No one could accuse the Manchester City players of not being gracious in defeat, from the guard of honour given to Manchester United’s Wembley heroes to Kyle Walker’s post-match praise of his international team-mate.
And talk about a breakout season.
From that marvellous performance on his first-team debut against Everton in November to his FA Cup final winner seven months on – with wonderful goals against Wolves and Liverpool in between – 2023/24 will always be remembered as the campaign which launched Kobbie Mainoo‘s career.
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect is that, at the age of just 19, these are the sort of displays we have come to expect from the teenager. Even Kyle Walker had to admit, following the first domestic cup final defeat of the Pep Guardiola era at the Etihad Stadium, that Manchester United have quite the player on their hands.
Manchester United beat City in FA Cup final
“Listen, what a talent!,” Walker said, via Hayters TV. “Hopefully he can take his form from that he’s shown this season breaking into the team, into the Euros this summer.”
It felt fitting that, after a season in which the teenagers have carried the Man United cause, it was Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo who ensured that Erik ten Hag has a winners’ medal to offset their disappointing league form.
Garnacho scored the opener – profiting from a bizarre City mix up – and then played a major role in Mainoo’s winner just nine minutes later with a trademark driving run from the right, the Argentine providing the ‘assist’ to Bruno Fernandes‘ assist.
“It is an incredible win,” Garnacho beamed to the BBC, hitting double figures in a season for the first time. “Nobody believed in us but this day with these fans is an incredible moment for us. We fought like it was the last game of our lives and we are very happy. The fans are incredible and we have to say thank you to them.
“Whether we lose or win they are always there, home games or away games and Wembley now. Kobbie is the best player in the squad and he’s also the youngest. What a player and we are also very good friends so I’m very happy for him.”
Garnacho and Mainoo score at Wembley
“It means absolutely everything,” adds matchwinner Mainoo, the boyhood United fan fulfilling a lifelong dream. “It’s been a tough season of ups and downs and recently all we’ve had to look forward to is this final. It’s so big to win it back after last year. I was in the stands watching then. It’s incredible.
“We knew we had to come together and the staff and players this week have been amazing. The preparation has been spot on. We’ve shown we can compete and we can win games, it’s such a big win on such a big stage.
“It’s been an incredible week after being picked in the EURO 2024 squad but right now I just want to concentrate on this, I can’t look too far ahead.”