The FA Cup final will see Manchester City take on Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on June 3.
United have booked their place in the final thanks to a penalty shoot-out victory over Brighton in the second semi-final on Sunday. Erik ten Hag’s side came through 7-6 on spot-kicks after Solly March sent his effort over the crossbar in sudden death.
Victor Lindelof was the hero, keeping his cool to put the ball in the top corner and settle a tense and evenly-fought contest at Wembley. Both sides had chances throughout the 120 minutes, but David de Gea and Robert Sanchez kept out all the attempts.
The FA Cup final will see a Manchester derby for the first time after City eased past Championship side Sheffield United 3-0 on Saturday. Riyad Mahrez was the hero for Pep Guardiola’s team, scoring a hat-trick in an impressive performance.
United will be going for their second trophy of the season, following their Carabao Cup victory back in February, while City are in contention for a historic treble, with the Premier League and Champions League still in sight.
The FA Cup is the most historic cup competition in the world with a great deal of pedigree attached to it – but it is also a route into European competitions. The fact the final will be contested by two teams who currently sit inside the top four creates some confusion in that regard.
So what will happen this season in terms of qualification for the Champions League and Europa League?
Champions League qualification
The FA Cup does not have any bearing on qualification for the Champions League.
The clubs who finish in the top four of the Premier League are assigned qualification for Europe’s top club competition.
Europa League qualification
The FA Cup does mean something for the Europa League, however, because the winners of the competition automatically qualify for the Europa League group stage proper.
Yet, with City currently second in the Premier League and United in fourth, six points above fifth–placed Tottenham with two games in hand, that is very unlikely to be the case this time around, because they would go into the Champions League instead.
The rules therefore state that if the FA Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League, their Europa League group stage place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions.
The fifth-placed team in the Premier League, which is currently Tottenham, qualify for the group stage of the Europa League automatically. If things stay this way, it would mean a place in the Europa League for the sixth-placed side in the Premier League, which is Aston Villa.
Villa are currently a point ahead of Liverpool, in seventh, and two ahead of Brighton, who now have three games in hand on Unai Emery’s side.
