This was history after all, the completion of the first domestic treble in English football, and yet something else felt more significant: that even an FA Cup final with all its supposed magical imponderables could fall so utterly under the dominance of Pep Guardiola’s team.
It was not a Cup final in any aspect but the name, barely a moment of it ever imbued with uncertainty or risk as far as City were concerned, rather it was just like any routine home win at the Etihad Stadium over the course of this season. One in which the away team dig in valiantly, do their best to execute a sensible plan of containment while accepting that this is only really a way of delaying the inevitable outcome.
The scoreline equalled the record for the biggest margin of victory in an FA Cup final that has stood since 1903 when Edward VII was on the throne, the Wright brothers first got a plane in the sky and Bury beat Derby County by the same score at the old Crystal Palace stadium. City’s win felt like a walkover from another century, a schoolboy thrashing, the polar opposite of a Cup shock.
This was the 51st domestic fixture or cup tie for City, and of those they have lost just four, the last at St James’ Park on Jan 29. They have scored 26 goals in the FA Cup alone, the most by any team since 1946. Watford were never the lead candidates to beat them in an FA Cup final, although you might have been able to kid yourself as the hopeful crowds thronged Wembley Way that such an outcome was not implausible. Then the game started and it was evident that the difference in what both teams was capable of doing, even on a day like this, was simply enormous.
Perhaps the idea of this City team, a side so hard to disrupt, has loomed too large the minds of their opponents this season that the notion of beating them is simply overwhelming. Javi Gracia looked a little shocked afterwards, composed and dignified in his response, but shocked nonetheless. In Copenhagen, readying himself for a concert that was impossible to cancel, Elton John will have been grateful for the small mercy of his own unavailability.
There was very nearly a hat-trick for Raheem Sterling, which would have been the first in an FA Cup final since Stan Mortensenscored three for Blackpool in 1953, before eventually the FA decided that City’s second goal should be credited to Gabriel Jesus. Yet even Guardiola admitted that this had been a long way from Sterling’s best performance of the season, in the first half at least, but after that it was all a bit of a blur for Watford.
In the end, the jaw-dropping one-sidedness of this match stood as a monument for the season in which, in English domestic football at least, City were unstoppable. For a while at least Watford had done everything right, or at least everything one can expect to do right when your possession count is down to 27 per cent and you are trying to stop the great threshing machine of English football. And then it really started to go wrong.
For the first 35 minutes, Gracia’s team stayed in the classic edge-of-the-area low-block that just about engaged City when they got into shooting range. Mostly they showed Guardiola’s side down the right wing where Riyad Mahrez had a lot more of the ball than his counterpart on the left, Sterling, and was well controlled by Jose Holebas, with the help of Roberto Pereyra.
Might it have been different if Pereyra had taken Watford’s best chance on 14 minutes? Gracia said something about it in passing later although it felt a little wishful. The Watford coach’s point was that you really have to take your chances in those moments to have any hope at all. Abdoulaye Doucoure sprung the trap on 14 minutes and Pereyra had just Ederson to beat. But the man who is arguably the Premier League’s best goalkeeper came out at speed and seized the initiative from the Watford attacker whose shot hit Ederson’s legs.
Guardiola said later that his team were short on energy, although both their first two goals involved the rapid turnover of possession followed by the counterattack. Just before then, Doucoure had an appeal for a handball against Vincent Kompany that referee Kevin Friend waved away. The ball did strike Kompany’s right hand, and the slow-motion did suggest that it was in an unnatural position but it was hard to argue it was deliberate.
Then came the first goal, the ball originally lost in midfield by Doucoure who showed too much of it to the tenacious Bernardo. It went to the back post, was half cleared and came back via the head of Sterling. In the moment that it dropped to David Silva he seemed to push Kiko Femenia in the back before hitting his shot beyond Heurelho Gomes.
Even at that point all was not lost for Watford but they seemed to shrink, and the domination of the ball by City in the next 15 minutes must have felt overwhelming. Gomes made a mistake in coming for Bernardo’s back post ball with seven minutes of the first half to play. Gracia would later stand by his decision to select the Brazilian in his last game for the club rather than the first choice Ben Foster. “He deserved to play,” Gracia said. Jesus’ shot had crossed the line, it was later determined, before Sterling made sure of it.
Kevin De Bruyne came on for a disconsolate Mahrez before the hour and from then on it became a humiliation for Watford. The Belgian scored the third when Sterling and Jesus combined, De Bruyne sitting Gomes down before going past him and finishing. De Bruyne created a second for Jesus on 68 minutes and the floodgates opened. Sterling plundered two more in the last ten minutes as Watford cracked.
Five of the last six domestic trophies over the last two seasons have been won by Guardiola’s team now, a momentum that will be hard for anyone to stop. Against a team that has to attack, City are lethal and what was left of Watford’s confidence had drained away by the end. If was painful for Gracia’s team, overawed and overwhelmed by a much more powerful opponent, much like the rest of English football this season.
This is a thing now
WE
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 18, 2019
ARE
THE
FOURMIDABLES
🔵 #mancity 🏆🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/xBwgNUd2vC
This Man City side is one of the best teams I've ever seen. They don't have players as good as Pep's Barcelona but as a unit they are astonishing.
Good news for Man Utd fans
A small aside, but City's FA Cup triumph means United enter the Europa League in the group stage, as opposed to the second qualifying round on July 25 had Watford won
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) May 18, 2019
Pep Guardiola
I saw the FA Cup on TV, I know both teams, the people, of course it was incredible final for us, but we finish an incredible year for us. For Man City congratulations, to the players who are why we won these titles.
It's quite similar to Champions League, Ederson, you know, these saves, they defend really well but with the third goal the game was over.
It's good. They have not done before in this country it's the first time. We were the first.
Always you can improve.
Kevin De Bruyne
I think this week was more relaxed after the pressure we have. The first half was a little bit edgy but with the two goal advantage we played great.
It feels a little bit of an honour. After the Tottenham injury mentally I was done - five injuries in a year is a lot. I feel blessed I could end the season this way.
Man City players react
Vincent Kompany
The two goals helped us. The second half they had to come and press, it opened up the game for us and made it more achieveable to create chances. It wasn't as easy as the score makes it look.
Raheem Sterling
Is the first goal yours?
I don't have a scooby doo. Kevin came on and did absolute madness. Growing up here seeing this stadium built, it's a massive dream come true.
VK:
It's the best team in the world.
RS:
It just shows what the manager's building here, he said let's get the mentality right, credit to the boys being mentally switched on, everyone on their A-game all the way through.
GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!
AND THAT'S SIX. It's mental. They're on a different planet.
Raheem Sterling gets his hat-trick and Pep Guardiola looks embarrassed on the bench at how easily his side is battering Watford. Gomes gets to the shot from Sterling, pushes it onto the post and it bounces back to Sterling, exactly where he's standing for a tap-in.
85 mins - Man City 5 Watford 0
Watford fans have started waving their flags around, presumably in an act of defiance against the game of football their team is being thoroughly pumped in. It's a #touchofclass moment, something that will be described as a scene you'd only get from Watford fans. They may not have won the game but they've won the hearts and minds of... their own fans. Meanwhile, City are carving the carcass of this match open. Bernardo should make it six but a last second block puts the ball over.
76 mins - Man City 4 Watford 0
Gray has space on the right and fires an early ball ahead of Deeney, who looks dejected as he realises he's never getting there and that Watford probably aren't going to win the FA Cup this season.
Capoue smashes a volley into the upper seating of the Wembley stands. Watford fans look like they're considering bailing and considering how long it takes to get out of the stadium and onto a tube, you can't say it's a bad idea.
73 mins - Man City 4 Watford 0
To make matters worse, Watford are about to bring on Tom Cleverly to pass sideways for the remaining 20 minutes.
City decide to take the p*** by taking Gundogan off and putting Leroy Sane on. Can you imagine how happy the exhausted Watford backline are to see Sane jog on the pitch?
71 mins - Man City 4 Watford 0
Kompany is pictured saying "harsh" to Deeney as the teams set up again and oh my god Man City are in AGAIN! Bernardo dribbles past about three players and De Bruyne - who is playing as though on an upwards arrow in Pro Evo - misses a relatively easy chance to score with a bending shot to the corner.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLL!!!!
JESUS MAKES IT FOUR!
Man City 4 (Jesus 68') Watford 0
Watford are being pulled apart, they're nowhere near it today. That move started from a throw-in, Laporte chucked it forward, Jesus won the header and then ran in behind to collect the one-two reverse. Jesus stays cool as Gomes faces up to him and stutters before slotting the ball underneath the goalie.
68 mins - Man City 3 Watford 0
7 - Gabriel Jesus (seven) has had a direct hand in the joint-most goals in the FA Cup in 2018-19, scoring three times, while laying on a further four assists (along with Wolves' Matt Doherty). Vindication. #MCIWAT #facupfinal pic.twitter.com/ONN0VXClYw
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 18, 2019
Watford have had the ball the entire time since those subs came on but as I type that, City start passing out from the back after a throw. And now Jesus is in!
66 mins - Man City 3 Watford 0
De Bruyne runs and runs and runs to chase Watford players in their own box then out to the corner flag and it's just impossible for Watford to escape this Man City press. Blue Moon is yelled from the stands by the Man City fans.
Deulofeu comes off to be replaced by Andre Gray, Pereyra goes off for Success. If this were Football Manager Deuloefu would be on a 6.7 and Pereyra a 6.1.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
KEVIN DE BRUYNE MAKES IT THREE!
Man City 3 (De Bruyne 61') Watford 0
Watford are punished for trying to push for goals and City are clinical. Sterling works hard to steal the ball and knock it forward, Jesus wins the battle at halfway, City then have a two vs one and KDB rounds Gomes to pass into an empty net. City are surely clear now.
60 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Silva's slipped! Hughes can run away with it! Silva knows and grabs his legs in the most blatant yellow card infringement you will ever see. How is he possibly thinking he'd get away with that one? Watford have a free-kick, fake to hit it three times to disrupt City's high line... and now City are in! THEY'RE AWAY!
58 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Bernardo is now on the right wing, which means Holebas has to deal with him running at speed at and across his position.
De Bruyne has space to cross from wide and forces a corner as Cathcart clears. Gundogan comes to take, goes far post and Laporte heads back across. Gomes is stood still - is this going to drop in?!?! Wide. Gomes had his angles covered. I think.
56 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Watford keep the ball as City clear a corner, Deeney shows great strength and balance to hold off defenders and keep the move going. The full-backs get forward too and City have to defend as Watford keep the ball in the final third. Eventually the referee gives a free-kick to City as Doucoure bumps into a defender.
Mahrez comes off to be replaced by De Bruyne and I think that's directly because Gracia has figured out how to nullify Mahrez's input. If Watford have more of the ball, Maherz doesn't offer enough power or defensive workrate.
53 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Watford building play on the wings, getting higher up the pitch than they did in the first half. There's more energy and determination in the team now, Deulofeu is on his game too and darting between players so quickly they can't tackle him. Pereyra wastes another chance to shoot, passing inside instead, ruining the move. He needs to start shooting - that's about the third time he's passed rather than have a dig. Watford have the momentum!
50 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Watford are coming at Man City. Deulofeu works some trickery on the right but City block, Watford come forward again but can't find the final pass they need and City are then able to come forward. Holebas gets an arm in the face from Mahrez and goes down... but is actually fine.
48 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Watford press a little higher up the pitch and it nearly works straight away! Doucoure is in position to win the ball, Pereyra has a chance to shoot but looks to set up a teammate instead and the chance is gone.
Now City are away. Sterling effortlessly breezes past the midfield with a turn and run into space. Jesus takes on Mariappa, is forced wide and shoots low! Saved by Gomes' knees. Corner.
Stats on Sterling
39 - Raheem Sterling has been directly involved in 39 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions this season (24 goals, 15 assists), a figure bettered only by Sergio Aguero among Premier League players (42). Pinched. #MCIWAT #facupfinal pic.twitter.com/KKeXGKqTwy
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 18, 2019
What Watford can do
Big problems:
- Mahrez is always in space on the right
- Zinchenko is now getting so high up the pitch he's a winger
- Gundogan keeps winning the ball back thanks to City's high press
- Deeney and his forward friends are knackered already
- Gomes thinks this is a movie
Things they can do to fix this
- Change shape to a 4-1-4-1/4-5-1 and have the left midfielder support Holebas
- Kick him, exploit space in behind with an actual winger
- Play incredibly brave, high-risk passing football at the back to stop launching the ball
- Get City off the ball and keep it for a while
- Ask him to stop
Still not sure whose goal it was
Love that Sterling stole that goal off Jesus, seems so wickedly selfish.
Interestingly, Shearer, Wright and Lineker have all admitted they'd have done the same thing. I'd like to think I wouldn't for fear of other people thinking I'm a Bad Person. You might not just make Jesus angry, you might make him sad.
45 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Femenia gets a shot on goal and wins a corner for Watford. Deeney looks absolutely goosed already from chasing shadows all half but he's getting ready to smash his head through the ball curled in. Holebas will take... Ederson slaps it away and City clear. Watford are well placed to win the ball back, work it wide... and now City are on the break! Holebas chases and tackles and that's that.
44 mins - Man City 2 Watford 0
Zinchenko gets so far forward he's the left winger and then inside the box... and as Watford try to break, City squeeze the shape and win possession back immediately.
It's all City. Gundogan is tuned into the matrix in this game and seems to know exactly where and when the ball is going to bounce when Watford clear it.
GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
IT'S 2-0! But who has scored it?
Man City 2 (Sterling 38') Watford 0
The ball is crossed from the right of centre by Bernardo - and the pass is amazing - Gomes comes off his line to close it down, Jesus tucks the ball past him and it's in. But Sterling smashes the ball hard into the net to make sure. I'm not sure the ball was over the line before Sterling struck that. I'm going to give it to Sterling.
37 mins - Man City 1 Watford 0
Zinchenko lines up a shot from 25 yards, it takes a deflection off Mariappa and is another corner. And then another corner. City have had eight of the things so far.
Watford head that away, again, and Silva nearly threads Gundogan into the six yard box with a brilliant pass.
29 mins - Man City 1 Watford 0
City are straight back on the attack. Watford need to defend very well for the next few minutes because momentum has swung and now City have another corner. Gundogan will take it.
It goes far post, Gomes punches (of course he does) and Mahrez ends up bending a shot wide when he had the Big Lads in the box to cross to.
GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
DAVID SILVA SCORES!
Man City 1 (Silva 26') Watford 0
Ederson comes four miles off his line to intercept a long pass forward, Bernardo steals the ball from Capoue in midfield, Sterling heads the ball on and Silva is onside. He hits a volley exactly like Iniesta's World Cup winner to push the ball into the bottom corner.
25 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Sterling does some great work on the left wing under pressure to keep the ball and move it around. Watford are getting everyone behind the ball but City are a little static and aren't making the runs needed to allow a forward pass. Jesus manages to get a shot at goal but it hits a defender and goes out for a corner.
Zinchenko's passing is a little ropey today and has given possession away cheaply a few times.
23 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Really nice passing and positioning from Watford as they move the ball around their own half to evade the Man City press. They're in City's half now, there's space! Pereyra goes down in the area, tucks back to Doucoure, who SHOOOOOTS and the ball hits Kompany and flies away. Watford players are raging and want a handball but it clearly isn't, since Kompany is turning his body away and can't really do much when the shot is fired from three yards away at him.
Doucoure protests so passionately he gets a yellow card.
Man City attack afterwards, a cross from the right goes to Sterling at the back post and Gomes flies to try and punch the ball, getting nowhere near it. Luckily for him, and Watford, Sterling can't turn the ball into an empty net afterwards.
18 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Sterling and Mahrez are staying so wide to stretch the pitch and Mahrez in particular is being left free because Pereyra isn't dropping back to help. Holebas can't sprint out to meet him too early or leave gaps and Mahrez is just always available and able to get low crosses into the box. Watford are blocking everything at the moment but at some point Mahrez is setting up a goal if that doesn't stop.
15 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
City have Watford defending all in their own box and unable to break away. Every time they get the ball it goes forward, which makes sense since City have so many players forward. Deeney is fouled as Watford break, Deulofeu looks to be away, then is tackled, then gets away - but as he was tackled the referee pulled the foul back, enraging Watford players. Nothing comes from the free-kick and City are back on the ball again.
12 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Mahrez is in down the right, fires a low cross to the near post after a stepover and Cathcart blocks again. That's about three times Watford have had to defend that post.
And suddenly Watford are away! A loose pass, Sterling can't chase it back as Zinchenko passes straight to Watford. They fly forward, the ball is fired into Pereyra in space and he only has Ederson to beat! He gives him the eyes to shoot right, tucks it left and EDERSON SAVES! Massive opportunity.
8 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Walker and Bernardo link on the right but Silva can't flick a near post cross on to anyone and Gomes gathers. Watford are finding space wide when the full-backs charge up the pitch, Deeney is going for every high ball.
Man City come forward, Watford go to their 4-4-2 shape and Bernardo runs in behind! He gets to the box and cuts it back to Jesus inside the area! Big chance! Watford block and get it away.
5 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Laporte tries to do a Kompany from 30 yards but blasts over the bar and sends the ball into the crowd. Watford are sending passes long from the goalkeeper and chasing the second ball and although they've started quite well, City seem to be able to kill their attacks fairly easily.
3 mins - Man City 0 Watford 0
Gundogan puts his hand on his head to signal the corner, it's fired in and a shot from just outside the box lands at the feet of another City player! Watford block and try to counter but City calmly win back possession and pass the ball around before moving up the pitch again.
A loose pass from Gundogan nearly lets Watford run away again but he has to just keep the ball and eventually it's launched towards Ederson.
Pep Guardiola in the tunnel
Wearing his grey jumper. I like that Guardiola is basically a cartoon character, never changing what he wears when we see him. Means you can picture him exactly in all sorts of situations.
And here come the players! And boy they've spent some money on the fireworks. Explosions and fire and colour everywhere in Wembley as the players step out onto the pitch.
This shirt
😅 Sticking up for El Mago. 🇪🇸🎩
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) May 18, 2019
[via @mancitysmith] pic.twitter.com/caHLyOdsQS
How Watford play
Watford want to do damage today. In the games they lost to Man City they played a 4-5-1/4-2-3-1 and offered nothing but a physical battle. With two strikers upfront they can cause panic in the Man City box.
The wide midfielders move into central attacking positions (but also run into channels). The full-backs overlap but underlap if the midfielder or striker moves out wide. The defensive midfielders form a box with the centre-backs.
Javi Gracia says today is a sad day
... Because he has to leave some players out of the team. One of those players is Ben Foster, who is the substitute goalkeeper today, replaced by Heurelho Gomes.
Meanwhile, Gomes is the subject of an interview on the BBC and says Craig Cathcart is the 'funnest' guy at the club, Will Hughes is his favourite player, Roberto Pereyra is the masterclass player, and says that Gomes is "not talented, but I am blessed. I got more than I asked for and more than I deserved."
Seems like a lovely guy. I like him. Foster should be in goal though.
Vinnie Kompany pre-match words
Watford are a big physical side that can mix it up but they've got quality to hit you on the break and play out from the back. I'm not going to give everything away but I think we have a few tools at our disposal and I hope we make use of it.
It would be an exceptional achievement. We have to be a little bit steady, Watford has over achieved this season, this won't be an easy game.
Fancy a ping from 30 yards again?
I might. I just might.
The teams
The teams are in! And Man City are normal!
Your City line-up for the #FACupFinal! 🏆
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 18, 2019
XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Laporte, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Silva, Mahrez, Bernardo, Sterling, Jesus
Subs | Muric, Danilo, Stones, Aguero, De Bruyne, Sané, Otamendi
🔵 @haysworldwide #mancity pic.twitter.com/X6eSjOpnsC
🏆 FA CUP FINAL TEAM NEWS 🏆#ImagineIf these players became heroes today 🙏 pic.twitter.com/d3geZcZb4A
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) May 18, 2019
The Alan Shearer bantz
Gary Lineker and pals are at it again, ridiculing Alan Shearer for never winning the FA Cup. Joining in today are those in charge of the screens at Wembley, who earlier flashed the words
"Alan Shearer has never won the FA Cup" on the massive TVs. The most astonishing thing about this is the joke hasn't really worn thin, it is actually quite funny. Shearer came close of course, losing finals against Man Utd and Arsenal.
The best 30 players in the league this season
Sure enough this is the FA Cup final but it's competed by two Premier League teams so this 30 best players of the season list I've done is relevant. Troy Deeney very nearly made it in, so did Abdoulaye Doucoure - who is one of the better midfielders in the league - but naturally a heap of Man City players made it in. Feel free to @ me and tell me what I got wrong on @jj_bull over on Twitter.
The article also includes these great Pro Evo style player radars. As an example, here's Bernardo Silva:
A Premium subscription to Telegraph Sport is £1 a week. Netflix is like £8 a month, so if you like reading about football it's pretty good. There's a 30 days free trial you can do too and cancel at any time.
The players are checking out the pitch
I can't say for sure since I'm not a Premier League footballer but the glamour and shine of playing at Wembley in a final is somewhat blurred when you've been playing Spurs there the last two seasons in a row.
Watford players are currently having a little wander around the turf though, some fans are also in the stands nice and early to soak in the atmosphere of the nearly empty stadium.
Pep's thinking today
I've been thinking that the most surprising thing Pep Guardiola could do today is name a totally normal starting XI. He has a tendency to switch things around and try to surprise opponents in the big games to the point that even if the team sheet reads as a 4-3-3, it could well end up being something mental like a 2-1-3-1-2-1 with Raheem Sterling as inverted goalkeeper and Ederson a false centre-back.
If you're in a nostalgic mood
19th May 1984 the last time Watford were in the FA Cup Final - this was BBC One's schedule that day (thanks to BBC Genome)
— UK Christmas TV (@UKChristmasTV) 18 May 2019
This is how you do FA Cup Final Day!#FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/lVMWBkmTSs
Goodbye Gomes
Like many teams, Watford are sticking with their second-choice goalkeeper (or cup goalkeeper, to put a positive sheen on it) right the way through to the final.
Today will be Heurelho Gomes' final game for Watford, and he is much loved by the fans. Premier League first-choice Ben Foster is on record as saying he would refuse to play were he offered the start, purely out of respect to Gomes and his service to the club. Which is pretty classy.
The coach does open himself up for criticism by pursuing this slightly sentimental policy, though. There will always be that nagging sense of 'what if' should the stand in goalkeeper make a mistake and there will always be fans in the 'PLAY YOUR STRONGEST TEAM' camp.
Those fans do not have to manage 25 professional athletes through a season however, and Gracia would look pretty grubby were he to break a promise. And that could lead the rest of the players to lose respect for him. It's a tricky one.
Some good ones in here...
All 20 of our goals en route to the #FACup Final! 🏆
— Manchester City (@ManCity) 17 May 2019
🔵 #mancity pic.twitter.com/HXQEQIkG6z
Where the game will be won and lost
My colleague JJ Bull's tactical preview is well worth your time, particularly on how Watford make a version of 4-4-2 work in the modern game.
Here's a taster:
Unlike older versions of the 4-4-2, Watford don’t rely on wingers to hit crosses into the box. Instead, their width comes from full-backs - Jose Holebas has six league assists (second most at the club) from left-back - as the wide midfielders move to advanced central positions to attack in a 4-2-2-2. The defensive pair form a box with the centre-backs, covering for the full-backs and bringing the ball forward when able.
Javi Gracia played with Arsenal coach Unai Emery in Spain and the pair remain good friends, and this is a system Emery has also used quite a bit with Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira sweeping up behind overlapping full-backs. Mauricio Pochettino has a similar coaching background and is close with Emery too, and there are threads of this approaching running through his Tottenham team. You wonder if they'll get together for a glass of wine at the end of the season to discuss, with salt and pepper shakers being moved around the table.
City will not have the public on their side today
There is a consensus that most fans preferred City winning the league to Liverpool, perhaps just to keep the 'Liverpool haven't won the league since 1990' gag going than any real animosity.
That will not be the case against underdogs Watford, though. I do wonder how long City can continue being the team nobody can bring themselves to dislike, particularly if their domestic dominance continues. If they were to win another domestic treble for example, I could envisage neutrals starting to turn against them. One to keep an eye on next season.
VAR is in action
The officials will be able to make full use of technology today, but is that a good or bad thing for Watford? There is weight to the argument that sub-conscious bias favours bigger teams who get the benefit of the doubt, and that the smaller team cannot recover from bad decisions so easily. That said, City will dominate territory and provoke more penalty area incidents so it's not a black and white issue. Personally, I hope we get to the full-time whistle without mentioning it.
This is quite nicely done
A bit of a tear-jerker for Watford fans one imagines. If only because they see Andy Gray's cup final winner again..
Let's make history, together 💛#ImagineIf pic.twitter.com/k5MGVrKYB4
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) 18 May 2019
Bring out the bunting, it's Cup final day
The FA Cup final is no longer the game that stops the nation, but history beckons for Manchester City who can complete an unprecedented domestic treble if they see off a canny and abrasive Watford team at Wembley.
It's been a curious old six days since City clinched the league title at Brighton last Sunday, with some dubious chants from their players on the flight home, the looming threat of Uefa sanction for breaking Financial Fair Play rules and Pep Guardiola's continued insistence that everyone wanted Liverpool to pip them.
These episodes are unlikely to distract City's players, but today's match has seen little attention.
Watford have a reputation for giving the big clubs a hard time, but since Guardiola's arrival they have lost all six league games against City. That run includes chastening 5-0 and 6-0 defeats at Vicarage Road.
There may be more solace to be found in FA Cup history though, with (a very different) City squandering the 2013 final against Wigan Athletic in Roberto Mancini's final game.
Arsenal were heavy favourites against Hull City the year after, but found themselves two down in eight minutes only to turn things around with an eventual extra-time winner. Man Utd also fell behind against Crystal Palace in 2017, Chelsea only won 1-0 against Portsmouth in 2010 while Liverpool needed extra time against West Ham in 2006 after a 3-3 draw in 90 minutes. These days are rarely straightforward, with Arsenal against Aston Villa in 2015 and United against Millwall in 2004 the only genuine pastings.
The decision for astute Watford coach Javi Garcia is whether to try and batter the door down with Troy Deeney and Andre Gray as a front two or introduce the trickery and speed of semi-final hero Gerard Deulofeu. I struggle to see him starting all three against City, but you never know.
Guardiola tried something different at Brighton only to revert to City's trusty 4-3-3 after 20 minutes or so. I would expect to see Bernardo Silva and Raheem Sterling either side of Sergio Aguero. Watford are quite physical and press-y in central midfield so Guardiola will not want to take liberties. It's not yet known if Fernandinho will make it, but we should get full team news at around 4pm.