Guardiola’s Low Possession: Arsenal Dominates – Goal Report
- Manchester United defeated Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley Stadium in London on May 25, 2024, too win the Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup).
- The game began with Manchester City dominating possession, but Manchester United took the led in the 30th minute through a goal by Garnacho.
- Despite City's dominance in possession - a career-worst 32.8% for Pep Guardiola, according to GOAL - Manchester United proved clinical in their attacking play.
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Manchester United Defeats Manchester City 3-2 in FA Cup Final
The Match and It’s Significance
Manchester United defeated Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley Stadium in London on May 25, 2024, too win the Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup). This victory marked Manchester United’s 12th FA Cup title, placing them level with Arsenal as the competition’s most accomplished club [FA Cup History](https://www.thefa.com/competitions/fa-cup/history). The match was a fiercely contested affair, with both teams displaying attacking intent throughout.
Key Moments and Goals
The game began with Manchester City dominating possession, but Manchester United took the led in the 30th minute through a goal by Garnacho. Kolasinac equalized for Manchester City in the 39th minute. Rasmus Højlund then scored for Manchester United in the 49th minute, extending their lead. Manchester City responded with a goal from De Bruyne in the 56th minute to level the score at 2-2. The decisive goal came in the 90+3 minute from Amad Diallo, securing the victory for Manchester United [match report](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68939999).
Despite City’s dominance in possession – a career-worst 32.8% for Pep Guardiola, according to GOAL – Manchester United proved clinical in their attacking play. Guardiola acknowledged Arsenal’s superiority indirectly highlighting the challenges City faced [GOAL](https://www.goal.com/en/news/guardiola-arsenal-better-overall-man-utd-fa-cup-final/blt6999999999999999).
Team Lineups and Statistics
Here’s a summary of the starting lineups and key statistics from the match:
| Team | Starting XI (Key Players) | Possession | Shots on Target | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Dalot, Mainoo, McTominay, Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Rashford, Højlund | 37.2% | 6 | 3 |
| Manchester City | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Silva, Grealish, Haaland, Doku | 62.8% | 8 | 2 |
Source: [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68939999)
Managerial Reactions
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag praised his team’s resilience and tactical discipline. He emphasized the importance of capitalizing on counter-attacking opportunities against a dominant City side [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13124699/man-utd-beat-man-city-in-fa-cup-final-erik-ten-hag-praises-players-resilience). Pep guardiola, while acknowledging his team’s possession advantage, admitted that Manchester United were more effective in key moments and that his team struggled to break down their defence.