Gündogan had taken the opening kick-off and his next touch was to send a searing volley into the top corner from outside the area. Surely, he cannot be allowed to leave on a free transfer? On the final day of last season’s Premier League, Gündogan had scored twice in the 3-2 comeback win that clinched the title against Aston Villa and he has been decisive on many other occasions. Kyle Walker had said a few weeks ago that, at this time of year, Gündogan turns into “prime Zidane”. Their journey under the Abu Dhabi United Group has attracted plenty of scrutiny but this is their time on the field, the role reversal with United reinforced some more at Wembley. Remember City’s slump in the 1990s? They were fighting to escape from League One when United did the treble. They were the better team here, as they have been all season. On this evidence, it will be a slim hope because City are just so convincing in all areas, so powerful.

United will have to hope that Internazionale can beat City in next Saturday’s Champions League final. Its legend is always there, always talked about at the club and to share it with City would not be easy to digest.

To have expected more in pre-season would have been too much and whatever happened here would not undo the overall sense of progress under Erik ten Hag.īut the treble matters enormously to United. It has been a very good season for them – the Carabao Cup won, a Champions League return secured via a third-placed league finish. That is surely what stings United the most. They did it under Sir Alex Ferguson, who was here to watch City advance on the single greatest element of his legacy. Photograph: Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty ImagesĪnd so Pep Guardiola and City move one step closer to the treble, the ultimate one – league, FA Cup, Champions League – which only United’s class of 99 have previously achieved. Ilkay Gündogan opens the scoring for Manchester City within 13 seconds – the fastest goal in FA Cup final history.

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