FA Cup final: how local rivalry turned into global battle for brand supremacy

I t will be a mighty convoy, perhaps not visible from space but certainly from the verges of the M6. A minimum of 60 coaches, travelling south on Saturday morning, will transport supporters of Manchester’s two prestigious football clubs to Wembley Stadium. There, the men’s sides will contest a historic encounter, competing together in an FA Cup final for the first time in their 140-year history.

That there is greater anticipation than usual for the traditional domestic showpiece is not just down to its unique matchup. The rivalry between the red and blue sides of Manchester is bubbling away at a notable temperature and the final finds itself playing a central role.

When United wrapped up their league season a week ago, their manager, Erik ten Hag, took to the Old Trafford pitch. It is traditional to thank the fans for their support but the Dutchman wanted to assure them of something more. “There’s still one game to go and I’m sure these players will give everything to beat Manchester City next week,” he said.

United finished third and remain without a Premier League title since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. City, meanwhile, are champions for the third year in a row and the fifth time in seven years under their manager, Pep Guardiola. If City win the FA Cup, next Saturday they will have the chance to complete a prestigious treble of trophies by beating Internazionale in the Champions League final. It’s a feat achieved only once by an English club: Ferguson’s United in 1999.

Ferguson once spoke of City, after the deal that saw Abu Dhabi’s sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan take control of the club, as United’s “noisy neighbours”. In the intervening years the volume has been turned up. Should City complete