Crystal Palace shocked Manchester City with a 1-0 win at Wembley on Saturday, capturing the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history and deepening the woes of Pep Guardiola’s struggling team.
Eberechi Eze’s early goal proved decisive, capping off a meteoric journey that once saw him turned away by Arsenal, Fulham, and Millwall. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Dean Henderson emerged as the match’s standout performer, notably denying Omar Marmoush from the penalty spot and pulling off a series of crucial saves.
Manchester City were left fuming after a controversial VAR decision spared Henderson a red card for handling the ball outside his area. Officials determined it was “not an obvious goal-scoring opportunity,” a judgment City may continue to contest.
With the win, Palace ended a 120-year wait for a major trophy and secured a Europa League berth. Previous FA Cup final heartbreaks against Manchester United in 1990 and 2016 made this moment all the more significant.
The defeat compounds a turbulent season for City, who find themselves sixth in the Premier League standings and in danger of ending a campaign without silverware for the first time since 2016–17. Their final league fixtures—against Bournemouth and Fulham—will determine if they manage to salvage Champions League qualification.
Guardiola, whose team has struggled for consistency, recently challenged his players’ motivation following disappointing exits from both the league title race and the Champions League. His tactical choices were again under scrutiny after deploying a highly offensive starting XI with no defensive midfielder.
This isn’t the first time Guardiola’s unconventional lineup choices in finals have raised eyebrows. Asked about his selections just before kick-off, the City manager said he was trusting “talent,” but Palace boss Oliver Glasner saw an opportunity.
“When you have so many attacking players it could give you an opportunity in transitions,” Glasner noted.
City came close to scoring early when Erling Haaland connected with a Kevin De Bruyne cross, forcing a stop from Henderson. Josko Gvardiol’s powerful header was also saved, but Palace held firm and countered with precision.
The breakthrough came in the 16th minute. Chris Richards launched a pass from deep, Jean-Philippe Mateta held it up for Daniel Munoz, who charged down the right wing before crossing to Eze. The midfielder guided a composed volley past Stefan Ortega from the edge of the box.
City’s frustrations deepened when Henderson avoided dismissal for handling the ball outside his box while racing to intercept Haaland. Soon after, Tyrick Mitchell conceded a penalty for fouling Bernardo Silva. Haaland handed the ball to Marmoush, whose spot-kick was turned away by Henderson.
The Palace shot-stopper was far from done, making key saves to deny Jeremy Doku and Claudio Echeverri, preserving his side’s narrow lead.
With a resolute defensive display and inspired goalkeeping, Palace secured a landmark victory—one that leaves Guardiola and City with serious questions to answer as the season winds down.
