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Man Utd Triumph Over Man City To Claim FA Cup |
Erik ten Hag's position as manager seemed more secure as Manchester United delivered a stunning upset over Manchester City, clinching the FA Cup with a surprising 2-1 win in Saturday's final.
Despite rumors of Ten Hag's imminent dismissal after a challenging season, which he himself labeled as "terrible," the victory at Wembley may have altered the United board's perspective.
City, aiming for a consecutive Premier League and FA Cup double, were the clear favorites.
Nevertheless, Ten Hag's strategic prowess effectively countered Pep Guardiola's team, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scoring in the first half, setting United on a path to their first FA Cup win in eight years.
Jeremy Doku managed to score in the 87th minute, but Andre Onana's fumbled save meant it was too late for City.
In the Royal box, Ten Hag's celebration involved a kiss to the Cup as he lifted it high.
When questioned about his job security, he responded, "I don't know. I'm just focused on preparing my team. It's a project. I inherited a mess, but we've improved, though we're not yet where we aspire to be."
Guardiola conceded, "Kudos to United. It was a close match. These things happen. They scored two; we didn't score enough."
If Ten Hag's tenure concludes after two years, it would echo Louis van Gaal's exit from Old Trafford, who was let go shortly after United's FA Cup win over Crystal Palace in 2016.
Ten Hag might rather draw parallels with Alex Ferguson's pivotal 1990 FA Cup win, which initiated his legendary tenure amid earlier calls for his dismissal.
Ferguson watched as what was deemed Ten Hag's swan song transformed into a victory for the criticized Dutch coach.
United's shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, who oversees football operations, and co-owners Joel and Avie Glazer were present in the stands.
With connections to Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Gareth Southgate, Ratcliffe has much to consider after United's eighth-place finish in the Premier League—their worst since 1990—and an early Champions League exit.
Ten Hag attributes the season's difficulties to a spate of injuries and highlights the two trophies won in three cup finals as evidence of his capabilities with a healthy squad.
After ending United's six-year trophy drought with last year's League Cup win, Ten Hag has now redeemed their FA Cup final loss to City from the previous year, despite a 31-point gap behind the champions this season.
Reprieve Granted
United's FA Cup win secures a Europa League spot, sparing them from a season devoid of European competition for the first time since 2014-15.
They capitalized on a lackluster performance from City, whose double aspirations crumbled in their first domestic loss since a defeat at Aston Villa 171 days prior.
City had just celebrated their fourth consecutive Premier League title win.
However, Guardiola's squad seemed lethargic following their sixth championship celebration in seven years.
United, adopting a deep defensive stance with all players behind the ball, effectively contained City and seized the opportunity presented by a defensive error in the 30th minute.
Josko Gvardiol's hesitation allowed Diogo Dalot's long ball to bypass City's keeper Stefan Ortega, setting up Garnacho for an easy goal, much to Ten Hag's delight.
Shortly after, Mainoo capitalized on further defensive lapses from City.
Garnacho's unchecked progress down the right and Fernandes' precise pass allowed Mainoo to score from close range.
City intensified their efforts post-halftime, but Doku's late goal, despite Onana's mishandling, wasn't enough to overturn the result.
As the match neared its end, Ten Hag anxiously awaited in the sunlight to celebrate a win that might grant him a reprieve or mark his final act.
