LONDON: Twenty-five years ago Manchester United were winning an historic treble while Manchester City were just about clawing their way out of the English football’s third tier.

On Saturday in the FA Cup final at Wembley, City will be looking to follow up their own treble last season with a double to underline just how far the pendulum has swung.

For the second season in succession, United stand in the way of City and another landmark triumph.

Only eight clubs in English history have won the English league title and FA Cup in the same season, United managing it three times during their pomp.

But no club has achieved the feat in successive seasons so City, who sealed an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row last weekend, have the opportunity to inflict yet another blow to the pride of their neighbours.

Last season United gave City a run for their money despite conceding a goal to Ilkay Gundogan inside 15 seconds, Erik Ten Hag’s side eventually losing 2-1.

United left Wembley still optimistic about the future despite that defeat 12 months ago because Ten Hag had ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup earlier in the season.

But the Red Devils return to north London shaken by a turbulent campaign that leaves the Dutchman fighting to save his job.

United finished eighth in the Premier League — their lowest final position since 1990 — and failed even to make it out of the Champions League group stage.

Ten Hag has blamed United’s woes on injuries, but that might not convince the club’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe to keep faith with him.

The Dutch coach reportedly caused friction among his squad after clashing with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, setting the tone for a series of embarrassing defeats against Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Fulham, Copenhagen and Galatasaray among others.

United only made it to the FA Cup final after blowing a three-goal lead and surviving a penalty shootout against second- tier Coventry City in a semi-final that underlined the flaws in Ten Hag’s erratic team.

Ten Hag’s hopes of staying at United into a third season would be improved if they can spoil City’s bid to become the first English club to win both the Premier League and FA Cup two years in a row.

“It’s all about trophies,” Ten Hag told reporters on Thursday. “We have a huge opportunity to win a trophy. In the last 10 years there have not been so many trophies at the club but we have the opportunity to win two in two years.”

The Dutchman declined to answer when he was asked if Saturday could be his final game in charge for United.

“I have nothing to say, I just focus on the job I have to do and that is win the game on Saturday and then we are in the project and keep going in the project,” he said.

“I came here to win trophies. Saturday I have the opportunity to achieve this and we earned this opportunity as a team. After every season you review it and see where you are in the project and what things may need to change. We spoke lately about it. There are players developing and values going up.”

United are seeking their first FA Cup triumph since 2016 when they beat Crystal Palace and could be boosted by the availability of midfielder Mason Mount.

But they will still start as huge underdogs and will need to produce the sort of display that sunk Liverpool in a quarter-final classic -- one of the few highlights in a season of mediocrity for the club.

Beaten in six of the past seven Manchester derbies, United must lift the Cup for the first time in eight years to avoid their first season without European action since 2014/15.

Ten Hag’s side have a tendency to save their best for top opposition, he pointed out.

“The FA Cup final, it’s a big event and we are there. Even in a season that is not in our way, we are there,” he said. “We know we have an opportunity. It won’t be easy but we must go for it. We have to believe it. We know often against good opposition we play our best football and that must be the same on Saturday.”

For City, Saturday’s clash will be tinged with regret. But for a penalty shootout defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals they could have arrived at Wembley with a consecutive treble very much on the cards.

That was the only blip in a relentless run which has seen them go unbeaten in open play since Dec 6.

Any United fan hoping Guardiola’s team might let their guard slip after the title celebrations will be sadly mistaken.

“FA Cup is FA Cup. Wembley, all our fans, going down to London. The players know it’s the last game of the season, the last effort,” Guardiola reporters on Friday.

“If history gives us a chance to do something not done before, try it... I didn’t speak about this specifically to the players. Playing for a win, a trophy, is enough... we are happy, satisfied. Saturday we will go for it with all we have.”

Guardiola said despite his team’s recent impressive record against United, he would not take them lightly.

“United is always United,” he said. “Of course in the Premier League, we have been better than them, we are more consistent than them.

“But one game, especially United this season against top six, important games, [they] always perform well so we spoke, the players feel it, the players know it — that will be a completely different game.”

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2024