2023 FA Cup final: How City and United got to Wembley
FA Cup shocks

2023 FA Cup final: How City and United got to Wembley

Manchester City face arch-rivals Manchester United in the 2023 FA Cup final on Saturday.

We have already made our Man City vs Man Utd predictions but ahead of the big showdown at Wembley, we also look at the route to the final for both teams.

Third round

Man City 4 Chelsea 0

City sailed through with surprising ease as Chelsea put up little resistance at the Etihad Stadium just three days after a hard-fought Premier League clash between the sides at Stamford Bridge.

A superb Riyad Mahrez free-kick, a Julian Alvarez penalty and a Phil Foden effort effectively wrapped up the contest in the first half. Mahrez completed the scoring from the spot late on.

Man Utd 3 Everton 1

In-form Marcus Rashford scored his fifth goal in as many games after creating two others as Erik ten Hag’s men cruised to victory.

The forward set up Antony’s early opener before seeing a second-half cross turned into his own net by Conor Coady, scorer of Everton’s equaliser.

Then in stoppage time Rashford kept his scoring run going by sending Jordan Pickford the wrong way from the penalty spot after Ben Godfrey fouled Alejandro Garnacho.

Fourth round

Man City 1 Arsenal 0

City edged a tight and entertaining game that lived up to its pre-match billing as a heavyweight contest.

A tidy finish from defender Nathan Ake, placing a shot into the bottom corner after good work from Jack Grealish, settled the tie in the 64th minute.

Man Utd 3 Reading 1

Casemiro scored a magnificent brace before Fred flicked home audaciously as United’s Brazilian stars sparkled.

The hosts initially made hard work of the straightforward assignment against Championship opposition, but second-half samba magic in the Manchester rain sealed victory on a night when Amadou Mbengue grabbed Reading a consolation after Andy Carroll was sent off.

Fifth round

Bristol City 0 Man City 3

Foden struck twice as City saw off their Championship hosts with little alarm.

The England midfielder opened the scoring after seven minutes when he turned home a low Mahrez ball at the back post and made victory certain with a deflected effort after the break.

Kevin De Bruyne added a brilliant third with a low curling shot from outside the area.

Man Utd 3 West Ham 1

Teenage star Garnacho inspired United to a late comeback win as Ten Hag’s men sealed progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals three days on from their Carabao Cup triumph.

United looked set to be brought back down to earth with a bump after Said Benrahma put the Hammers into a deserved lead, only for Nayef Aguerd’s 77th-minute own goal to spark an impressive turnaround.

Garnacho’s superb 90th-minute effort followed, before a stoppage-time strike by Fred.

Quarter-finals

Man City 6 Burnley 0

City gave their former captain Vincent Kompany a hero’s reception on his return to the Etihad – but showed his Championship-leading side little mercy on the field.

The prolific Erling Haaland, who had smashed five past RB Leipzig just days earlier, helped himself to a hat-trick as the Clarets were put to the sword.

Alvarez weighed in with a double and Cole Palmer also got on the scoresheet in the rout.

Man Utd 3 Fulham 1

United punished five minutes of madness from Fulham as they came from behind to progress to the semi-finals.

Marco Silva’s men were full value for the lead that Aleksandar Mitrovic gave them five minutes into the second half, but the wheels came off with around 20 minutes left.

Silva, Willian and Mitrovic were all sent off in quick succession, with Bruno Fernandes levelling from the resulting penalty.

Marcel Sabitzer flicked home to put United ahead, before Fernandes lashed in another in stoppage time.

Semi-finals

Man City 3 Sheff Utd 0

Another promotion-challenging Championship side failed to lay a glove on City as Guardiola’s men booked a return to the final for the first time in four years after three successive semi-final defeats.

Mahrez took centre stage by scoring the first FA Cup semi-final hat-trick since 1958 and the first at Wembley.

The Blades were made to rue missing a gilt-edged early chance through Iliman Ndiaye as Mahrez grabbed his first from the spot, ran through the defence for a fine solo second and swept in to complete his treble.

Man Utd 0 Brighton 0 – United win 7-6 on pens

United set-up an all-Manchester 2023 FA Cup final against rivals City after Solly March’s spot-kick miss saw Brighton suffer semi-final shoot-out heartache.

In-form Albion made Ten Hag’s team sweat as the south-coast club sought to reach just their second FA Cup final, with the semi-final ending 0-0 after 120 minutes at Wembley.

The first 12 penalties of the shoot-out found the net before Albion favourite March blazed over, allowing Victor Lindelof to secure a 7-6 win.

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