Manchester sides set up mouth-watering derby final
It almost feels like the footballing gods are blessing us this season. I was just beginning to wrap my head around the idea of a Derby della Madonnia in this year’s Champions League semi-finals.
But now they have potentially topped that with the first ever Manchester derby in FA Cup final history. And how crucial it could prove to be. This may be United’s chance to derail City’s dreams of a treble.
This obviously has significant weight for the only club to ever achieve the feat. Guardiola’s machine breezed past Sheffield United with the ruthless efficiency that you would expect from them.
‘Striking Viking’ Erling Haaland looked happy to play second-fiddle to an absolutely inspired Riyad Mahrez. It was the perfect preparation ahead of their blockbuster league encounter with Arteta’s flagging Gunners.
United took a far more taxing route to the showpiece match. They had to rely on penalties to see off a stubbornly organized Brighton and Hove Albion. Brighton really bossed large parts of the game.
I’m sure United fans are desperate for their side to finally dominate a match from start to finish. At least they managed to iron out some of those shocking defensive frailties that popped up in Sevilla last week.
But their inability to control the ball for concerted periods of play is worrying. They are going to have to essentially do an Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and hit City on the counterattack. It doesn’t really fit into Ten Hag’s footballing DNA but it’s the only way I can see them taming this City juggernaut.
