The Guardian / UK: Finally, after all the disappointments of the Louis van Gaal era, the accusations of blandness and the permanent suspicion that a once-mighty club have been dramatically underachieving, Manchester United have remembered what it is like to win a trophy and the joys that football can bring. Van Gaal’s position might still be under scrutiny but this was the happiest day of his two years in charge, courtesy of Jesse Lingard’s 2016 version of Lee Martin’s famous goal from 26 years earlier.
Manchester United win the Emirates FA Cup, 21 May 2016. [Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Manchester United AET]
They also did it in the manner of the old United given the high drama in which the game ended and Alan Pardew might come to regret those moments when Puncheon volleyed past David de Gea and Palace’s manager danced on the touchline like a tipsy uncle at a wedding. Pardew looked like he had spent the morning practising in the mirror but Palace were ahead for only two minutes before Wayne Rooney and Marouane Fellaini set up Juan Mata to take the game into extra time and United showed great competitive courage after Smalling’s red card.
Van Gaal could be seen charging down the touchline after Lingard’s winner though whether it is enough to save his job remains to be seen amid the latest reports that United have decided the current set-up is not working.
The same could be said of the Football Association after another final when the people who gave us 5.30pm kick-offs, Budweiser-sponsored ribbons and all sorts of ridiculous razzmatazz seemed intent on throwing whatever was left of tradition into the nearest waste-paper bin. With the teams waiting to come out, the build-up here involved shooting flames, a bemusing cameo from Tinie Tempah and enough nonsense to delay the start by five minutes, all capped off by the singer who was supposed to be taking us through the national anthem missing her cue. Karen Harding later described herself as “mortified”.
Thankfully, a game of football did eventually break out and, though it certainly was not a classic, that probably was not a tremendous surprise for anyone who has watched United closely in the Van Gaal era. The style is to control play, dictate the rhythm and keep their opponents a reasonable distance from goal and, for the most part, Van Gaal must have been satisfied with how they started the game.
By half-time, it was certainly clear that Palace needed more from Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie in the wide positions. Connor Wickham could be encouraged by one attack when he outsprinted Smalling, leading to the United centre-half committing a yellow-card challenge, but De Gea was largely untroubled apart from a Bolasie back‑header and, even then, it was a fairly routine save to turn it over the crossbar.
Wayne Rooney was given the benefit of the doubt when he chased Zaha back into the penalty area and slid in without connecting with the ball but United seemed relatively comfortable during the opening 45 minutes and could reflect on the outstanding chance of the half when Fellaini rose to meet Daley Blind’s corner inside the six-yard area. Wayne Hennessey had already saved, one-handed, from Juan Mata and Palace were spared again later in the half when Marcus Rashford beat Damien Delaney on the right and picked out Anthony Martial on the other side, only for Joel Ward to block the shot.
That is not to say United shimmered with menace when they went forward but Rashford’s speed, directness and high confidence made him a danger until he was forced off with a second-half injury that might threaten his involvement in England’s pre-Euro 206 plans. Rooney was prominently involved in his new midfield position and Fellaini, often the player United’s supporters like the least, justified his selection after three games out with suspension. Unfortunately for United, Fellaini is probably better with the ball in the air, rather than at his feet, and it was a rushed shot from the Belgian after Rashford’s clever flick had given him another sight of goal early in the second half. Rashford’s improvisational skill had taken out two defenders but it was an inelegant swing of Fellaini’s right boot and the ball thudded high against the post.
These, however, were moments to encourage Van Gaal’s team. The players from Manchester had a lot of time on the ball when it might have been expected that their opponents would close them down more quickly. West Ham had provided a blueprint of how to rattle United in the final game at Upton Park and now, like then, Palace had the backing of a raucous crowd. Yet they did not always chase the ball so effectively and it was surprising to see the space they gave their opponents.
Another example came just after the hour mark when Antonio Valencia crossed from the right and Martial’s twisting header came back off Hennessey’s right-hand post. United were not pouring forward, or attacking in waves, but they had struck the woodwork twice in eight minutes and Palace reached that point of the second half without too much of note at the other end.
What a noise, though, their fans created and in the 78th minute the volume went up again. Fellaini had headed a corner away but when the ball came back into the penalty area Puncheon, on the pitch only seven minutes, had not been picked up, controlled the cross and beat De Gea inside his near post with a powerful left-foot shot. It was a brilliant, weaving run and cross from Rooney to help create the equaliser. Fellaini chested the ball into Mata’s path and the Spaniard’s volley denied Palace the first major trophy of their 110-year history.
