Twelve years ago, Manchester City triggered a seismic shift in English football by beating treble-chasing Manchester United at Wembley. Now City’s own treble bid will come under threat from resurgent United in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
With the Premier League wrapped up for a third successive season, City are two victories away from becoming only the second English club — after United in 1999 — to win the English title, the Champions League and the FA Cup in the same campaign.
City’s current success and United’s status as hopeful challengers would have been unimaginable when they last met in the FA Cup at Wembley in the 2011 semi-finals.
Just a few weeks after that showdown at the national stadium, United would clinch the Premier League title for the fourth time in five years, while also reaching the Champions League final.