If this really was to have been Pep Guardiola’s 24th and final Wembley appearance as the Manchester City manager, then he went out in trademark fashion – as a winner, as an overseer of magic moments. There was actually only one of the latter here, but it will stand the test of time, Antoine Semenyo lighting up an FA Cup final that had previously been heavy on perspiration rather than inspiration.
The Wembley clock showed 72 minutes and, at that point, it was a Chelsea team desperate to put their recent woes behind them who were in the ascendancy. Was Calum McFarlane, their red-raw rookie caretaker coach, about to produce the sling-shot to fell Guardiola? Were the unhappy Chelsea supporters about to get something to save their season?
