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Crystal Palace v Man City LIVE: FA Cup final result and reaction as Eagles lift cup for first time in history

Crystal Palace 1-0 Man City: The Eagles held on for a famous victory after Ebere Eze’s goal and Dean Henderson’s save to deny Omar Marmoush’s penalty in a Wembley final packed with controversy

Miguel Delaney
at Wembley
,Richard Jolly,Chris Wilson
Saturday 17 May 2025 19:28 BST
Comments
Crystal Palace players celebrate after beating Manchester City at Wembley
Crystal Palace players celebrate after beating Manchester City at Wembley (Action Images via Reuters)

A heroic Crystal Palace performance downed Manchester City to claim the FA Cup and a first major trophy at Wembley Stadium.

Ebere Eze's first-half goal and Dean Henderson's penalty save proved vital moments for Oliver Glasner's side in a day of destiny for the Eagles.

Pep Guardiola will feel aggrieved after Henderson remained on the pitch, despite a VAR check, with the Eagles goalkeeper touching the ball outside the box and appearing to deny the Norwegian a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Daniel Munoz thought he had doubled Palace's lead in the second half, but Ismaila Sarr was offside after a VAR check.

And Guardiola could only throw on Phil Foden and a debut for Argentine youngster Claudio Echeverri, who was denied by Henderson late on.

Palace survived and held on for the greatest moment in their history.

Follow all the latest reaction and analysis from the FA Cup final below:

Pep Guardiola only has himself to blame for his worst season as a manager

It was a display of brutal ruthlessness from Manchester City. Not, admittedly, in an FA Cup final when they had 58 touches inside the Crystal Palace box, 23 shots and one penalty yet scored no goals. But beforehand. Two of their own disappeared from the squad, Pep Guardiola’s cull removing Rico Lewis and James McAtee from the teamsheet.

Academy products were instead spared parts in another of the off-days that have pockmarked Guardiola’s worst season as a manager. It may end up being bookended by trophies, by the Community Shield and the Club World Cup, but City lacked the clinical streak their manager demonstrated. On a day when few of Guardiola’s decisions worked out, a manager who has fashioned many a historic feat instead played a part in one for Crystal Palace, their belated first major trophy, some 120 years after they were formed.

It was both an extraordinary anomaly and part of a wider trend. Few have won more anywhere than Guardiola. Indeed, few have had as much to savour here as a man who won European Cups as player and manager at Wembley. However, increasingly, few have lost as many times at England’s national stadium. City have reached the last four of the FA Cup in a record seven successive seasons. Yet Guardiola has lost three Wembley semi-finals and now two back-to-back finals. It is scarcely the annual ritual he was hoping for.

Pep Guardiola only has himself to blame for his worst season as a manager

Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City: Guardiola’s big decisions, from his FA Cup final line-up, to his penalty taker, backfired in a shock Wembley defeat
Chris Wilson17 May 2025 22:30

Watch Henderson's penalty save

And here’s that penalty save!

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 22:00

Watch Eze's goal

A replay of the goal that settled it...

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 21:45

The moment Palace won it...

A replay of the scenes when the final whistle went!

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 21:30

Palace lift the trophy

Here’s the highlight as Palace lift the trophy for the first time!

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 21:15

How Oliver Glasner made Crystal Palace fans believe (but why we find it so hard)

Let’s re-visit the Palace preview ahead of the game!

You know that feeling of being ready? Where everything is in its correct place, your socks are pulled up, your laces tied perfectly, you’re physically and mentally prepared and it’s go time?

I’d love to feel like that today. I don’t, but I’d really love to.

I do think Oliver Glasner feels like it though, as my team Crystal Palace prepare to face Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

He even said he does, though what a manager says in a press conference is, more often than not, fairly far removed from the internal monologue whirring around his brain as a journalist asks the question that everybody knows can’t be answered honestly.

How Oliver Glasner made Crystal Palace fans believe (but why we find it so hard)

Comment: Palace have transformed into serial winners this season and the emotions before Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City are almost overwhelming, writes former Independent sports editor Ed Malyon
Chris Wilson17 May 2025 21:00

Man City physio and Crystal Palace coach separated in bizarre scenes at FA Cup final

There were bizarre scenes in the FA Cup final at Wembley as Crystal Palace coach Paddy McCarthy and a member of the Manchester Cityphysio team to be separated after squaring off on the touchline.

With emotions high at Wembley, former Republic of Ireland international McCarthy and the City doctor had to be pulled apart after arguing on the sidelines and angrily approaching each other.

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 20:45

Ian Wright and Wayne Rooney lead fury at VAR controversy in FA Cup final: ‘Absolutely pathetic’

Wayne Rooney has called for the end of VAR after Dean Hendersonavoided a red card in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

The Crystal Palace goalkeeper touched the ball with his hand outside the penalty area with Erling Haaland sprinting towards the ball and goal.

Referee Stuart Attwell, and then the VAR, Jarred Gillett, after a lengthy check, concluded that it was not a goalscoring opportunity (GSO), sparking outrage in the studios at Wembley Stadium.

Wright and Rooney lead fury at VAR controversy in FA Cup final: ‘Pathetic’

After Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson remained on the pitch against Man City, Rooney, Wright and a host of pundits reacted furiously to the decision of VAR Jarred Gillett
Chris Wilson17 May 2025 20:30

Why wasn’t Dean Henderson sent off in FA Cup final?

Dean Henderson avoided a red card against Manchester City in the FA Cup final after the Crystal Palace goalkeeper handled outside the box with Erling Haaland storming towards goal.

The VAR Jarred Gillett checked the incident after referee Stuart Attwellfailed to penalise the goalkeeper, but he also deemed it not to be a goalscoring opportunity with the ball, after Henderson touched it, moving away from goal.

The VAR deemed concluded: “The direction Haaland was going made it a possible but not obvious goalscoring opportunity (GSO).”

Why wasn’t Dean Henderson sent off in FA Cup final?

The Eagles goalkeeper handled the ball outside of the box before Erling Haaland could reach it at Wembley in the FA Cup final
Chris Wilson17 May 2025 20:15

Glasner reacts

It’s a little late, but here’s the reaction from Palace boss Oliver Glasner.

“I can't believe it, we had to defend so much. The spirit and togetherness on the pitch was amazing. It was all about being patient, we analysed that if you give them the pocket then they are so good.

"We had to be patient, let them cross, defend and wait for the moment to attack.

"They are so good in their movements, from the 5-2 defeat we learned that if you give them the pocket we will lose. we usually attack more but we had to be patient and wait for the right moment.

"When they play with four attacking players it's difficult to defend, but in transition we knew we could create overloads. No winger likes to defend. It was a great goal.

“Tomorrow's training is already cancelled. The players want to cancel Monday too. Special credit to the players, they've never lost belief in me and the coaching staff,” he adds.

Chris Wilson17 May 2025 19:55

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