Manchester United will face Manchester City in the FA Cup Final where few give them a chance over the Cityzens. Rightly so, because Pep Guardiola’s men are going crazy on their way to triple. United, on the other hand, are suffering from injuries and are coming to the end of a grueling season. Erik ten Hag is in the first stage of his squad’s evolution, while Pep Guardiola’s team is a well-oiled machine in its 7th season. Still, the form goes out the window in the derby, and Manchester United’s FA Cup finals record speaks for a club with a strong pedigree in the competition.
Here’s Manchester United’s FA Cup Finals record to fill Red Devils with a bit of optimism-
Manchester United FA Cup Finals record
Manchester United have won the FA Cup 12 times, bettered only by Arsenal’s 14 wins. The Red Devils have played 20 FA Cup finals as well as 21 appearances for Arsenal. United will top the list of appearances after the meeting with Manchester City.
United had not reached an FA Cup final for five years prior to this performance. Their last final was in 2018 when Jose Mourinho’s side lost limply to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea 0-1.
The most dominant period in the FA Cup for Manchester United began in 1990 when they beat Crystal Palace for the title. Over the next 10 years, until 1999, United played five finals, winning four of them, losing only to Everton in 1995.
To put this dominant stretch into context, United have only reached five FA Cup finals in the 21st century, and only two since the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure – 2016 (win) and 2018 (defeat).
Their first FA Cup final was against Bristol City in 1909 which they won 1-0. This was followed by their longest drought in the FA Cup. The next FA Cup final they played was in 1948, nearly 40 years after their maiden triumph. Blackpool were then beaten 4-2 by emerging soccer superpower Matt Busby.
Chelsea have been United’s most frequent opponents in the FA Cup finals. United have faced Stamford Bridge in the final three times, losing twice (in 2007 and 2018, both 0-1) and winning once in 1994 (4-0).
It is worth noting that Manchester United have never faced Manchester City in an FA Cup final, adding further stakes to an already exciting derby.
The following is Manchester United’s FA Cup Finals record throughout their history:
Manchester United FA Cup Final record
| Year | Opponent | The final result |
| 1909 | City of Bristol | 1-0 |
| 1948 | Blackpool | 4-2 |
| 1957 | Aston Villa | 1-2 |
| 1958 | Bolton Wanderers | 0-2 |
| 1963 | Leicester | 3-1 |
| 1976 | Southampton | 0-1 |
| 1977 | Liverpool | 2-1 |
| 1979 | Arsenal | 2-3 |
| 1983 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2-2 (4-2 in replay) |
| 1985 | Everton | 1-0 |
| 1990 | Crystal Palace | 3-3 (1-0 in replay) |
| 1994 | Chelsea | 4-0 |
| 1995 | Everton | 0-1 |
| 1996 | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 1999 | Newcastle | 2-0 |
| 2004 | Millwall | 3-0 |
| 2005 | Arsenal | 0-0 (4-5 on penalties) |
| 2007 | Chelsea | 0-1 |
| 2016 | Crystal Palace | 2-1 |
| 2018 | Chelsea | 0-1 |
| Games | Wins | Losses | Goals scored | Granted |
| 20 | 12 | 8 (1 for pens) | 36 | 24 |
Meanwhile, Manchester City have played 11 FA Cup finals, winning six of them. However, their dominance came only recently. Two of the six FA Cup victories have come since they took over – in the 2010/11 and 2018/19 seasons.
While Manchester United has been a historic force in this competition, Manchester City is an emerging force. Under the supervision of Pep Guardiola Cityzens they are the clear favorites to win a seventh FA Cup. United’s legacy, however, should not be underestimated. Moreover, they will have extra incentive to stop Manchester City from joining the list teams that won the treblewhere Manchester United is the only English team.
There’s a lot of story involved, so it’s worth taking a look at the history. The past favors United, will the present be kind too?
