Good afternoon and welcome to coverage of Louis van Gaal’s last game in charge of Manchester United. Reportedly.
The 11-time winners take on a side who’ve never won a major trophy in their long history in Crystal Palace.
The game, of course, is a repeat of the 1990 decider in which Eagles boss Alan Pardew lined out. After a thrilling six-goal draw, United won a drab replay under floodlights.
How do you see this one playing out?
““It would be nice to say ‘fuck you’ to a few people, people who never believed in me. I believed in myself. But we’ll only cherish it if we win it. We had a meeting earlier this week and spoke as a group about what the Palace team did back in 1990. I have huge respect for what they achieved, getting to that final and then to the replay against United, but they didn’t win it. It’s important to remember that. They’re still talking about that team after 26 years, so imagine if they’d actually won it.”
Looking for some before-kick-off reading? This Dominic Fifield interview with Corkman Damien Delaney is excellent. Let’s hope he does himself justice this evening.
Oh no!
Former Manchester United winger Wilfriend Zaha is rumoured to be out of the game because of an injury picked up in the warm-up. He left the pitch in tears.
Ooof! Fellaini starts. Here’s the United team:
And Zaha will, in fact, start. He’s been named in the XI despite that injury rumour. The Guardian report that he was crying because of emotional messages he received.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Zaha, Cabaye, McArthur, Jedinak, Bolasie; Wickham. Subs: Speroni, Mariappa, Sako, Puncheon, Gayle, Adebayor.
Fergie and Steve Coppell have arrived, continuing the 1990 nostalgia.
Scholesey looks in good form already.
LVG is talking about the decision to drop Jesse Lingard on BT. It is very, very tough, he admits.
We’re about to start the 10-minute pre-game stuff. Steve Coppell and Fergie are about to walk out with the cup and the volume is getting cranked up by the supporters, with the Palace end impressively coordinated as always.
Alex Ferguson’s advice to the players? “Go out there and enjoy it… but you can only enjoy it if you win.”
Somewhere in the east midlands, John Giles is spitting his tea across his living room. Tinie Tempah emerges from the tunnel in a nice spaceman bomber jacket to perform an atmosphere-killing medley of his hits.
The singer who was to perform the British national anthem missed her cue and joined in halfway through like fellas on the Hill with Amhrán na bhFiann.
And, at last, we’re up in and running in the 2016 FA Cup final.
First corner ball of the afternoon goes to Palace, who’ve started well.
Cabaye plays it to the near post and it’s too close to De Gea.
Fellaini could well be the key to success and failure this evening.
The Belgian was lurking with intent on the back post there and was found with a diagonal ball from Blind but his header was tame enough.
Rashford tests Damien Delaney by playing the ball past the Corkman and challenging him to a foot race.
The Turner’s Cross man launched a vital last-ditch tackle and conceded a corner. It’s been an open start to the game.
Chance! Another Man Utd corner and Fellaini is again the target. The Belgian gets a good header on it, after getting in front of his man marker Jedinak, but it goes wide again.
Rojo has a shot on target but he might have done better putting it across the six-yard box. Wayne Rooney picked him out with a lovely ball from deep.
What have you made of this first 15 minutes or so?
Palace have the ball in the net but it’s ruled out!
Conor Wickham gets past Chris Smalling who falls. Wickham drives into the box and tucks it away but Mark Clattenburg calls it back for a free in. Weird one.
Howard Webb says the ref should well have played advantage there and he’ll be disappointed.
Big save! Juan Mata pops up for the first time to shoot after a poor clearance from inside the box. Hennessy got down to get a strong hand to it and the danger is gone.
Fellaini again comes close! He’s the target for another corner after getting in front of Jedinak, put he can’t steer it home. Another corner.
Palace get two shots off in successive attacks; first from Bolaise and then Wickham. We’re half an hour in and it’s still scoreless, but there’s goals here.
Who had 32 minutes in the Giggsy-off-the-bench pool? Collect your prize at the back of the hall.
Great chance for United! Damien Dempsey dives in a little and is done by Rashford out wide.
He heads goalwards squares for Martial and the French forward’s shot is blocked.
Penalty shout!
Daley Blind loses the ball in a bad position and Zaha is in on goal. Rooney slides in and doesn’t seem to make any contact with the ball as his former teammate hits the deck. Clattenburg waves play on.
Rojo’s booked for a tussle with Zaha, and he’ll have to be very careful if he doesn’t want to pull a Kevin Moran.
Alan Pardew is furious the ref didn’t leave them play on again, meanwhile.
Juan Mata’s booked now too to become the third United player in the ref’s book after Snalling and Rojo. We’re into injury time.
Half-time! Man Utd 0 Crystal Palace 0
What have you made of that?
Mark Clattenburg — who officiates the Champions League final next week — is getting dog’s abuse on social media. The consensus on BBC is that he’s not had a good first period.
Finish those drinks and get back to your seat. The second half has kicked off.
Scott Dann’s booked for taking out Rashford, who’s been United’s brightest player if you ask me.
Fellaini hits the post!
The Big Belgian Battering Ram is getting closer.
Rashford again is the key. He’s been brilliant and again he picks out a teammate — this time with a flick. Fellaini takes it early but his shot canons off the woodwork.
The game is frantic enough now.
Martial headed goalwards from 15 yards or so out after a Valencia cross but it came off the post again.
Meanwhile, Damien Delaney’s been booked. He went through Marcos Rojo after a heavy touch and the Argentine is still on the ground.
Matteo Darmian is introduced in place of Rojo who leaves the fray with Damien Delaney’s stud-prints as a souvenir.
Jason Puncheon is preparing to come on for Palace. From the shadows will come heroes as Sam Torrance was wont to say in his Ryder Cup pomp.
Ashley Young is togging out as Rashford leaves the dray with a knock. That’s a blow for United’s chances.
It’s Cabaye who trots off to make way for Puncheon. Young goes into Rashford’s central role rather than Martial.
LVG loves to play people in the wrong places doesn’t he?
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1 Man Utd 0, Puncheon 78′
What a goal from the south London favourite.
After a Palace corner is cleared, Delaney lofts it back in to Puncehon. The sub takes one touch and blasts it past De Gea.
They’re level. Wayne Rooney beat three Palace players at least before cutting the ball back. It falls to Mata via Fellaini’s chest and the Spaniard drills it home.
I’ve been trying to find a gif of Alan Pardew’s dad-dancing which clearly angered the football gods. United equalised three minutes later.
He’s gonna look pretty stupid if he ends up on the losing side.
Mata’s off in place of Lingard, meanwhile.
A downcast and apparently injured Scott Dann’s been replaced by Adrian Mariappa.
Wilf Zaha’s had a pop at goal under pressure from Valencia, meanwhile, but it fizzes wide.
Full-time: Manchester United 1 Crystal Palace 1
Extra time!
Both sides have made all their changes and we’re set for another half hour of this.
Palace get their first sight of goal in extra time.
Bolaise plays a lovely ball to Zaha on the half turn. The United defence get back in numbers and sniff out the danger.
Bobby won’t be hugely impressed by the fare in extra time so far. It look like both sides have their eyes on penalties already.
Rooney leaves his foot in on Puncheon to prompt calls of ‘off’ from the Palace fans. He’s already been booked and Mark Clattenburg looks in no mood to dismiss the England skipper.
Moments later Fellaini has his name taken for one of those elbow-first aerial challenges. Had to happen.
Save from De Gea! Bolaise volleys a ball goalwards and the Spaniard has to get down to the corner and palm it behind. Great effort too.
RED CARD! Chris Smalling picks up his second yellow card for dragging down Bolaise. Stupid stuff.
What do these managers say to their teams now?
Rio Ferdinand on BT says Pardew needs to gamble on the win in his period.
Is this the last quarter of an hour of Van Gaal’s tenure?
We’re off in the second period of ET.
De Gea save again! Gayle was played in and should have scored but the legs of the Spaniard are in the way. Massive let off.
Michael Carrick — who’s never won the FA Cup — arrives late in the box to meet a cross but he heads wide!
GOAL! Man Utd 2 Crystal Palace 1, Lingard
What a volley! Another sub gets his name on the scoresheet. Valencia plays a ball across the face of goal, it’s half cleared but pops up for the young winger and he lashes it home first time.
Van Gaal goes nuts on the sideline.
Damien Delaney’s playing at centre forward now. It’d be some story if he got an equaliser.
The Selhurst Road brains trust are looking pretty downbeat now with a couple of minutes left.
MAN UNITED WIN THE 2016 FA CUP!
Louis van Gaal has led United to their first trophy in the post-Fergie era while Palace lose another FA Cup final. Their wait for a major trophy goes on.
With the Galzer family looking on, will this this victory be enough to save LVG at Old Trafford?
Wayne Rooney’s actually speaking really well to Des Kelly about this — his first FA Cup final — and what it means to him.
The Palace fans are traipsing up the famous Wembley steps to collect their medals.
As the Stone Roses’ This Is The One comes on the PA, Carrick and Rooney lift the cup.
Thanks for your company. We’re off to do the Pardew.
They seem to be going all out to stop the rot, will it work?
I don’t think it will work straight away but I think Blind is a very good signing. Very disciplined and will work very hard for LVG. Phil Jones really needs to buck up. If he can start doing the easy things right and start leading from the back, then I think a major defender isn’t needed. It’s positive rather than the negative shite we’ve been watching for a while. In saying that, Burnley could turn up and want it a lot more today and teach United a thing or two about desire.
Blind often played at CDM for Ajax and that is what United need the most good signing
Spot on there pal I think lvg will play him there
Shaw,Rojo,Blind..Any chance he’ll sign a right back?
Rafael, valencia, smalling and jones able to play there too! The problem was at left back which he seems to have fixed
Hes paid big money for 3 left backs,2 of which are versatile. Im trying to see how he’ll be able to play all 3 at one time
They’ve lost three left backs since January so makes sense. Plus, Rojo can play in the centre and Blind in holding midfield as well as CB.
Rojo likely to play centre or left in a 3 at the back, Shaw will play either left back or left wing back, Blind will play mainly Centre Mid, or infront of the back 3/4.
It’s also likely Shaw will in maybe a year or 2 end up as a out and out winger if he proves himself again like last season going forward
A great signing and nice to have some depth at left-back but as Jonjo mentioned in a comment the signature of a right-back is surely imminent now. Rafael is too much of a liability and Jones is more favourable at centre-back.
£14 million isn’t too bad considering United are getting a player that LVG has worked with and Blind will know how he coaches etc. Still United’s transfer policy is shocking. Letting a handful of players go at start of the window and then clearly failing to replace them. Leads to panic buying in the last few weeks. Then they pay over the odds because of it.
Seems to be a very overpriced deal?
More like a player that the likes of Newcastle would sign for 6/7million and then sell on for this kind if money.
If Woodward hadn’t advertised how much money we had to spend we wouldn’t be held to ransom like this!
Or if they hadn’t shown their intentions by paying stupid money for Luke Shaw at the start of the transfer window
Or if we got players in before letting the likes of Vidic and Ferdinand go!
We then have the bad results of the start of the season and everyone can see the desperation.
It has nothing to do with Woodward. I think he is aptly priced going by the rates players are priced at these days and taking into consideration Blind’s performances at the world cup.
Really! Woodward announcing that we had 200 million to spend has no influence on clubs holding out for higher fees?
The selling club has all the power when it comes to selling player to United at the moment because we’ve left it late to get players in, and have showed our hand too quickly!
I agree Evra and Ferdinand were on the decline but I wouldn’t have let Vidic go before next season while he brings the youngsters up to standard or quality new players in.
We didn’t have to be in this situation! Vidic could have got us through the first part of the season?
Rojo still has third party ownership issues never mind work permit issues.
We left ourselves without a defence at the start of the season, and now our arse is in the wind as we scramble for players!!!!
If that’s not Woodward who is it???
John, are you shouting?
Not yet I’m only 2/10 on the Delia meter at the moment!
If I were shouting, I’d write LIKE THIS!
John united are going to have to overpay another couple of times yet. They lost their negotiating power because of Woodward big mouth, years of underinvestment driven by the glazers and now a poor run of results.
Things are starting to shape up now though. I have no doubt LVG will get them going on a run at some point. The question is when …..
Sorry John, I do agree with some of what you are saying. I should have said I don’t think Blind is overpriced. When I heard Ajax wanted a minimum of 20 million I thought here we go again in relation to the extortionate price paid for Dj Maria and probably Shaw too. So I was surprised when 18 million was announced. I do agree with what youare saying about advertising the money the club are willing to spend and I would liken it to Chelsea’s ability to somehow get 50 million from PSG for David Luiz, but everyone knows PSG have adequate funding so hey, why not!? Also similar to Real Madrid paying top dollar to secure big names at the club. They have the money to do so. It’s activity like this that is in my opinion inflating the football player economy so that’s why I don’t think Woodward is solely responsible.
Declan, I agree with you, hopefully VIdal next!
Here hoping John though time is getting tight now for that deal. Hernandez as part of deal might make juve bite. Who knows
Good man Stephen!
Although Madrid balance it out with the odd bargain 20 million for Kroos. When we do our homework we get a Solskjaer or a Hernandez or even a Ronaldo (price wasn’t bargain basement but look what we sold him for).
When we haven’t planned properly we have to do a panicked shopping spree.
Our team has been evolving for years and we shouldn’t have been in shock that Giggs, Evra, Ferdinand, got old there understudies should be in before they are out?
Looked poor for Ajax v psv last weekend
Stephen, I also think you are right, there is a team if people that make the decisions behind the scenes, they should be advising a little better, but Gill was a bit more clued in?
It’s one of those, that if he stays for 10 years and is successful it was cheap!
But if he fails to adapt to the premier league we could be selling him for half the price we bought him for!
Liam, I’d say his mind was on United this deal has been in the pipeline! Van Der Sar had had several trips to Carrington representing Ajax!
I’d say he didn’t want to risk injury before the transfer!
Well Gill and Ferguson were a class act as far as transfers and finance are concerned. Great ability to buy an unknown starlet and turn them into a decent player. It was the same with the youth system, they knew what they were at. LVG will be the same I reckon but he needs to become comfortable with the club. It takes time. Especially in regard to the youth system, that doesn’t just come overnight.
Yes but that activity is conducted by the scouting network, and we didn’t loose that with Gill/Ferguson.
I agree LVG will get all that right, but he’s been forced into buying at high prices.
If it doesn’t work in the first year, the press will come out with you’ve spent 200 million and there will be a witch hunt.
I would have hoped LVG having been around the block and having contacts in the footballing world could have pointed out a few players we didn’t know about!
Shaw and Herrera were signed from long term targets.
Di Maria was a signing we had to do to boost fans confidence and prove we can sign the best.
I would put Daley Blind as LVG’s first proper signing?
In my opinion Moyes got rid of very important back room staff. Rene, Mike Phealan, among many and replaced with Phil Neville.
Players began to loose confidence in the coaching started to fight amongst themselves and the dressing room split.
Bidi said if he knew LVG was coming in he wouldn’t have left.
*vidic
LOL combination of sausage fingers and predictive text
Yes , the bright lights and big pockets were probably playing on his mind
Really need a midfielder before deadline day,seen song is in talks with west ham,surely he would of been a cheap short term solution.
£14 million ain’t too bad a deal these days for a very good versatile player.
£13.85 million if you are to believe Sky Sports News.
Another left back and now the most expensive team in pl history Jesus United are shocking
Ah Ian. Thought you could do better than that. Who do you support ?
Very solid signing, I think the United new members of the united squad although over priced are fantastic signings. If we could get de Jong or Vidal and a right back now it could be the league. ….
im very disappointed by this news feed