Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City on Saturday to win the FA Cup for the first time as Eberechi Eze sealed a 1-0 victory that piled on the misery for Pep Guardiola’s troubled side.
Eze’s early strike rocked City before Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson saved Omar Marmoush’s penalty late in the first half of a dramatic final at Wembley.
While Eze’s clinical finish was the culmination of his remarkable rise from rejection by Arsenal, Fulham and Millwall as a youngster, it was Henderson who emerged as Palace’s hero with a series of superb saves.
City will protest that Henderson should have been sent off for a first-half handball outside his penalty area.
But Henderson made the most of that controversial moment to ensure Palace clinched the first major trophy in their 120-year history and a place in next season’s Europa League.
Beaten by Manchester United in their previous FA Cup final appearances in 1990 and 2016, Palace’s shock win was no more than they deserved as City once again imploded in a dismal season that will be their first without major silverware since 2016-17.
After winning the Premier League in the previous four seasons, City have endured a turbulent campaign that ranks among the worst in Guardiola’s storied managerial career.
Currently sixth in the Premier League, City host Bournemouth on Tuesday and travel to Fulham on May 25 as they try to salvage their wretched year by at least qualifying for the Champions League.
