Wednesday night sealed it. There will not be a more seismic post-war FA Cup final than next month's. Manchester City will arrive at Wembley as champions and in the final of the Champions League.
They are odds-on to emulate United's Treble 24 years ago. United are the best-equipped team to stop them. City look an unstoppable force, a team with best-in-class in goal, in defence, in midfield, up front and on the touchline. Also read: 13 exits and five signings - what the United transfer list could look like Since the weekend of United's League Cup final win, City have recorded 17 wins and two draws in 19 games.
The morale-sustaining stalemates were in Munich and Madrid. United have won 10 of their last 19 and there have been five defeats, all of them away from Old Trafford and most of them egregious.
That City were the last victims of a true FA Cup final shock against Wigan a decade ago is moot. That day marked the end of Roberto Mancini's fruitful but fraught reign as he turned on the City press officer during his post-match debrief.