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FA Cup final preview: More than bragging rights on the line as Manchester City and Manchester United face off

United will face the unenviable task of trying to keep Haaland quiet
United will face the unenviable task of trying to keep Haaland quiet

It's Saturday, 22 May 1999 and Roy Keane is leading Manchester United out at the old Wembley.

On the line, not just potential FA Cup glory, but the second leg in what the red half of Manchester hope will be a historic treble with Bayern Munich looming in the Champions League final on the Wednesday.

Everyone remembers how both those finals turned out.

Meanwhile, the blue half of town had more modest ambitions.

Manchester City's FA Cup journey had ended in the third round after a 1-0 defeat to the original Wimbledon.

Not a surprise really considering the nadir they had found themselves in. Four days after United's fairytale Champions League triumph, City had a crucial play-off final that could lift them back to the second tier of English football.

And that showpiece had some parallels with United's late show at the Nou Camp, with two stoppage-time goals by Kevin Horlock and Paul Dickov snatching a 2-2 draw against Gillingham that would force extra-time and an eventual penalty shootout win.

Twenty-four years on and it's Man City who are in the position United occupied, two final wins away from a treble of their own.

And while Inter Milan will stand in the Sky Blues' way next Saturday in a Champions League final that will be live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, Man United will be motivated to deny their neighbours when the FA Cup final kicks off at 3pm.

But the momentum is with Pep Guardiola's juggernaut, having outlasted Arsenal in the Premier League title race and they have the most potent striker in the world right now.

Not that Erling Haaland is taking this pivotal week for granted.

"It would be unreal to make this history. This is why they bought me of course, to get this, we don't have to hide that," the Norwegian, who has plundered 52 goals in 51 games in all competitions this season, told BBC Sport this week.

"It would mean everything. I will do everything I possibly can to try to make it happen. It's my biggest dream and hopefully dreams do come true."

"But as well it's not easy. It's two finals against two good teams that will do everything they can to try to destroy that."

He is the spearhead of a side that has coalesced around a 3-2-4-1 formation, centre-back John Stones stepping into midfield alongside the physically imposing Rodri and allowing Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan to play close to Haaland.

Guardiola and Ten Hag have more than bragging rights on the line

But it's not just the control and perennial threat in possession that will worry United but the way in which City press, exemplified in the thrashings of Arsenal and Real Madrid on decisive nights.

Those opponents were suffocated and pinned into their own halves in early barrages of pressure and Erik Ten Hag will know his side will have to weather storms aplenty on an otherwise sunny and hot afternoon in the wide expanses of Wembley.

On top of longer-term absences for Lisandro Martinez, Donny van de Beek and Marcel Sabitzer, the build-up has not been ideal on the injury front with the Anthonys affected. Anthony Martial is ruled out after sustaining a hamstring issue, while Brazilian winger Antony is "unlikely" to be able to make it according to his manager.

While the general narrative from outside is about United stopping City rather than about winning their second domestic trophy of the season - third in Wengerian parlance if the Premier League top four counts as one - Ten Hag has been dismissive of that mindset.

"It's not about stopping (City). It is about that we win, that we win the cup. We have a great opportunity," he said.

"That’s great that we deserved that opportunity to be in the cup final and then meet Man City. That’s a great opportunity.

"We fought so hard for it. I think we progressed that well that we are in that FA Cup final."

Back in 1999, Man United followed up their treble by remaining a competitive force for most of the following 14 years of Alex Ferguson's legendary tenure.

For City, there is a sense that a similar achievement on these two coming Saturdays will unleash an even more domineering presence at the top end of the game, albeit with one situation that remains to be adjudicated on.

The club have been charged by the Premier League with 115 alleged breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018. An independent commission will rule on the charges, which could see City docked points or even expelled from the Premier League if proven.

But in the immediate term, all that will occupy the minds of Guardiola, Ten Hag and their players will be being primed for battle when both sides walk out onto the hallowed Wembley turf just before 3pm.

There is more than bragging rights on the line.

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