WeeklySA_AdminFA Cup: Wembley Way will once more see Pep Guardiola’s side carve out yet another notable slice of footballing history
By Sports Reporter
Manchester City are becoming well versed in making history as last weekend’s unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title attests.
That staggering achievement followed in the formidable boot trails of a host of equally unique feats carved out by the Club in recent seasons, ranging from the Centurions campaign of 2017/18, the Fourmidables feat of 2018/19 through to last year’s historic haul of the Big Five major trophies of Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
So, it perhaps should come as no surprise to learn that this weekend’s eagerly-awaited FA Cup final re-match against Manchester United – when Wembley Way will be transformed into the Mancunian Way once more – will see Pep Guardiola’s side help carve out yet another notable slice of footballing history.
For, somewhat remarkably given the FA Cup’s incredible back story – one that stretches all the way back to its inception in the 1871/72 campaign – this latest heavyweight derby encounter will mark the first time two English sides have ever met in back-to-back finals.
To date, the only time the same two teams have faced each other in consecutive finals was all the way back in 1885, when Blackburn Rovers beat Scottish side Queen’s Park 2-0.
In short, it was a long, long time ago! Equally incredible is the fact that having had to wait more than 150 years for the first all-Manchester cup final, the second should then arrive just 12 months later.
Given the storied history of both City and United, not to mention their respective periods of dominance within the game, it shows the magnitude – and rarity – of the occasion.
It’s also the first time that City have reached successive FA Cup finals in 68 years.
Given the huge and seismic contribution that Manchester – not just in footballing terms but as a city as a whole – has made to the world in terms of innovative firsts along with ground-breaking discoveries and achievements, it also feels somewhat fitting that City and United will become the first English sides to stage an FA Cup final instant repeat.
That’s just scratching at the surface – and hopefully the series of notable firsts doesn’t end there. Because City will kick-off on Saturday with another historic landmark firmly within the grasp.
Should Pep Guardiola’s side emulate our success of 2023 it would see City carve our name into the record books once more by becoming the first English side to record back-to-back domestic Doubles.
If City are able to achieve the feat it would surely represent the perfect way to round off what has been another season for the ages and provide another feather in Manchester’s cap – of the blue variety of course!
