Manchester United’s stunning FA Cup win over Manchester City has been widely praised by former Premier League winner Chris Sutton, who noted that the team finally showed the identity that had been missing for much of the season. In his analysis, Sutton expressed his confusion over why these performances had not been seen earlier in the season, highlighting the importance of having a clear identity in a team.
Sutton referenced the speculation surrounding Erik ten Hag’s future as United’s manager, noting that the team had lacked identity under his leadership. However, he commended ten Hag for his bravery in deciding to play a certain formation and sticking with it, particularly praising the balance of the team and the use of Bruno Fernandes as a false nine.
The former Premier League player highlighted United’s first goal, which came after a mistake by the City defense, as well as the brilliant counter-attack that led to their second goal scored by Kobbie Mainoo. Sutton described Mainoo’s goal as one of the best FA Cup final goals he had ever seen, praising Fernandes for his selflessness and skill in setting up the goal. Overall, Sutton believes that United’s performance was a testament to their potential and could be an indication of better things to come under ten Hag’s leadership.
