Thoughts, hopes and grievances ahead of the 2024 FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Manchester City.
The FA Cup final is hours away, and emotions are high. Let’s take a temperature check on the situation heading into the final..
Nothing to lose and everything to lose for Manchester United
Last season when Manchester United lost the 2023 FA Cup Final I was gutted. Perhaps with clear feelings of bias, I’d gone into that final fully believing we would win.
Erik ten Hag‘s side were on a roll, having won the Carabao Cup Final, and had defeated City months earlier at Old Trafford.
We could do it again, right? After around 20 seconds, it began to unravel. United were level by half-time, but once City took the lead in the second half, it felt like the game was over.
This year in 2024, there will be obvious disappointment if we lose the final. But will it leave me feeling the same way as a year ago? Probably not.
The difference this time around is that there is no false pretense we are on equal footing to City. United are the clear underdogs, having finished a dismal eighth in the league.
If we lose, it will not come as any kind of surprise. It’ll be disappointing, sure, but it won’t be a shock to the system.
Hopes for the game are exactly that, ‘hope’, rather than expectations. With all that said, I do believe Manchester United can win.
It’s a final, a derby, a one-off game. There are matchwinners in the Manchester United squad, experienced winners, all with a major point to prove.
You could say United have nothing to lose, but that wouldn’t be quite true.
United have everything to lose. The entire season depends on this one match. Win the trophy, and the campaign takes on a different spin entirely.
All that matters when you look back on 2015/16 is the FA Cup win. Time will eventually be kind to 2023/24 if we can sign it off by winning at Wembley again.
United’s players have got everything riding on this game. Does it matter to City’s players? That extra motivation could help give Erik ten Hag’s side an edge.
FA Cup win would be far more important than whatever happens with Erik ten Hag’s future
It’s been crazy over the last couple of days now relentless the media has been with regard to coverage of Erik ten Hag’s future.
I know it is clearly an important issue, but right now it is a secondary issue. What matters is the FA Cup Final.
Here on United In Focus we have made a deliberate effort not to cover every little snippet of gossip on Erik ten Hag’s future. It’s just not helpful right now, or frankly, what anyone wants to hear, when there is the excitement of a cup final to look forward to.
The mainstream media don’t care so much. The way the coverage has been, the Cup Final feels like it is an unwelcome distraction, second fiddle, while they wait with their pitchforks hoping for a manager sacking.
As far as I’m concerned, the Ten Hag debate will run its course. Ineos have likely already made their mind up one way or another.
And he can’t win. Even if Ten Hag lifts the trophy, the media will be asking him questions about his future right away. Let the man enjoy it.
So let’s not distract from the reason Manchester United players play the game, the reason managers manage and why supporters support – to see the team win trophies.
Let the Ten Hag debate run next week. For now let us enjoy the Cup Final.