FA Cup

MANCHESTER CITY suffered FA Cup final heartbreak after being outbattled by Crystal Palace at Wembley. Pep Guardiola’s men have failed to win a trophy this season after a 1-0 defeat in North London. It was a day to forget for Manchester City at Wembley as they lost the FA Cup finalCredit: EPASavinho was among a host of City stars to underperformCredit: AlamyGuardiola surprised fans with an attacking line-up, opting for Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in the middle of the park. But it proved to be a day to forget for the reigning Prem champions, who ran into an inspired Dean Henderson in the Palace goal.Eberechi Eze smashed in the opener against the run of play in the first half. Despite dominating possession for much of the game, City couldn’t force an equalise after the break. READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHere’s how SunSport’s Martin Blackburn rated Guardiola’s side at Wembley.Stefan Ortega – 6German got the nod ahead of Ederson as he often does in the domestic cup games. Had hardly touched the ball when he was picking it out of the net for Palace’s opener. Got away with one when Palace saw a second ruled out for offside but a quiet day – despite ending on the losing side. Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKManuel Akanji – 6Asked to fill in at right back – picked ahead of Nunes and Rico Lewis who would both be disappointed. Flicked a header onto top of net early on and dealt well with what came down his flank. Man City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalGuardiola will be pleased to have him back for a huge week ahead for his team. Ruben Dias – 6Made more passes than the whole Palace team in the first half as City bossed it but ended up behind. Slow to react when Daniel Munoz looked to have scored Palace’s second but bailed out by the VAR with the goal given as offside.Josko Gvardiol – 7Almost repeated his trick from the semi-final but his early header was saved by Henderson. Had his hands full when Palace attacked with the likes of Jean-Phillippe Mateta and Eze but kept the livewire forwards in check – more comfortable at centre-back.Nico O’Reilly – 6Rewarded for his big contribution to City’s cup run with a start in the final. But the youngster is not a left-back and was caught out for the Palace opening goal when he gave Munoz too much space. Denied an equaliser when his effort was blocked towards the end.Bernardo Silva – 7Picked to play a deeper role in Pep’s new look system and as usual did a job for his boss. Got forward to win his team the penalty and saw a late effort blocked by Kamada. Had done a good stint by the time he was subbed late on.Kevin De Bruyne – 6The Belgian was picked to start and captain the side one final time before he leaves these shores this summer. His early cross almost created the opener for Haaland and late snapshot just wide. But sadly there was to be no fairytale ending to his outstanding City career.Jeremy Doku – 6Another who saw plenty of the ball but could not do much with it.Curling effort saved superbly by Henderson and fired another over the bar after the break – but for all his dribbling skills he needs to produce more for his team-mates. May be more effective as an impact sub.Savinho – 5Saw plenty of the ball in the first half and gave his full-back some problems – but the lack of end product was frustrating. Slightly more productive after the break however, he was replaced by Phil Foden in a bid to give City some new ideas.Could have no complaints.Omar Marmoush – 6Surprised everyone by stepping up to take the penalty off Haaland but then missed it. The Egyptian has perked up City’s season since he arrived in January but this was not his day as he tried to play in the gap just behind Haaland. No surprise when he was subbed late on to be replaced by rookie Claudio Echeverri.Erling Haaland – 6Hasn’t scored at Wembley – so why did he give up the penalty? The Norwegian always backs himself, so it seemed strange for him to give up the ball. At the centre of the red card controversy and forced a couple of good saves from the Palace keeper.SubstitutesPhil Foden (for Savinho ’77) – Neat and tidy but could not rescue the game. 5Read More on The SunClaudio Echevveri (for Marmoush ’77) – Almost a dream debut but late chance saved by Henderson. 6Ilkay Gundogan (for Silva ’88) – Not enough time to make a major impact. 5 More

CRYSTAL PALACE have made history after beating Manchester City in a pulsating FA Cup final. Eberechi Eze was the Eagles’ hero as Oliver Glasner’s men held on for a dramatic 1-0 win. Eberechi Eze was the matchwinner as Crystal Palace stunned Manchester CityCredit: GettyPalace have won their first-ever major domestic trophyCredit: AlamyIt sealed Palace’s first-ever domestic major trophy in their 119-year history. Eze lashed the underdogs ahead against the run of play in the first half, finishing beautifully from a Daniel Munoz cross.Dean Henderson was inspired in the Palace goal, making multiple superb saves – including from Omar Marmoush’s penalty.But there was a question on whether he should have remained on the field after appearing to handle outside the box.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLIn the end, Palace secured a deserved win through a superb rearguard action and some highlight performances. Here’s how SunSport’s Dan King rated Glasner’s history makers at Wembley.Dean Henderson – 9 BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKEarly saves from Erling Haaland and Josko Gvardiol. Should not have been on pitch to save Omar Marmoush’s penalty, having somehow escaped a red card for earlier handball. Most read in FootballMan City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalMade another good stop from Jeremy Doku. Less busy in second half until two late saves from Echeverri.Marc Guehi – 8A captain’s performance as part of Palace’s three-man defence until forced off.Absolutely crucial header under his own crossbar after a Henderson save. Took a ball hard in the face and had to leave field.Maxence Lacroix – 7 Least impressive of the centre backs but still solid enough as Palace stood firm in the first half. Important header away from Haaland early in the second and more responsibility after Guehi went off. Kept Haaland pretty quiet.Chris Richards – 9Calm and composed under City pressure. Always seemed to be in the right place to tidy up when attacks broke down. Won some important headers. and made some important interventions. Excellent partnership with Munoz.Tyrick Mitchell – 7Played his part in withstanding the City siege.Seemed to have undone all his and Palace’s good work with challenge on Silva that conceded the penalty. But kept his head well and dealt well with Savinho.Daniel Munoz – 9Kept his cool defending in the box, unlike Mitchell, making important challenge on Nico O’Reilly in second half. Brilliant cross for Eze goal and another which Sarr almost converted. Had goal rightly ruled out for offside in build-up. Tireless display.Adam Wharton – 8Very disciplined performance without the ball, holding his position and choosing moments well to make challenges. Some decent passes, too, when the time was right. Easy to see why City and others want him.Daichi Kamada – 8Plenty of energy right from the start, albeit not always with the outcome he would have wanted.Passing improved as the game went on and made an excellent challenge on Silva early in the second half.Ismaila Sarr – 6Was not always pressing as high as Glasner wanted and not offering much of an outlet when Palace did regain the ball. Could have made it 2-0 but didn’t quite catch his first-half shot. Did not really improve after break. Eberechi Eze – 7Fine volleyed goal was probably his first meaningful contribution.Was not defending as boss Glasner wanted and unable to impose himself in final third. Fierce effort that was blocked was only moment of second half.Jean-Philippe Mateta – 7Found Munoz out wide in the build-up to opening goal but otherwise pretty ineffective, resorting to some play-acting in the first half. Won the odd header as Palace cleared their lines in second half but a frustrating day.SubstitutesJefferson Lerma (for Guehi, 61) – Had filled in at centre back before but never in such circumstances. Did himself and the club proud with a nerveless half hour: 7 Read More on The SunEddie Nketiah (for Mateta, 78) – Needed to offer more than the man he had replaced and just about did, at least by buying fouls: 6Will Hughes (for Wharton, 87) – The cult hero came on to try to see the game out: 6 More

MANCHESTER CITY handed ‘the right-footed Messi’ his debut in the FA Cup final despite never having made the bench for the club.Desperately chasing a late goal, Pep Guardiola turned to the 19-year-old rookie for inspiration.Echeverri made his debut on SaturdayCredit: PADe Bruyne found the substitute unmarked in the boxCredit: GettyThe youngster had never been named on the City bench beforeThe Argentine’s shot didn’t trouble HendersonIt was a golden chance to bring City levelAnd Echeverri – who was compared to a young Messi by BBC’s commentary team – had the chance to draw the score level with a golden chance just minutes after coming on the pitch.The starlet was unmarked when the ball appeared at his feet from only ten yards out after a clever pass from Kevin De Bruyne.He came on in the 77th minute and five minutes later he thought he was about to steal the headlines.In what was one of the standout chances of the whole match, the teenager smashed a shot straight at Palace’s Henderson.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAny considered placement either side of the keeper could have given De Bruyne an FA Cup final assist in his last chance at silverware for the club before he leaves.The Belgian instead was not able to add to his heaving trophy cabinet.Man City could not get over Palace’s early goal and fell to a 1-0 defeat in North-West London.It was a momentous occasion for Echeverri despite the scoreline.Most read in FA CupJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe attacking Argentine arrived at City in January 2024 – before being loaned back to River Plate for a year.But he had not been given a sniff until the Manchester club faced defeat against Crystal Palace on Sunday.Man City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalHe had been dubbed a ‘wonderboy’ on his arrival.The youngster will hope that this appearance is the first of many… and that it will prove to be a rare defeat. More

PEP GUARDIOLA and Dean Henderson clashed on the pitch after Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph over Manchester City.The incident occurred after Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute strike handed the Eagles their first-ever trophy in a Wembley thriller.Pep Guardiola and Dean Henderson clashed after Crystal Palace beat Man City in the FA Cup finalGuardiola was left fuming following the 1-0 defeat at WembleyCredit: ReutersIt’s unclear as to what sparked the clashCredit: PANeither man appeared willing to back downCredit: PAGuardiola still gave it large as Henderson hugged Oliver GlasnerCredit: GettyHe had a final word for Henderson before departingCredit: GettyPep waved a finger at Henderson as he walked offCity dominated possession as Palace defended like Spartans before hitting on the break.But there was controversy when Henderson handled the ball outside his box, narrowly avoiding a red card thanks to a VAR review.He then saved a penalty from Omar Marmoush just moments later.And Henderson then delighted commentator John Murray when he donned a surprise baseball cap to block out the sun during the second half.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLater on, the party began after Oliver Glasner’s men survived 10 minutes of City onslaught in added time.However, cameras quickly panned to Guardiola as he engaged in a war of words with Henderson.Neither man appeared willing to back down, with Guardiola appearing peeved as Henderson pumped his arms in celebration.The Palace goalie was eventually pulled away before going to embrace manager Oliver Glasner.Most read in FA CupBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSBut Guardiola would still not let the issue drop and even waved a finger at Henderson before eventually walking away.And speaking later on, the Palace goalie revealed that Guardiola had been left fuming over what he felt were the Eagles’ time-wasting anticsMan City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalHenderson said: “I just went to shake his hand and I think he was disappointed with the time-wasting. I said, ‘You got your 10 minutes (of added time) you were wanting’, so no hard feelings…”Fans were quick to react to the incident on social media.One said: “Haha Hendo what a guy.”Crystal Palace ratingsCRYSTAL PALACE secured their first ever trophy with a famous FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.Another declared: “Pep classy as ever in defeat.”One noted: “Not a good look for City.”Another added: “£200m spent in January and still won nothing.”Man City ratingsMANCHESTER CITY were stunned by Crystal Palace at Wembley, condemning Pep Guardiola to a first trophyless season in eight years. More

DEAN HENDERSON shocked a BBC commentator with his halftime outfit change in the FA Cup final.Henderson played a huge role in Crystal Palace’s epic win over Manchester City at Wembley.Dean Henderson stunned a commentator as he wore a cap on the pitchCredit: Shutterstock EditorialThe Crystal Palace star inspired his side to FA Cup glory over Man CityThe goalie made some big saves throughout the battle in North-West London.And things looked even better when Palace took the lead through Eberechi Eze.But pundits felt Henderson was lucky to still be on the pitch when he handled the ball moments later.A VAR review let the star off the hook by deeming he had NOT denied Erling Haaland a clear goal-scoring opportunity.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd the decision proved pivotal 10 minutes later when Henderson saved Omar Marmoush’s penalty.However, BBC commentator John Murray appeared most stunned by Henderson’s halftime outfit change.With the sun shining down on a warm spring day, Palace’s goalie looked to get an advantage with a savvy addition to his kit.As Henderson walked back onto the pitch, he could be seen wearing a black baseball capped pulled down low over his head.Most read in FA CupBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSAnd Murray was left amazed by the change, declaring live on TV: “There’s a throwback to FA Cup finals of old.”He later said it reminded him of ex-Liverpool stopper Bruce Grobbelaar 40 years ago.Man City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalFans were quick to react to Henderson’s outfit change.One said: “Hat stealing the spotlight.”Another declared: “Henderson styling on them.”One noted: “Man of the match.”Another added: “Signature move.” More

THEIR heroic penalty-saving goalkeeper should never have been on the pitch. They were outplayed for the vast majority of the match and enjoyed little more than 20 per cent of possession. Palace celebrate their remarkable FA Cup triumphCredit: EPAJoel Ward and Marc Guehi lift the FA CupCredit: GettyPalace have won their first ever major silverwareCredit: ReutersEberechi Eze is greeted by Prince WilliamCredit: ReutersBut frankly, who outside of the blue half of Manchester cares? Because Crystal Palace’s triumph was a classic FA Cup Final underdog story in one of the most thrilling and incident-packed finals in years.Eberechi Eze’s early strike secured the first major trophy in their long history and a place in the Europa League, their first serious taste of European competition.READ MORE ON PALACE’S INCREDIBLE FA CUP TRIUMPH READ MORE IN FOOTBALLKeeper Dean Henderson repelled Omar Marmoush’s first-half penalty, just minutes after he should have been sent off for handling outside the box to rob Erling Haaland of the ball. An extraordinary blunder from VAR Michael Salisbury allowed Henderson to stay on the pitch and the keeper took full advantage of his reprieve with a string of fine saves. And as the red-and-blue army from south of the river sang their hearts out, Oliver Glasner’s men defended with purpose and passion to deny Pep Guardiola’s fallen four-in-a-row champions their last remaining chance of major silverware this season. Most read in FA CupKevin De Bruyne’s Wembley swansong fell flat as City simply ran out of ideas. But Palace played with a sense of destiny. After 120 years in the professional game, and with the club claiming to have been around since 1861, their time had finally come.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSEberechi Eze fires Crystal Palace into the leadCredit: APEze celebrates his 16th minute openerCredit: GettyThis is a seriously good Palace, who have been outstanding form the last six months, following a dismal start to the season. Their defence is outstanding, midfielder Adam Wharton is a serious craftsman, wing-back Daniel Munoz is often unplayable and the flying front free of Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr are a counter-attacking tour de force.Man City and Crystal Palace staff in furious touchline bust-up as they are forced apart in FA Cup finalThe pre-match build-up had been literally overshadowed by the Palace pyrotechnics, adding an acrid smell as the band of the Royal Marines parped away at God Save The King. There was plenty of Palace royalty around – Prince William, Sir Gareth Southgate and Roy Hodgson among them. City fans had unfurled a couple of banners saluting De Bruyne – and Guardiola even had the decency to select him the starting line-up, something he often didn’t do for big matches, even when the Belgian was in his pomp. It was an attacking line-up from Guardiola – with semi-final man-of-the-match Mateo Kovacic injured, Rodri still out and Nico Gonzalez on the bench there was no obvious midield anchor man. Crystal Palace ratingsCRYSTAL PALACE secured their first ever trophy with a famous FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.Within three minutes De Bruyne’s cross was picking out Haaland at the back stick, Henderson thwarting his volley for his first excellent save of the afternoon. After Josko Gvardiol’s header had forced another decent stop, City were boasting 88 per cent possession in the opening quarter of an hour.And then Palace scored on their first serious attack.  Chris Richards played a long ball into the centre circle where Mateta held it up, exchanged pass with Sarr and then located Daniel Munoz, charging down the right. Dean Henderson got away with handling outside the boxHenderson prevented Haaland from reaching the ballCredit: ReutersThe wing-back centred for Eze to get in front of Manuel Akanji and steer a low volley past Stefan Ortega.   Before kick-off, the Palace fans had unfurled a banner promising ‘Wembley will shake…it will be beautiful’. They were true to their word – it did and it was. Munoz, the Colombian with lungs the size of footballs, was soon marauding down the flank again for a Sarr shot which Ortega blocked. Man City ratingsMANCHESTER CITY were stunned by Crystal Palace at Wembley, condemning Pep Guardiola to a first trophyless season in eight years.Then, though, came that moment of raging controversy when Haaland charged forward and Henderson advanced to the edge of his box to scoop the ball away from the Norwegian’s foot. VAR was soon doing its baffling thing. Henderson had clearly handled outside the box but Michael Salisbury decided that the sight of Haaland careering through on goal, on the edge of the area, did not constitute a goalscoring opportunity.It is not an opinion which many opposition defenders, or coaches, would share. Salisbury’s decision was based on the fact that Haaland was moving away from goal. Ignoring the fact that he would have changed direction and probably scored if Henderson hadn’t handled it. But as VAR cannot award free-kicks and yellow cards, a clear injustice was allowed to stand. It felt vastly predictable that Henderson’s reprieve was costly for City and embarrassing for the match officials. Tyrick Mitchell dived in on Bernardo Silva and Attwell pointed to the spot. Erling Haaland handed penalty duties to Omar MarmoushCredit: GettyMarmoush was denied from the spot by HendersonCredit: Shutterstock EditorialHaaland consoles Marmouth after his botched spot kickCredit: GettyBut Haaland, who had missed three of his last six spot-kicks, gave way to Marmoush, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Henderson, diving low to his right before he smothered Haaland’s follow-up. Next Jeremy Doku cut inside from the left and had a curling shot brilliantly saved by the man who shouldn’t have been in the Palace goal. After the break, City were attacking with vengeful intent – Haaland and Doku both going close again.But it was Palace who found the net, although this one didn’t count. A long throw caused chaos in the City box and Munoz’s shot took a couple of deflections – one of them off Sarr, before it squirmed away from Ortega and allowed Munoz to dart in and poke across the line. This time, however, Salisbury did his job and some manic celebrations were cut short. During the VAR check an altercation broke out between the two benches. City had all the possession but Palace defended as if possessed by some demonic sense of purpose. Read More on The SunNico O’Reilly had a clear sight of goal but decided not to shoot, then Guardiola sent for Phil Foden and Argentinian debutant Claudio Echeverri.  And it was Echeverri who forced Henderson’s next fine save, a block from point-blank range – before ten minutes of injury-time were called. The longest ten minutes of every Palace’s supporters’ life. More