United's biggest underdog story in a cup final?

[Fortitude]

Only the most blinded and/or loyal fan gives us a prayer in the FA Cup final. After watching the speed and technical quality of the game last night, this has only been exacerbated, especially so when compared to our brand of football and form since winning the league cup.

We've been underdogs going into finals before, but has it ever been to this degree where barely anyone believes we have anything more than a puncher's chance, or that it's a matter of how many we lose by and how badly we'll be toyed with?

 

[gajender]

Only the most blinded and/or loyal fan gives us a prayer in the FA Cup final. After watching the speed and technical quality of the game last night, this has only been exacerbated, especially so when compared to our brand of football and form since winning the league cup.

We've been underdogs going into finals before, but has it ever been to this degree where barely anyone believes we have anything more than a puncher's chance, or that it's a matter of how many we lose by and how badly we'll be toyed with?

Barca second time around in CL final .

 

[Judas]

Barca second time around in CL final .

Nowhere near. Plenty still believed in us to win that, rightly or wrongly.

 

[fergiewherearethou]

We have managed to beat City before, so I like to stay positive, if we raise our game and defend well, we will only lose by around 2 goals, which is decent.

 

[Red Rash]

We know that unfortunately right now City are a much better team than us but it's a cup final and anything can happen. You'd expect this to be a game where all our players should be up for the challenge and we definitely have the quality to hurt them. I'm not very optimistic about winning but also if we do win I don't think it's a huge surprise or upset. The game really can go either way

 

[Thaumaste]

I mean, this is a wild exaggeration.

For one thing, no cup final (we all pray) will ever match up to the unevenness of 1958.

For another, this City team is excellent, sure; we're in rubbish form, sure. But it's both a cup final and a derby, so not only does form not provide a fair indication of outcome, but we also can't pretend that we're a bunch of scrubs or totally decimated by injury. We're a good side who can beat better sides on our day.

 

[King7Eric]

Barca second time around in CL final .

We were coming out from winning the league and while we weren't necessarily favorites it wouldn't exactly have been regarded as a massive upset had we won that game.

It will be considered a massive upset if we beat City in the final so it's not really comparable.

 

[CallyRed]

Biggest upset since Wigan beat City

 

[Godfather]

It's our shit form that makes us huge underdogs. Our team on paper should be good enough to give them a hard fight but the way we bottle everything at the moment doesn't give me much hope.

 

[AndySmith1990]

Something doesn't sit right with me that our players "earn" as much as City players yet we have far lower expectations and refer to ourselves as the underdogs. We are, sure. But there's something so wrong about it.

 

[Trumpeter Whydah]

 

[McGrathsipan]

Its the hope that kills you. This city side will use the FA Cup final as a light training session. They will be 2-0 up inside 10 minutes and stroll the rest of the match while we pass side to side and watch Bruino roll about and whinge every time he gets touched.

They have better players than us in every position and have goals from everywhere. We have a Rashford that has reverted to his blunt form, Antony that offers just about no real threat other than being annoying and we won't even mention Martial or Weghorst.

On a day of miracles we may get to the end of ET to face penalties and then we get to watch Dave fall to the ground for every city penalty.

Zero chance that United get anywhere near this city side.

Honestly this could be a repeat of the 2019 final result and God knows United are capable of such a capitulation.

 

[Rood]

It's our shit form that makes us huge underdogs. Our team on paper should be good enough to give them a hard fight but the way we bottle everything at the moment doesn't give me much hope.

Injuries a bigger issue than form (obviously linked also) - with Martinez and Varane fit I'd give us a decent chance

 

[ohhrooney]

The essence or the romance of FA cup is all about the underdogs triumphing, and I hope that story continues. We will be frantically winning at the very least.

 

[RoyH1]

Injuries a bigger issue than form - with Martinez and Varane fit I'd give us a decent chance

I agree. Those two getting injured at the same time killed our season.

 

[Tiber]

I will be pleasantly surprised if we only lose by a goal or two

 

[Cassidy]

Screw that lets beat the cnuts

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Screw that lets beat the cnuts

This, it's a one off game, anything is possible.

 

[Hammondo]

We were coming out from winning the league and while we weren't necessarily favorites it wouldn't exactly have been regarded as a massive upset had we won that game.

It will be considered a massive upset if we beat City in the final so it's not really comparable.

It was very much seen as Barcelona's to lose, we were given little chance.

 

[Devil81]

Wigan beat a strong City side in a final not so long ago.

We're better than Wigan ever was. It a difficult task and we are the underdog but we can certainly do it.

 

[Revan]

We won an FA Cup final defeating Millwall, folks.

 

[The Boy]

Brighton 1983 - still amazed you won that

 

[DickDastardly]

Keep them jinx threads comin boyz!

 

[Siorac]

It was very much seen as Barcelona's to lose, we were given little chance.

Quick google search tells me the average odds for a United win were 3.8. This time it's 6.25.

(and frankly, it might as well be 5000, we all know we aren't winning it)

 

[Bondi77]

Only the most blinded and/or loyal fan gives us a prayer in the FA Cup final. After watching the speed and technical quality of the game last night, this has only been exacerbated, especially so when compared to our brand of football and form since winning the league cup.

We've been underdogs going into finals before, but has it ever been to this degree where barely anyone believes we have anything more than a puncher's chance, or that it's a matter of how many we lose by and how badly we'll be toyed with?

Just out of interest....how many FA Cup finals have you seen?

 

[Von Mistelroum]

A different, but perhaps more pertinent question might be: "What's the biggest ever scoreline for the winning team in a cup final?"

 

[Siorac]

We won an FA Cup final defeating Millwall, folks.

Surely you aren't suggesting we were bigger underdogs back then?

 

[Siorac]

A different, but perhaps more pertinent question might be: "What's the biggest ever scoreline for the winning team in a cup final?"

6-0, Bury vs Derby in 1903 and City v Watford in 2019.

If City get to the CL final, we'll be spared that sort of humiliation. They'll take their foot off the pedal at 3-0.

 

[Grande]

I mean, this is a wild exaggeration.

For one thing, no cup final (we all pray) will ever match up to the unevenness of 1958.

For another, this City team is excellent, sure; we're in rubbish form, sure. But it's both a cup final and a derby, so not only does form not provide a fair indication of outcome, but we also can't pretend that we're a bunch of scrubs or totally decimated by injury. We're a good side who can beat better sides on our day.

Was going to say this about the 1958 final. Eight players dead, several more injured, manager invalid still, Harry Gregg playing with what would now almost certainly have been recognized as a post-traumatic depression. Other clubs had loaned us some B-stringers out of sportsmanship, but the league form after the crash, 1-5-8, was indicative of lower second division levels by the standards of the day.

Even if Bolton was 15th in the league table, they beat us 4-0 even before the accident, and should have trunced us. Still, who knows what might have happened if we hadn’t conceded unluckily after three minutes, and then fallen prey to an attack on Gregg (who was barged over the goal line with the ball in hand) which led to the change of rules and practices now protecting goal keepers. Cup has it’s own affects and potential for heroics and craziness.

Liverpool where clear fovorites in the FA Cup in 1977, and in the league cup in 1983, being the best team in the country and one of the best in the world, making it more than comparable to this year’s final. Barca 2011 were also huge favorites in my memory, as they were the worlds best team by a distance, while we had failed to replace Ronaldo, and the ageing Giggs and Scholes.

Solskjær and Ten Hag have both outwitted Pep’s men with most of these players, so making out like we don’t stand a good fighting chance is hysterical to me. Of course City are odds on favorites, but we have a chance.

 

[Hammondo]

Quick google search tells me the average odds for a United win were 3.8. This time it's 6.25.

(and frankly, it might as well be 5000, we all know we aren't winning it)

Oh yea we are way bigger underdogs now.

 

[wolvored]

Perhaps this will show TH's mettle and he changes tactics 4 5 1 and man marks de bruyne. He is their playmaker and city have shown when he doesnt play they play a lot worse than when he does. If he thinks playing the same team, the same tactics will work, then we are beat from the start.

 

[bringbackbebe]

Perhaps this will show TH's mettle and he changes tactics 4 5 1 and man marks de bruyne. He is their playmaker and city have shown when he doesnt play they play a lot worse than when he does. If he thinks playing the same team, the same tactics will work, then we are beat from the start.

Let's play Maguire as the target man

 

[wolvored]

Let's play Maguire as the target man

Be a better choice than Wegworst

 

[CM]

I certainly don't remember feeling less confident than this heading into a final.

I might've given us half a chance if we had our full complement of players but our form has completely collapsed since that Sevilla game.

 

[Sky1981]

Biggest underdog?

We're united. They're city. We're rival. Forms etc be damned.

Liverpool in their worst year never fear taking us on a one match game taking it as their final we used to laugh at the you beat us cup

Where's our pride?

 

[Physiocrat]

Was going to say this about the 1958 final. Eight players dead, several more injured, manager invalid still, Harry Gregg playing with what would now almost certainly have been recognized as a post-traumatic depression. Other clubs had loaned us some B-stringers out of sportsmanship, but the league form after the crash, 1-5-8, was indicative of lower second division levels by the standards of the day.

Even if Bolton was 15th in the league table, they beat us 4-0 even before the accident, and should have trunced us. Still, who knows what might have happened if we hadn’t conceded unluckily after three minutes, and then fallen prey to an attack on Gregg (who was barged over the goal line with the ball in hand) which led to the change of rules and practices now protecting goal keepers. Cup has it’s own affects and potential for heroics and craziness.

Liverpool where clear fovorites in the FA Cup in 1977, and in the league cup in 1983, being the best team in the country and one of the best in the world, making it more than comparable to this year’s final. Barca 2011 were also huge favorites in my memory, as they were the worlds best team by a distance, while we had failed to replace Ronaldo, and the ageing Giggs and Scholes.

Solskjær and Ten Hag have both outwitted Pep’s men with most of these players, so making out like we don’t stand a good fighting chance is hysterical to me. Of course City are odds on favorites, but we have a chance.

Excellent post.

 

[wangyu]

The way barca destroyed us in 2011 was unseen, it was a miracle we only lost 3-1.

If we can copy real madrid we can hurt them on the counter. Real was not ashamed of playing super defensively at their own ground, we should not be either.

 

[Spoony]

It's like 1985 revisited. So many similarities.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

One of the very rare cup finals I simply cannot visualise United winning

Villareal was the other recent one

I'll still be watching, supporting and hopeful though of course

 

[ColvaleGoa]

Half of our squad haven't got a backbone.

Add DeGea in the mix and we just have to bet what the margin will be .

Not a chance on a wing and a prayer too.

Just wish we could book top 4.