Manchester City won the Premier League title and will have the all-important UEFA Champions League final against Inter to tackle. One would think that maybe today’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium isn’t quite as important – but it is.To explain just how big of a game this is, we’ll have to go back to 1999. That year, Manchester United were the best team in the world. They won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League, proving themselves as the absolute leaders.Much of their reputation of the world’s royalty comes from that year. That is the time when they became a truly worldwide phenomenon. By contrast, their cross-city rivals were in a world of trouble.Manchester City had just missed out on automatic promotion from the third tier of English football, the one they sank into the previous season for the first time in their history. But there was hope.On this day 24 years ago, Manchester United won the treble. #MUFC 🏆 pic.twitter.com/khaf5DrX1u— UtdPlug (@UtdPlug) May 26, 2023 City were losing 2-0 against Gillingham at the old Wembley with just a couple of minutes to go. Their hopes of returning to the second tier were slim – but still alive.Guys called Kevin Horlock and Paul Dickov scored two of the most important goals in the club’s history to force extra time. City would go on to win on penalties and get promoted.At that point, they were joyful, but their fans knew they were not the best team in their city. United ruled supreme.1999 Second Division Playoff, approaching the 95th minute…Gillingham who had led 2-0 are desperately trying to hold on to a 2-1 lead over Manchester City to secure promotion to the First Division of the Football League….. pic.twitter.com/4UBs1jL6uP— When Football Was Better (@FootballInT80s) October 17, 2019 Nearly a quarter of a century later, Manchester City meet United at the new Wembley in the FA Cup final, knowing that just two wins stand between them and a legendary Treble of their own.hat’s why they are desperate to beat their rivals and put them in their place. Sir Alex Ferguson once labelled City “the noisy neighbours”. Now those neighbours have a chance to prove their supremacy.They are the best in the country – but they still haven’t convinced the world they are the best in Manchester.##NAJAVA_MECA_7298737##And while many United fans — and former players — say the Reds must win to prevent City from topping their 1999 achievement, their manager Erik Ten Hag says they only want to add to the Carabao Cup they lifted in February.”We want to win a cup, it is not about stopping them. We have a great opportunity. Wembley is probably the best stadium in the world and to be there in the cup final is really exciting.”Pep will give his trust to the backup goalie in the Wembley showdown with UnitedUnited’s France forward Anthony Martial will miss the final because of a hamstring injury, while Antony is a major doubt.The big news from the City camp is that Stefan Ortega will start in place of Brazil keeper Ederson. Manager Pep Guardiola said he had no fresh injuries and that Jack Grealish, who has not featured since 17 May, and Kevin de Bruyne, who missed the defeat by Brentford last Sunday, have trained.Raphael Varane is not focusing on Erling Haaland for the FA Cup final 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ZkhZ6LQG2H— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) June 2, 2023 City have reached the final without conceding a goal. They have scored 17 times in five matches. Erling Haaland has scored 52 league and cup goals for City since arriving from Borussia Dortmund 12 months ago.Guardiola’s side could win a Premier League and FA Cup double for the second time in their history, after 2018/19.”We are in the final of FA Cup and it is a pleasure to be here. Finals are about how you play in the moment, not what you’ve done in the past, but how you do individually as a team. The final is special. Manchester United are a different team to what we faced at the start of the season. They have improved and so has their quality.”Over a decade ago, you could call City the noisy neighbours. But today, they could finally become equal to United’s immortal 1999 team.FA CUP FINALSaturday17.00: (1.57) Man.City (4.30) Man.Utd. (6.50)***odds are subject to change
