For the second time in two seasons, Manchester City was at the end of a FA Cup final defeat, and after the year that they ended in 2024/25, the anger of Pep Guardiola was clearly visible on full-time.
His multi-million pound outfit was humiliated by a sandy and determined performance of a crystal palace side that was compiled against a fraction of the costs and that undoubtedly deserved to win their very first big silverware ever.
Manchester City dominated the opening fairs
Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush all started a competition for City for the first time, and the way she and their teammates started, suggested that it could be a long afternoon in front of Oliver Glasner. Indeed, by the ninth minute they had already completed 60 passes to six and 15 minutes in Palace, they had the ball of 87.7% of the time incredibly controlled.
And yet it would be the Eagles that were made in the 16th minute with their first notification attacks and their first touch in the city cabinet. The ball was firmly worked out to Daniel Munoz, whose drilled cross avoided everyone except the incoming Ebereechi Eze, who shot home.
It was his fourth goal in the FA Cup 2024/25 and meant that he had scored in his last three games in the competition.
Palace had avoided the defeat in their last five games when he first scored in the FA Cup, since a loss of 1-2 to Southampton on January 7, 2023, but with an XG of only 0.74 to City's 2.23, the signs were still ominous for the Eagles.
Henderson's full fine rescue was a crucial moment
When Bernardo Silva was polluted in the area by Tyrick Mitchell, writing seemed to be on the wall. A fourth fine for City in their FA Cup -Run – more than any other team – gave them the chance to make the place the same. However, the vast dive of Dean Henderson on his right side kept the penalty out of Marmoush.
In addition, he became the first goalkeeper to save a fine in a FA Cup -Final (excl. Shootouts) since Petr Cech for Chelsea against Portsmouth in 2010, and the Palace helped to become the first South London side since Wimbledon in 1988 -when Dave Beasant also opposed).
Kristal Palace Goalman, Dean Henderson, saves Omar Marmoush's penalty in the FA Cup final in Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2025paul Marriott / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
The team that led in a FA Cup final during the break had won seven of the last eight finals (excluding goalless at HT), and City will have felt to stay behind, especially when you consider that both Ruben Dias (78) and Josko Gvardiol (59) had completed more passes on that point.
It was apparently a real background-to-the-wall performance in the first 45 of the South London people.
Pep Guardiola's side had no answer to Palace's game plan
The same theme took place after the break with the city that dominated the property and had tried 384 fits into half of the opposition compared to the 62 of Crystal Palace. A tactical error that Nico O'Reilly earned a yellow card summarized the frustration of his side.
A lot was expected from a player who came forward as a real talent for Guardiola, but he didn't really have his best game, when the truth was told.
Erling Haaland talks to Nico O'Reilly during the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace in Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2025 Javier Garcia / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
With seven minutes to play, Claudio Echeverri was sent for his debut in the city – the sixth teenager was to play a FA Cup finale for the club after Sandy Turnbull (1904), Joe Hayes (1955), Tommy booth (1969), he had a Caton Mackenzie – and he had his Mackenzie – and he was his Mackenzie – and he was his Mackenzie – and he was his Mackenzie – and he was his Mackenzie – and Steve's) – and he his Mackenzie) – and he his Mackenzie – and Steve's) – and Steve's) – and Steve's Mackenzie – – and his Mackenzie) – 89th was in the 89th minus in the 89th minus in the 89th minute in the 89th minus in the 89th minute. Second half.
In the end, the efforts of his and city were in vain with Palace, the first English club to win their first big title since Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup 2012/13 – coincidentally with a 1-0 win over Manchester City.
MAN City's 16th loss of 2024/25 Despite 76.7% owns
City's 16th loss of the campaign in all competitions is the most in one season since 2008/09 (23), although, apart from their professor for the goal, it is difficult to be too hard for them.
They enjoyed 76.7% over 100 minutes, most on Opta's records (from 2014) in a FA Cup final. Dias completed more passes (129) than Crystal Palace (126), and 23 shots were the most registered (from 2014) on one side that did not score in an FA Cup final.
Pep Guardiola looks depressed during the FA Cup final 2025.news Images, News Images Ltd / Alamy / Profimedia
It is quite surprising that the city resembles some statistics from the game.
679 fits a total of 618 completed gave them an almost perfect fitting accuracy of 91% – in a cup final. Palace had only tried 127 accurate steps from 192 by comparison.
33 crosses (six for Palace) and 60 accents in the Eagles box should have seen at least more than six shots on goal.
Haaland far from the pace after his comeback of injury
In retrospect, it might be a mistake to bring Erling Haaland back to a procedure. The Norwegian hit man was far beyond the pace and his total of 22 details were the joint worst of the starting XI of City, together with Marmoush. A pathetic five completed steps from the Centrum Forward also told his own story.
Erling Haaland's heat card from the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. Opta perform by statistics
Only four palace players had shots in the game and none of them had more than two, while City had focused eight of their employees; Echeverri somehow gets five shots in his short cameo, the joint the most with Jeremy Doku.
The Glasner game plan clearly influenced his more illustrious opponents, who had been thrown out of the sky, won only 12 of their 28 duels, and only half of their 86 ground matches.
Crystal Palace players celebrate with the FA Cup trophy after their victory against Manchester City in Wembley Stadium. Paul Terry / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Unusual for a city side in the Guardiola era, they lost separate occasions on 122, which was even more than their opponents (106).
48 Clearance of palace players during the game, of which 11 were made by Chris Richards, also tells a story about a side that was largely against it, but who were willing to dig in and give absolutely everything to write history.
The magic of the FA Cup, right?!
Jason Pettigroveflash score