Glory everywhere. After 119 years, and two previous definitive defeats, the name of Crystal Palace is finally on the cup. A 1-0 win over Manchester City has given them the first great silverware in their history, so that their ecstatic fans are currently losing themselves.
Such scenes of euphoria and romance are what it should be about. That fear that the supporters felt in the last 10 minutes of the stopping time changed in joy as they never knew. And there was a suitable element of vintage FA Cup magic for this victory on the side of Pep Guardiola, which will of course fall as a big upset.
That name on the trophy did not only apply to the tangible act of describing “Crystal Palace” to that famous cutlery. Very early in the game it just felt like it would finally be the day of the club.
So many breaks went their way. All the great artists of the season in this budding team have been performed and continued. If the name of Palace was on the cup, the name of Dean Henderson will probably be synonymous with the final of 2025. His 36th minute penalty stop from Omar Marmoush was the choice of a series of brilliant rescues.
An extremely agitated Pep Guardiola, who ended a frustrating game by confronting Henderson when he tried to shake his hand, could complain that the keeper might not even have been on the field. Henderson’s apparent handball outside the area because Erling Haaland on Doelbreen, was not ruled by the officials. It was still a moment when Palace’s left, the kind of controversy that simply promotes the folklore of the day.
Similarly, Henderson was not even the man of the game. That went surprisingly to Daniel Munoz, although he was also sensational. A late interception to stop a Nico O’Reilly opportunity from a fine Kevin De Bruyne through the ball encapsulated the depth of effort that Palace went to. This was one of those versions that is a victory of pure will and desire, all that reinforcing tactical master class from Oliver Glasner. They did a number on the city, even if it was through one goal.
At that time there was the player who scored so appropriate that goal, after just 16 minutes. The historic competition winner of Palace was their great star, the player of this FA Cup season, Ebereechi Eze.
His goal came from a vintage escape, and in retrospect feels the only way this game could have been decided.
Eze rose to the space where Guardiola would usually have a defensive midfielder, but this time chose not to do that. The brilliant Munoz played it over and Eze ended before the moment of his life. City pointed left to each other, for scenes that had to be repeated in a very emotional game. In some respects, that surprising line-up was vintage Guardiola, although perhaps this increasing conversation he is beyond his best, maybe deepened.
If they looked like they would save an unusually gloomy season, City now has that feeling End of the century again. Whereas Palace was tight, and the glorious hunger of a team at the Up, Guardiola’s side looked old and emotionally tired again.
There is dysfunction. There was also just confusion. Guardiola continued with some of these decisions during the game. More eyebrows were erected when Marmoush performed for that penalty over Erling Haaland, although the Spaniard later revealed that the players decided who would take the place. The Norwegian may have missed three of his last seven, but was this really time to take it off?
It was certainly the time of Henderson. Palace himself felt justice, given that Tyrick Mitchell seemed to be the ball in that strong challenge on Bernardo Silva.
Guardiola later chose to give 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri his club debut in the most serious heat of the final. The Argentinian was brought over Jack Grealish.
And yet it was still De Bruyne, the notional midfielder of City and a star who did not receive a new contract, who was their only source of real creativity. He offered another pass to his personal highlights.
There was just nobody to finish. That was not all clouds of the city or fear.
It was usually that Palace stopped everything in it. They didn’t let the city move. There was always a palace player there, mostly Munoz, Adam Wharton, Maxence Lacroix, Chris Richards or Marc Guehi before he had to leave.
If City managed to pass by, there was Henderson, who also played the hand of his life.
It was just another suitable element on the day that Palace’s victory was based on their robustness, and what is perhaps one of the best defenses in the Premier League. They may even be one of the best counter -falling sides in Europe – where they are now going, also for the first time in their history, in the Europa League.
That is the effect of Glasner.
After this kind of victories there is a tendency to talk about interest from elsewhere. So many clubs want Guehi, Wharton, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Munoz, the manager and, of course, Eze.
However, it should not be about that.
It should be about those scenes in the western end of the stadium, and what the players on the field did to cause such jubilation.
A glorious throwback final, which called on the best of the FA Cup, has given the Palace joy as they have never had before.
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