, during nan FA Cup final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The vexation for McFarlane is that his broadside did almost everything right. Chelsea doubled up connected Jérémy Doku and a backmost 3 of Hato, Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana worked to smother Haaland. City were erratic successful possession. Rodri, a uncertainty earlier nan final, did not look 100% successful midfield, leaving Bernardo Silva isolated. Yet Silva, who is leaving astatine nan extremity of nan season, was wished not to extremity up connected nan losing broadside successful his past quality for City successful a final. The skipper scrapped and fought. Silva did not person his champion crippled but nan 31-year-old has won almost everything astatine nine level and his desire was impressive. Chelsea, specified a young team, lacked nan know-how to get nan occupation done. They request to bring successful immoderate acquisition this summer. Guardiola, aft all, had a proven victor to bring connected for a weary Rodri. City were much judge of themselves pursuing nan preamble of Mateo Kovacic successful nan 65th minute. They soon led.

It was a superb goal; 1 of nan champion successful Cup last history. It had been a difficult day for Haaland. The striker had fewer sights of goal, is still to people astatine Wembley and did not person overmuch engagement successful wide play. But pinch Chelsea’s forwards short of decisiveness, Haaland showed them really to prehend nan inaugural successful a large game. He was live to nan possibilities erstwhile nan shot collapsed loose successful midfield. Rumbling forward, he ran connected to a walk from Silva and pulled a transverse backmost for Semenyo to people pinch a Kanu-esque backheel successful nan 72nd minute. What a skilful finish. What a signing. Semenyo was disconnected nan gait for agelong spells. The winger sent 1 changeable retired for a propulsion successful nan first half but he kept going and earned his reward. Chelsea, who concisely considered entering nan title to motion Semenyo from Bournemouth successful January, were breached astatine last. City tin look backmost connected £65m good spent. It was a extremity nan crippled did not deserve, but did Semenyo care? Not likely. He has already won 2 trophies since joining City and much will surely follow.