Football Daily | It’s FA Cup finals time – give us some of that sweet, sweet magic, please

8 hours ago 4

ROADS TO WEMBLEY

It’s been a while since we felt something. The Premier League has barely been about the Premier League of late, all the focus on who qualifies for Bigger Cup, Liverpool’s title secured in the Jurassic Period, relegation sorted when those three teams were promoted from the Championship a year ago. The Women’s Super League was also lacking in jeopardy when it wrapped up last week, the key question being whether Chelsea would remain invincible. This weekend of FA Cup finals arrives in a time of desperate need: give us some of that so-called magic, please.

Crystal Palace’s appearance in the men’s final on Saturday takes us back to an instinctive, almost balletic, bit of brilliance on the Wembley turf nine years ago, when they last made it this far. Not Jesse Lingard’s extra-time volley to win it for Manchester United but Alan Pardew’s breakout jig after Jason Puncheon had given Palace the lead, the manager briefly getting his Jagger on. “Me and my younger daughter had been messing about, dancing, and she was teaching me to do some moves and it must have been in my head,” Pardew confessed to the Telegraph last month. “Of course, what really hurt me afterwards was people saying I had pre-planned it. There were a couple of nasty things said. But it was nothing like that. It was just a spontaneous moment.”

Palace have never won the competition, ensuring they have the neutrals’ vote, while Manchester City have incorporated this contest into their routine. This is their third consecutive FA Cup final, a chance to win it for the fourth time in 14 years. But they face the consequences of their own success, a touch of apathy even if they take the trophy, visits to north London having lost a bit of lustre. Regardless of the result, Pep Guardiola, the ultimate tiger parent, has ruled out calling this a successful season for City. That seminal victory over Stoke City in 2011, ending their 35-year trophy drought, feels ancient.

The women’s final on Sunday will involve those plucky, lovable underdogs known as, um, Manchester United. Marc Skinner’s side are the defending champions and accustomed to this scene – this is their third consecutive final – but Chelsea don’t really do losing. Victory for Sonia Bompastor would complete a domestic treble in her debut season after replacing Emma Hayes, making the Slot-Klopp transition look rather ordinary. Nonetheless, the Cup’s charm comes from the success of the party-pooper. Here’s to Palace, United and a weekend of feeling something, anything, please.

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Join Yara El-Shaboury at 7.30pm (times BST) for red-hot updates from Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham in the Premier League, while Rob Smyth will be on hand at 8.15pm for … Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The annual congress is the single most important body to ensure good governance of international football [and] 210 member associations have traveled from all over the world to participate at this congress here in Paraguay, expecting professional leadership and dialogue at the highest level. I understand the frustration and disappointment from European Fifa members, and we feel sorry for the excellent hosts in Paraguay. We now expect Fifa to explain this situation to its members and ensure that the voices of the member associations are heard and respected going forward” – Norway Football Federation president Lise Klaveness explains why she was among eight European members of the Fifa Council to walk out of congress in protest at the late arrival of Gianni Infantino, who had been schmoozing with Donald Trump in the Middle East amid accusations from Uefa that he was pursuing “private political interests” ahead of responsibilities to football. Well aren’t we just shocked.

Gianni Infantino hoiks one into touch in Saudi Arabia.

With regards to Ajax’s massive implosion and PSV’s hot streak at the end of the Dutch season (yesterday’s Football Daily), I am reminded of the phrase: ‘It’s better to be lucky than good.’ Nothing epitomises that more than the PSV captain, Mr De Jong. No, not Frenkie, Nigel or Siem but Luuk!” – Michael Glogower (and no other mean readers).

With reference to your comment that Edgeley Park is currently the closest league ground to the River Mersey (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition), I’ve always preferred the answer when you limit the question to Premier League grounds – the answer being Old Trafford. Obviously, also about to become an ex-fact once Everton move into their new gaff” – Andrew Payton.

While I realise this week marks the last men’s game at Goodison Park so we are newsworthy, I was surprised to see Everton FC mentioned in almost every section of yesterday’s missive! Davy Klaassen’s former employer in the main headline text, Quote of the Day from Colin Harvey, letters, on the edge (breakout section), on Bramley-Moore dock becoming the closest ground to the Mersey, and FA Cup final quiz with Joe Royle as last English manager to win. I respect the commemorative nature of the Toffees’ inclusions – but then in Memory Lane you showed an aerial view of Lens FC’s ground and not Goodison. An opportunity missed! Has anyone outside the top six featured in every section of Football Daily? I am sure The Knowledge knows!” – C Hawtrey.

Send letters to [email protected]. Today’s letter o’ the day winners are … C Hawtrey, who wins some Football Weekly merch. We’ll be in touch. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here.