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Crystal Palace stuns Manchester City to claim historic FA Cup victory
Crystal Palace’s triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final marks a remarkable turnaround, emerging from a season-threatening crisis under manager Oliver Glasner.
Palace’s disastrous start, their worst since 1992-93, — a winless streak in the Premier League until October — became a distant memory as the Eagles celebrated their first major trophy in club history under the Wembley sun.
Glasner and his team celebrated before ecstatic fans, ‘Glad All Over’ echoing through the stadium, validating chairman Steve Parish’s decision to stand by the manager amidst mounting pressure.
This victory also vindicated Glasner’s approach during the crisis, his October statement, “It’s time for hugging my players, not kicking them,” proving prescient.
Wembley witnessed joyous embraces as Palace paraded the FA Cup, a testament to Glasner’s leadership and his players’ resilience.
“That’s what Oliver Glasner’s done – he made us all believe,” Parish told BBC One after the 1-0 victory. “I am so proud.”
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Glasner’s composed demeanor after the historic win reflected his managerial style—calm and measured, even as he shook hands with Pep Guardiola.
His intensity and positivity drew comparisons to Jürgen Klopp, echoing his Europa League win with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.
This approach proved invaluable during Palace’s early-season struggles.
Glasner’s unwavering belief in his players, even after a dismal start, was crucial. He recognized the reasons behind their slow start following a strong end to the previous season.
The meticulous Glasner navigated a significant transition, including the £50m sale of Michael Olise to Bayern Munich and the £30m departure of Joachim Andersen to Fulham.
Despite the arrival of Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal (£30m), integrating new signings and players returning from international duty (Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton, Marc Guehi, Dean Henderson, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jefferson Lerma, and Daniel Munoz) posed a challenge.
Glasner confidently predicted Palace’s resurgence, seamlessly integrating four deadline-day additions: Nketiah, Maxence Lacroix, Matt Turner, and Trevoh Chalobah.
The result? Spectacular success.
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‘The Eagles have landed!’ – emotional post-match scenes as Palace wins FA Cup
Parish confirms Glasner’s position was never in jeopardy, citing his work ethic and positive attitude. This victory represents a reward for that unwavering faith.
Glasner implemented a system perfectly suited to the attacking trio of Eze, Ismaila Sarr, and Mateta, the latter leading the line, the others providing support.
Palace’s strength extends beyond the attack. Munoz contributed significantly, with 13 goal involvements (6 goals, 7 assists), matching Tottenham’s Pedro Porro for most among Premier League defenders in 2024-25.
The back three of Chris Richards, Lacroix, and Guehi (before his injury) provided a solid defense, even after Guehi’s 61st-minute exit.
Crucially, Palace possesses an “X-factor” for decisive moments.
Glasner’s key players, those he believed would overcome the early slump, delivered throughout the FA Cup run, proving heroic against City.
Eze’s precise 16th-minute strike, a result of a swift counter-attack, sealed the victory.
Palace’s first shot and touch in the box proved decisive, showcasing efficiency and ruthlessness.
Eze’s contributions proved pivotal, setting Palace on their way in the quarter-final and semi-final.
Eze’s name will forever be linked to Palace’s FA Cup triumph.
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Eze finishes team move to give Palace a shock lead over Man City
Henderson’s performance also significantly contributed to Palace’s success, notably against Villa and City.
Despite a momentary lapse in judgment handling the ball outside the box (VAR ruled it not a clear scoring opportunity), Henderson remained flawless, making crucial saves against Haaland, Gvardiol, Doku, and Echeverri.
England coach Thomas Tuchel, an admirer of Henderson, witnessed the keeper enhance his international prospects, despite still needing more to solidify a claim for the starting position.
Henderson’s performance clearly frustrated Guardiola, who seemed to direct angry words towards him after the final whistle.
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Henderson denies Marmoush from the penalty spot with a brilliant save
Unbridled joy erupted for Palace, especially the passionate fans who overcame the heartbreak of past FA Cup final losses to Manchester United (1990 and 2016).
Prior to this FA Cup run, Glasner’s Wembley visits were limited to watching England and attending a Taylor Swift concert with his daughter.
He now has his own cherished Wembley memories, culminating in the 3-0 semi-final win against Villa and the celebratory sounds of Palace fans after the final whistle.
Glasner’s pre-final message of caution regarding talk of history was: “You don’t talk about an egg until the hen has laid it.”
The egg, when laid, was indeed golden.
Now Glasner, Palace, and their jubilant supporters can forever celebrate this momentous day.
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Palace displayed unity and spirit – Glasner reacts to FA Cup win
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