Match report: Manchester City 6-0 Watford
Daniel Taylor, our chief football correspondent, was at Wembley, from where he filed this report on an FA Cup slaughter.
Javier Gracia speaks: “In this moment everyone is really sad but we knew before the game we had to play the perfect game,” the Watford manager tells the BBC. “We started well and we created the best chance after 10 minutes with Roberto Pereyra but after that they dominated. It was very difficult for us to press which is what we were trying to do. They were better, congratulations to them and we will try again”
Scenes: Down on the pitch, with his winner’s medal in hand, surrounded by ticker-tape with his team-mates celebrating nearby, Raheem Sterling has been accosted by Pep Guardiola, who is incredibly animated and gesticulating furiously as he gives him an impromptu bollocking over some perceived shortcoming. To say Sterling looks non-plussed would be quite the understatement.
You win 6 nil
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) May 18, 2019
You score 2
You secure the domestic treble
Your boss still wants more 👏🏻#Dominance #NeverStopCoaching pic.twitter.com/6V1HIa1PfV
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It’s official: The Football Association have confirmed that Gabriel Jesus is being credited with City’s second goal, so Raheem Silva won’t be taking the match-ball home. I suspect he won’t care one whit.
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Down on the pitch: With Watford’s half of the stadium now empty, City’s jubilant players are dancing around with the trophy in front of their fans.
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Pep Guardiola speaks: “It was an incredible final for us and we have finished an incredible year,” he tells the BBC. “To all the people at the club a big congratulations, especially the players because they are the reason why we have won these titles.”
He goes on to say that it wasn’t such a good day for Watford, because “the result is what it is”. It is no exaggeration to say he looked genuinely embarrassed when his side scored their final goal.
Meanwhile down on the pitch: Pep Guardiola is busy shaking the hands of Watford’s vanquished players. It’ll be interesting to hear Troy Deeney’s thoughts on today’s game, if he’s willing to give an interview.
Man City head up the steps. Ederson leads the players up the steps to collect their winners’ medals, while Vincent Kompany follows up in the rear. Wearing a red and black scarf around his neck, he is presented with the famous old trophy and triumphantly hoists it skywards.
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The long climb up 107 steps: Watford’s players head up the steps to collect their loser’s medals and are warmly received by their supporters, most of whom appear to have hung around to show their appreciation for their efforts. They were simply outclassed today.
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More from Raheem Sterling: “I grew up here and saw this stadium get built,” he tells the BBC. “It’s a massive dream come true to win trophies here. It shows what the manager is building here. He said we needed to get the mentality right and we did that and did it exceptionally well.”
Man of the Match: Despite coming on as a substitute in the second half, Kevin De Bruyne did enough to win himself the Man of the Match award.
A debate is raging: There seems to be some doubt over whether or not Raheem Sterling has scored two goals or three. For the time being, the FA are crediting City’s second to Gabriel Jesus, but it seems the VAR team are not so sure. If Sterling does get the second, he’ll become the fourth player in history to score a hat-trick in an FA Cup final. Asked by Dan Walker if he thinks he got the second, he says: “I haven’t got a Scooby-Doo.”
Vincent Kompany speaks: “As soon as we scored the two goals and they had to come at us and press,” he says in an interview with the BBC. “It made it easier for us. It wasn’t as easy as the score suggests.”
Raheem Sterling speaks: “Growing up here, seeing [Wembley] get built, it’s a dream come true for me. It just shows what the manager is building here. Credit to all the boys to be mentally switched on throughout the season.”
Full time: Manchester City 6-0 Watford
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeep! It’s all over. Manchester City have won this year’s FA Cup and secured an unprecedented domestic treble. They were relentless today, crushing an initially spirited Watford side by a tennis score.
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90+2 min: Sterling tees up Stones at the end of a counter-attack. It’s on a plate for the substitute from about 10 yards out, but Gomes sticks out a leg to save brilliantly. Corner for City, from which Sane smashes a shot wide. Watford’s players are imploring Kevin Friend to blow the final whistle. He obliges ...
90 min: Stop! Stop! They’re already dead! Manchester City continue to turn the screw, while Pep looks bashful on the sideline. Gomes prevents them making it seven after another onslaught.
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88 min: Sterling reacted quickest after Heurelho Gomes got down to tip his shot on to the upright. He taps the rebound home from a couple of yards out.
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GOAL! Man City 6-0 Watford (Sterling 87)
Sterling scores his second and City’s sixth. On the bench, Pep Guardiola sits on the bench, rubbing his face and looking a mite embarrassed.
86 min: Hats off to Watford’s fans. Their team is being hammered, but they’re in full voice and waving their FA-issued red and yellow flags.
86 min: City go close to equalling that record, but Bernardo Silva’s shot takes a deflection off Kiko and goes out for a corner from which nothing comes.
84 min: The BBC commentary crew have been thumbing through the history books and inform us that Bury hold the record for an outright win an FA Cup final. They beat Derby County 6-0 in 1903.
82 min: I think Gomes might have got a hand to Sterling’s shot into the back of the net, but was fairly helpless in his effort to keep the effort from close range out. Sterling had skipped towards the back post unmarked and got on the end of a Bernardo Silva cross to the back post.
GOAL! Man City 5-0 Watford (Sterling 81)
Oh dear. Raheem Sterling sends a shot into the roof of the net to make it five for City.
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80 min: Kiko Femenia is booked for a foul on Leroy Sane. He looks thoroughly fed up and has a dose of cramp.
79 min: Manchester City substitution: John Stones comes on for David Silva.
78 min: No Watford player has touched the ball for about two or three minutes, as City’s players ping it around the pitch to each other. It’s finally given away by Leroy Sane.
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76 min: Manchester City are playing keep-ball, with Watford’s players playing on gamely but looking like broken men as they struggle to get a touch. They’d welcome the final whistle now, one suspects.
74 min: Man City substitution: Leroy Sane on for Ilkay Gundogan. Watford substitution Tom Cleverley on for Will Hughes.
71 min: There was a brief exchange between Vincent Kompany and Troy Deeney in the immediate aftermath of the fourth goal, with the Manchester City captain voicing a sympathetic “harsh” in the direction of his opposite number.
70 min: This is brutal. With a chance you’d expect him to score in his sleep, Kevin De Bruyne curls an effort intended for the top corner, high and wide.
GOAL! Man City 4-0 Watford (Jesus 68)
The slaughter continues. On the counter-attack, Gabriel Jesus is put through on goal with a neat pass while both players were on the halfway line. He sprints towards the Watford box and makes no mistake as he slots the ball past the helpless Gomes.
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65 min: Watford double substitution: Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra off, Andre Gray and Isaac Success on. Deulofeu, but Pereyra has had a very poor day at the office indeed.
62 min: It’s damage limitation time for Watford, as City threaten to embarrass them ... although there’s no shame in losing to a team as good as this ridiculously talented side. Kevin De Bruyne was put through on goal after Watford were caught on the break.
Gabriel Jesus beat Pereyra in the air, advanced and played the ball inside for De Bruyne, who took the ball past Gomes and finished from close range after a little soft-shoe shuffle employed to bamboozle the only defender on the goal line.
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GOAL! Man City 3-0 Watford (De Bruyne 61)
Game, set and match, Manchester City, as they carve Watford open to extend their lead through Kevin De Bruyne.
60 min: After slipping on the ball, David Silva is booked for one of those sly, cynical fouls on Will Hughes that Pep Guardiola claims his players are never guilty of.
58 min: A decent chance for Watford, as Deulofeu sprints goalwards and latches on to a long ball from deep. With Kompany in hot pursuit, he scuffs a shot with his weaker left foot wide of the far post.
57 min: City corner. Gundogan sends the ball deep, where Laporte leaps for an uncontested header across the face of goal. Wide of the far post.
55 min: Man City substitution. It’s good news for Jose Holebas, as Riyad Mahrez is taken off. It’s bad news for Jose Holebas, as Kevin De Bruyne replaces him and Bernardo Silva moves out to the wing.
54 min: Deulofeu scoops the ball over a defender towards Doucoure in the Watford penalty area, but he’s unable to control the ball. A good spell of play here from Watford.
52 min: Deulofeu beats three men as he advances through midfield and plays a good pass towards Pereyra in the Manchester City penalty area. Apparently riven with indecision again, he misplaces a pass in his effort to tee up Jolebas, who’d made a good run into the box.
50 min: City attack Watford again, but a misplaced pass from Ilkay Gundogan sends the ball out for a throw-in and gives Watford a chance to ease the almost relentless pressure.
49 min: Gabriel Jesus gets on the end of a Zinchenko cross to head the ball into the net for what looks like City’s third, but is correctly flagged for offside.
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48 min: Sterling picks out Gabriel Jesus, who takes it past Mariappa and shoots from a tightish angle. Gomes saves for Watford, but Jesus made it easy for him by not aiming for the far corner.
47 min: Deeney picks out Pereyra in the City penalty area, but the winger eschews the option of swivelling and shooting, trying to play the ball on to Will Hughes instead. City clear.
Second half: Man City 2-0 Watford
46 min: City get the second half started, with no changes in personnel on either side. Watford will be forced to take the game to them at some point, leaving themselves open at the back in the process. They came from two down in the semi-final against Wolves, but this is a far taller order.
Game over here at Wembley, where the City fans' reaction to that goal was roughly reminiscent of a routine win over mid-table opponents in November. Pereyra chance always looked crucial.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) May 18, 2019
I really wish I got as excited by anything as the Mexican commentator behind me does about a throw-in midway inside the Watford half.
— Jonathan Wilson (@jonawils) May 18, 2019
Half-time: Man City 2-0 Watford
Watford played well and actually had the best chance of the game squandered by Roberto Pereyra, before City took the lead through David Silva in the 26th minute. Twelve minutes later, they doubled their lead through Gabriel Jesus, in for Sergio Aguero today, and Watford’s cause already looks fairly hopeless with half the game to go.
45+1 min: Nothing comes of the corner and City clear their lines. Kyle Walker advances down the field, but is dispossessed by a good tackle from Holebas.
44 min: Will Hughes has a long-range effort blocked after Deulofeu had tried unsuccessfully to tee up Deeney. Watford get a corner.
42 min: Back to that goal. The pass from Bernardo Silva was inch-perfect, picking out Gabriel Jesus at the far post after the City striker had timed his run perfectly. From a tight angle and with Kiko and Gomes between him and the goal, Jesus side-footed the ball past them.
Standing on the line, Raheem Sterling smashed the ball home for good measure. I’d suggest Gomes could have done a lot better there - coming off his line for yet another ball he failed to land a glove on. He’s not having one of his better games.
40 min: Deeney snatches at a half-chance, but is unable to trouble Ederson.
39 min: Mahrez takes the ball past Holebas, who is getting a real roasting from the winger today. Mahrez shoots at goal, but Gomes beats the ball away.
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Watford (Jesus 38)
Bernardo Silva plays a wonderful ball into a space on the left side of the six-yard box. Gabriel Jesus is on hand to side-foot it home, while Sterling helps it on its way from on the line.
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37 min: Another corner for City, then another - their eighth of the game. Gundogan sends the ball into the Watford area and it’s headed clear. City reapply the pressure and Watford are forced to defend again.
36 min: Corner for Manchester City, who are turning the screw on their opponents. Gundogan plays it long to the far post and Watford struggle to clear the ball out of their own penalty area, before finally lumping it long.
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33 min: Adrian Mariappa intervenes with a terrific tackle in his own penalty area to prevent Gabriel Jesus from firing off a shot when the City man looked a good bet to double Manchester City’s lead. The pass from Riyad Mahrez, which Jesus possibly ought to have left for Bernardo Silva in a better position, was sublime.
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30 min: Sterling tries to tee up David Silva with a little back-heel in the Watford penalty area, but overhits his pass and allows Kiko Femenia to clear.
27 min: After 27 games without a goal, David Silva ends his drought in fine style on English football’s greatest stage. He fires low and diagonally across the bows of Gomes and inside the far upright, peeling away from Kiko and doing well to keep his effort down after both receiving a headed pass from Raheem Sterling. Both Silva and Sterling won headers in the penalty area in the build-up to that opener, a state of affairs that should embarrass Watford’s defenders.
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GOAL! Man City 1-0 Watford (David Silva 26)
Manchester City take the lead!
25 min: A corner for City, after a Gabriel Jesus shot from the edge of the area takes a deflection off Adrian Mariappa’s knee. From the corner, Etienne Capoue sends Deulofeu away on the counter. Ederson hares halfway down the pitch to put a stop to his gallop.
23 min: A ball into the Watford box, which Gomes fails to get a touch on despite leaping at the far post. Raheem Sterling is unable to win the header and punish his mistake.
21 min: Panic in the Manchester City penalty area, where after a scramble, Pereyra tees up Abdoulaye Doucoure. His shot hits Vincent Kompany’s arm and Watford’s players appeal for a penalty. Consulting his VAR official, referee Kevin Friend refuses to accede to these demands. Kompany’s arm was tucked in beside his side. Doucoure gets booked for getting all up in Kevin Friend’s grill with his overzealous appeal.
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19 min: Ederson, Kompany and Walker play the ball out of defence under pressure from assorted Watford players. Under a heavy press, Walker can’t find anyone to pass towards but does win a throw-in.
17 min: Kyle Walker hacks an uncharacteristically aimless clearance down the pitch, but it finds its way to Watford full-back Kiko. Moments later, Riyad Mahrez hits a misplaced pass, putting the ball out of play for a throw-in.
16 min: Another corner for City, off Jose Holebas. Mahrez swings the ball into the Watford penalty area, Gomes comes for it and doesn’t get it, but Watford manage to clear anyway. Their game plan is simple: sit deep and try to soak up the Manchester City pressure, then try to catch them on the counter-attack.
14 min: With Watford on the attack and Deulofeu on the ball, referee Kevin Friend blows for a foul on Troy Deeney. Watford’s supporters boo the decision, clearly of a mind that Friend should have played the advantage. Nothing comes of the free-kick.
13 min: It’s worth noting that, in the wake of Watford missing that early chance, the best of the game so far, Zinchenko could be seen holding his head in his hands. It was he who gave away possession just inside his own half with a loose pass that won’t have pleased his manager.
12 min: An easy save for Gomes, who gets down to stop a weak Bernardo Silva effort on goal from distance.
10 min: Mahrez, who threaded a lovely through-ball between defenders to send Bernardo Silva on his way in the previous move, wins a corner. Watford clear their lines and go on the counter-attack. Pereyra is played through on goal by a cross from Deulofeu on the right touchline. Ederson is quick off his line to save. That was a wonderful chance for Watford to open the scoring, but they’ve blown it.
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8 min: With almost 10 minutes gone, City are dominating possession as expected. Watford are feeding off scraps.
7 min: Typical City! From the byline, Bernardo Silva pulls the ball back into the penalty area after running from deep. He’s unable to pick out a team-mate, as Cathcart intercepts. An early lapse in concentration from Watford, there.
6 min: Heurelho Gomes claims the ball to collect a Riyad Mahrez cross from the right, via the head of Craig Cathcart.
5 min: Watford attack down the left flank, with Roberto Pereyra on the ball. City break up the attack and Watford immediately fall back into formation. The underdogs are doing OK early doors.
4 min: Aymeric Laporte tries his luck with a shot from distance that zips over the Watford crossbar.
3 min: Manchester City go forward, down the left wing with Sterling on the ball. Kiko puts the ball out for a throw-in deep in Watford territory.
2 min: Ilkay Gundogan arrows the ball into the mixer, but Watford clear and immediately embark on a counter-attack with Deulofeu on the ball. Oleksandr Zinchenko gets back to put a stop to it.
The 2019 FA Cup final is go!!!
1 min: Watford kick-off, with Gerard Deulofeu getting the ball rolling. Watford line-up playing in their usual home kit of black and yellow stripes, black shorts and black socks. City’s players wear light blue shirts, white shorts and white socks. They win an early corner.
More pre-match niceties: Prince William is part of a presentation party being introduced to both sets of players and the match officials.
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Not long now: Pep and Javier lead out their teams, with Manchester City’s manager eschewing the suit option in favour of a grey woollen pullover. His Watford counterpart is looking dapper in a suit, with a pocket square but no carnation.
Abide With Me: Accompanied by the Band of the Scots Guard, a choir comprising men and women, give a stirring rendition of the tradition pre-final anthem. Once they’ve finished Luther Blissett and Tony Book, Watford and Manchester City legends respectively, bring out the FA Cup and place it on a plinth.
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The pitchside pyrotechnics have begun. Giant flames are shooting out of the ... er, flame-shooty-outy thingummies, while some Wembley staff are dragging to giant touchline-to-touchline sized flags in the colours of both teams across both final thirds, bookending a giant image of the FA Cup in the middle of the pitch just behind the red carpet.
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Fashion watch: The big question today is whether or not Pep Guardiola will go for the traditional FA Cup managerial suit and tie (with buttonhole carnation) to lead his team out today, or opt for the cardigan he’s been wearing for recent games. We’ll find out soon enough as kick-off is less than 20 minutes away.
In unrelated news: Stuart James, the Guardian’s man in the know at Swansea City, has revealed that Graham Potter will leave the club to become the new Brighton manager.
Breaking: Graham Potter will leave Swansea City to become the new Brighton manager.
— Stuart James (@StuartJamesGNM) May 18, 2019
Brighton have triggered the release clause in Potter's contract (compensation in excess of £2m) & the 43-year-old has informed Swansea he wishes to go.
Full story on @guardian_sport shortly
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Those selections: Gabriel Jesus is in the Manchester City side ahead of Sergio Aguero in Pep Guardiola’s only change to the Manchester City that beat Brighton last Sunday. Kevin De Bruyne is on the bench, while Fernandinho is not involved.
For Watford, Heurelho Gomes starts in goal, with Ben Foster stood down for the day. Adrian Mariappa replaces Christian Kabasele in defence.
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Manchester City v Watford line-ups
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Laporte, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Gundogan, Silva, Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus, Sterling.
Subs: Danilo, Stones, Aguero, De Bruyne, Sane, Otamendi, Muric.
Watford: Gomes, Femenia, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas, Capoue, Doucoure, Hughes, Pereyra, Deulofeu, Deeney.
Subs: Janmaat, Cleverley, Success, Masina, Gray, Foster, Kabasele.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
🏆 FA CUP FINAL TEAM NEWS 🏆#ImagineIf these players became heroes today 🙏 pic.twitter.com/d3geZcZb4A
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) May 18, 2019
Your City line-up for the #FACupFinal! 🏆
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 18, 2019
XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Laporte, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Silva, Mahrez, Bernardo, Sterling, Jesus
Subs | Muric, Danilo, Stones, Aguero, De Bruyne, Sané, Otamendi
🔵 @haysworldwide #mancity pic.twitter.com/X6eSjOpnsC
Man City players in commended for “fare pay”: During a week in which their club have taken a bit of a kicking in the UK press, Manchester City have been praised for laying on free travel to Wembley for hundreds of lucky supporters.
City’s players have paid for more than 50 coaches for fans to travel to the FA Cup final. Each coach contained the name of the player who paid for it, as well as a signed picture of them left on each seat.
The gesture meant lucky supporters who got a spot had to pay just 1p to get to the game with Watford at Wembley.
“We still have so much to fight for this season and this is our way of saying thank you to them for being with us every step of the way,” said Vincent Kompany, when City announced they would be laying on the free travel.
A place in Europe up for grabs. If City win today, Wolves will qualify for the Europa League by dint of their seventh place finish in the Premier League. The Molineux outfit would go into the second qualifying round, which starts on 25 July. A City win would also send Manchester United straight into the group stages.
However, should Watford triumph today, they would qualify for the Europa League group stages and United would have to settle for a place in the qualifiers on a date they currently have marked down for a friendly with Tottenham Hotspur in Shanghai. A Watford win would also rule Wolves out of any kind of European adventure.
There will be VAR: Kevin Friend is refereeing today’s game and the official from Leicester will be able to call on a team of video assistants led by his fellow ref Andre Marriner, should he feel the need to do so. Should today’s final go to extra time, both teams will be allowed to introduce a fourth substitute.
Early team news: Watford defender Jose Holebas is available after having the red card he was shown against West Ham last Sunday overturned. Winger Gerard Deulofeu is also expected to start for the Hornets, after recovering from a dead leg he suffered in the same game. Having played in each of Watford’s FA Cup games to date this season, back-up goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is expected to start instead of Ben Foster. Despite Gomes having said he is ready to retire from football and become a pastor at the end of this season, Watford’s manager hopes to persuade the popular Brazilian to sign up for one more season.
For City, Benjamin Mendy has been ruled out as he continues to struggle for full fitness since returning from a serious knee injury in April. Fernandinho is available for selection for the matchday squad after his own return from injury, but is not expected to start. Kevin De Bruyne is also available, having come on as a substitute in City’s title-clinching win over Brighton on Sunday.
FA Cup final: Manchester City v Watford
With the Premier League title and Carabao Cup already in the bag, Manchester City hope to conclude their season with victory in the FA Cup final to complete an unprecedented domestic treble in the men’s game. The job of trying to stop them rests with Watford, who have never won a major trophy and last contested an FA Cup final – the first in their history – in 1984.
On that occasion, Graham Taylor’s team of John Barnes, Kenny Jackett, Mo Johnston and Steve Sherwood, among others, lost 2-0 against Everton. Managed by Javier Gracia and skippered by Troy Deeney, the Watford of today go into today’s game as massive underdogs ... much like Wigan Athletic when they defied the odds to see off City in the 2013 FA Cup final. It can be done.
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