Final Details are set

This year’s FA Cup Final, the 142nd edition of the oldest and most famous competition in world football, will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, June 3rd. For the first time in over a decade the match will kick off at the traditional time of 3pm, a decision sure to thrill the football purists.

How the Semi Finals played out

In the Semi-Finals, Manchester City comfortably beat Sheffield United 3-0, with a hat-trick for Riyad Mahrez – the first semi-final treble at Wembley, and the first in the last four of the competition since Alex Dawson for Manchester United in 1958. In this year’s other semi final, Manchester United rode their luck to beat Brighton in a penalty shoot out to book their place in the Wembley showcase.

With both teams looking likely to qualify for next years Champions League through their league performances, the Final will be a straight fight for a trophy, and bragging rights, rather than a route into Europe. City are hoping victory against their rivals will secure them their second domestic double, and possibly the chance of a remarkable treble if they also make it to the Champions League Final the following weekend. For United, it will cap off a generally good season, with a return to the kind of form which could see them becoming Premier League title contenders over the next few years.

A first for the FA Cup Final

Remarkably, given its long history, this will be the first time that the two Manchester giants, City and United, will contest an FA Cup Final, although they have played each other 9 times in the competition at an earlier stage.

The Manchester FA Cup Clashes throughout history

The first FA Cup meeting between Manchester United and Manchester City came at the semi-final stage in 1926, when City upset the odds to win 3-0 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield to reach the final, where they lost to Bolton. City were also relegated from the First Division that season.

In 1955 they were drawn together in the 4th Round at Maine Road, a match which City won 2-0 against Sir Matt Busby’s side. Their next meeting came at Old Trafford in 1970, when a double from Brian Kidd – who would go on to earn a great reputation as an assistant at both United and City – helped them to a 3-0 win.

In 2011, the sides met again in the semi-finals, Yaya Toure scoring the only goal of the game, a feat he would repeat in the Final against Stoke, as City took the FA Cup home for the first time since 1969.

United gained revenge the following year with a dramatic 3-2 victory at the Etihad, a game which saw United race into a 3-0 half time lead, Wayne Rooney scoring twice, plus an early red card for Vincent Kompany after a challenge on Nani. The game was also memorable as it saw the return to the United side of 37 year old Paul Scholes, who had come out of retirement.

A treat for both sides of Manchester

Whether you’re Red, Blue or neutral, this years final has the potential to be a classic Manchester Battle.

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