Manchester City cemented their place in the history books as Pep Guardiola's men swatted aside Watford to lift the FA Cup and complete an extraordinary domestic treble.
Fresh from wrapping up the Premier League at the end of a rip-roaring title duel with Liverpool, City became the first men's team in English football history to win all three domestic major honours.
Guardiola's side emphatically brought the curtain down on an exceptional season at Wembley, with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus each scoring twice and David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne also on target in a 6-0 win against Watford.
It was a record-equalling FA Cup final victory and saw City add this trophy to their league and Carabao Cup crowns.
Some would even count their Community Shield towards their tally, but by whatever measure this has been a wonderful season for the blue half of Manchester.
Yes, the Champions League still eludes them and the spectre of a potential ban in that competition looms large, but the feeling was unbridled joy as City lifted the FA Cup and celebrated one of the greatest days in the club's history.
Watford hoped this would be their day as they looked for their first major trophy on their second FA Cup final appearance, but Javi Gracia's men faded after some promising early moments.
David Silva opened the scoring and settled the nerves when ending a 27-game run without a goal, before Bernardo Silva's beautiful pass found Jesus for the second.
Watford overcame a two-goal deficit in stunning fashion in the semi-finals, but City are a different beast. And a relentless one at that.
City kept their foot on the Hornets' throat. Substitute De Bruyne and Jesus netted before Sterling grabbed a late double as Guardiola overcame compatriot Gracia in the 138th FA Cup final.
Goal videos
🙌 What an occasion to end a run of 27 games without a goal!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 18, 2019
⚽️ David Silva ends his drought to give #MCFC the lead in the #FACup final! #MCIWAT pic.twitter.com/jvjl53CqlS
😲 When you steal an #FACup final goal from your team-mate!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 18, 2019
Raheem Sterling has now been awarded #MCFC's second goal after doing this to Gabriel Jesus...pic.twitter.com/zzNCkW5qxp
🇧🇪 Super sub Kevin De Bruyne.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 18, 2019
😎 Cool as you like.
👇 #FACup #MCIWAT #MCFC pic.twitter.com/XNxig6rqL5
⚽️👏 Gabriel Jesus had his first #FACup final 'goal' stolen by Raheem Sterling...but this one is his! #MCFC #MCIWAT pic.twitter.com/LNf2zu8fuP
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 18, 2019
🖐 | @BernardoCSilva ➡ @Sterling7 = 5⃣#EmiratesFACupFinal pic.twitter.com/V24gf58upY
— The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 18, 2019
😲⚽️ Raheem Sterling's hat-trick goal seals a 6-0 victory over Watford!!
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) May 18, 2019
👏 Only @buryfcofficial have won the #FACup as comfortably against Derby in 1903! pic.twitter.com/2zfvgNtfoJ
Opta stats
- Manchester City are the first team ever to win the domestic treble in England.
- Manchester City are the first English top-flight side to register 50 wins in all competitions in a single season.
- Watford have lost their last 11 matches against Manchester City in all competitions, conceding 38 goals in those games.
- Manchester City are just the fourth team to win both major domestic cup competitions in the same season, after Arsenal in 1992-93, Liverpool in 2000-01 and Chelsea in 2006-07.
- Manchester City are only the third side to score six goals in an FA Cup final, after Blackburn against Sheffield Wednesday in 1890 (6-1) and Bury against Derby in 1903 (6-0).
- Manchester City have scored 26 goals in the 2018-19 FA Cup - the most by a team in a single season in the competition since Charlton netted 29 and Derby scored 37, both in 1945/46.
- Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola is the eighth manager to win the English top-flight, League Cup and FA Cup, after Bill Nicholson, Don Revie, Joe Mercer, Kenny Dalglish, George Graham, Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho; Mercer also achieved the feat with Manchester City.
- David Silva has become just the second Manchester City player to score in both an FA Cup and League Cup final, after Yaya Touré.
- Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling has been directly involved in 40 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions this season (25 goals, 15 assists), a figure bettered only by Sergio Aguero among Premier League players (42).
- Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus (9 – 5 goals, 4 assists) has had a direct hand in more FA Cup goals this season than any other player.
