Why Man City-Man United FA Cup final has already made history - ESPN

There are already plenty of reasons to be excited about the 2024 FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United as the local rivals prepare to renew hostilities for the 193rd time at Wembley this weekend.

When Premier League champions City play United on Saturday (live at 10 a.m ET, on ESPN+), it will be the first time in history that the same two English clubs have met in consecutive FA Cup finals and the first time since the late 1800s, when Blackburn Rovers and Scottish side Queen's Park came face to face, back-to-back, that it's happened at all.

Last season's final saw Manchester City beat United 2-1 thanks to a virtuoso display from Ilkay Gündogan, who scored both of City's goals at Wembley. Now the two Manchester rivals are set to reconvene at Wembley for the second successive year, with United out seeking revenge and to prevent City sealing an unprecedented double double (winning both the league title and FA Cup in consecutive seasons).

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The two clubs will join Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park as the only sides in FA Cup history to have both competed in consecutive finals, after the former pair faced each other in the 1884 final and then again in 1885.

Blackburn emerged victorious on both occasions, first winning 2-1 in front of 4,000 fans at London's Kennington Oval cricket ground on March 29, 1884. Despite losing out in the showpiece, Queen's Park became the first Scottish team to reach the final of English football's primary cup competition, having also knocked out the previous holders (Blackburn Olympic) en route.

Rovers then repeated the feat the following year, this time via a 2-0 victory at the Oval in what was the 14th FA Cup final ever to