For the first time in a generation, Manchester United are FA Cup underdogs this weekend.
The Reds will contest their 21st final on Saturday, joining Arsenal at the top of that particular leaderboard, five years after their last. That was a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. United last lifted the cup under Louis van Gaal in 2016 and won four of seven finals under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Under the managerial great, such events were common place. United expected to be competing for trophies on all fronts and sometimes even winning wasn't enough. Fergie wanted it all and demanded most of it from team after team of dedicated and driven foot soldiers.
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They built a dynasty and an air of expectation, teams floundered in the face of them and buckled under wave after wave of attack. It's why United scored so many late goals, it's why Old Trafford was sacred, an away win as rare as an eclipse.
Under Erik ten Hag those days are starting to return. There is a trophy in the cabinet and an identity to the team. United lost just once on home turf all season, to Brighton on the opening day.
The swagger the Reds possessed under Ferguson is starting to return. There's a sense of expectancy rather than hope. Of faith not fear.
On Saturday, United face an acid test of their progress. Manchester City await at Wembley in the FA Cup final. Pep Guardiola's side have swatted aside all before them this term and are two wins from a treble. United know all about that, and will be desperate to prevent the Blues from emulating the heroics of 1999.
It's the first all-Manchester cup final and a mammoth occasion. It's what being at United is all about, big games, big rewards.
City will be favourites and they've set the standard in recent years, but Ten Hag is beginning to close the gap. Fourteen points separated the sides this season, it was 35 a year ago.
The two old foes haven't met in the FA Cup since 2012, and it was pre Pep. Ferguson still reigned and while City were flush with cash, United had the winning mentality. They survived a comeback to win 3-2 having been three up inside 40 minutes with City down to 10 from the early stages. That was only round three but it mattered. The likes of David Beckham were among the spectators.
United had triumphed but Ferguson didn't see it as a huge achievement, he saw it as what should be happening. His juggernaught downing the noisy neighbours and marching on.
"The game has done nothing for us," he raged afterwards.
Those were the days when the Reds expected to best their rivals and didn't simply strive to be close. If United can pilfer some silverware on Saturday, Ten Hag can restore the swagger.
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