Wembley stung. Losing an FA Cup final will do that. But when you lose an FA Cup final to your city rivals which sees them go within a game of winning the Treble... There aren't many words to describe the extent of that pain. It's a huge testament to the great start Erik ten Hag has made to life as
Manchester United manager that Saturday's defeat to
Manchester City didn't spark a huge backlash. With a trophy already won,
Champions League Football secured and huge improvements made on the pitch, supporters were already satisfied with the season before the final. But that's not to say the significance of the loss won't continue to hurt. Though Pep Guardiola's side were the overwhelming favourites, United went into the game with a fair degree of confidence having won the last Manchester derby, even if that did come before City found their unstoppable winning formula. So to go behind after just 12 seconds, largely thanks to a lack of concentration from the off, was a hammer blow. United did well to survive the early onslaught and claw their way back into the game but there was only one team who deserved the trophy. Read more: United's possible 25-man squad next season if they fix three big problems The loss has even more dire consequences as it means City are now just one game away from matching United's famous treble triumph of 1999. Inter Milan stand in their way in the Champions League final on Saturday but once again the Blues are overwhelming favourites. They have been in this position before, though. Everyone expected them to sweep
Chelsea aside two years ago but Kai Havertz flipped the script and inflicted heartache. Guardiola knows full well his team will need to show up to win and has pinpointed the challenges of facing the Italian giants. "It's not easy to attack the defensive system that they use. We have to be with a lot of rhythm and be patient. They are going to do it with three, four passes and we have to do it and know the right tempo we have to play," he said. "This is the right kind of things in these type of games. We know what game goes through, you can get anxious and that will be a problem but they are used to controlling all the games in
Italy and we have to defend really well. "It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I'm so optimistic but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent. I have never done it and especially not in the final of the Champions League." So there is still a glimmer of hope for United supporters, who are desperate for the club to remain the only English side to have won a treble. For their neighbours to match their crowning glory would once again display the shift of power in Manchester. "I don't know if United want us to win the Champions League or not," Guardiola joked, knowing the answer full well. It was already obvious which shade of Blue ribbon United fans want to see tied to the trophy in Istanbul and there are three familiar faces in the Inter side they will be desperate to see perform. Romelu Lukaku, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mateo Darmian all flattered to deceive at Old Trafford. £80million was spent on Lukaku to solve the club's striker problem but he never suited
Jose Mourinho and couldn't rediscover his blistering Everton form before departing two years later. Mkhitaryan arrived in 2016 from Borussia Dortmund with high expectations but struggled. He was then used in part exchange to sign another player to underwhelm in Alexis Sanchez. Darmian spent an uneventful four years at United in which he didn't make an impact. Three who didn't deliver much in way of memorable moments at Old Trafford and won't be remembered much for their contribution. Yet, any or all of them could make their biggest contributions to United years after their departures on Saturday. All they have to do is help stop City. Read next: Why Ten Hag wants Mount to replace Eriksen United have one thing
Real Madrid can't offer Kane