’s heroics saw beat in the 2023 final – and they are now one game away from a historic treble.
’s Premier League champions won 2-1 as captain .
United were awarded a penalty following a VAR check for a handball from Jack Grealish and Bruno Fernandes slotted home to level it up after 33 minutes – marking the first goal City had conceded in the FA Cup this season.
But Gundogan restored the lead early in the second half and if City beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10 they will become the second English team in history to seal a treble, following United’s triumph in 1999.
The Wembley showdown – the first FA Cup final contested by the Manchester rivals – started dramatically as City scored straight after kick-off with the ball going back to goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, who played it long as Kevin De Bruyne knocked it to Gundogan, who unleashed a thunderbolt volley past David de Gea.
There were chances for Rodri, Erling Haaland and De Bruyne but United found themselves level as Fernandes scored a spot-kick as VAR spotted Grealish’s handball in the box as he contested an aerial ball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka, with his arm judged to have been in an unnatural position.
In the aftermath of United’s goal celebrations, Red Devils defender , and shortly after he got up and recovered, Guardiola’s side arguably should have been given a penalty for Fred’s foul on De Bruyne.
It stayed 1-1 at the break but Gundogan restored the lead six minutes after the restart with another volley – this time not making clean contact – but the spinning ball evaded bodies in the box and flew beyond De Gea after he saw it late.
De Bruyne tested De Gea with a low shot on the hour mark and Marcus Rashford fired just over the bar before City fans thought Gundogan had scored the first FA Cup final hat-trick in 70 years – but he was offside as it was correctly ruled out.
United substitute Alejandro Garnacho bended a shot just wide and made a positive impact after coming on – and Erik ten Hag’s side struck the crossbar in added time but it was not enough as City secured a 2-1 win to spark jubilant scenes at Wembley – as they now look towards the Champions League final.
