Hat-trick hero Raheem Sterling leads Man City to record 6-0 FA Cup final win over Watford

Alam Khan - Reporter 22:42 18/05/2019
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  • Raheem Sterling claimed the fourth hat-trick in FA Cup final history as he led Manchester City to a treble of domestic trophies.

    Having already bagged the Premier League and League Cup, Pep Guardiola’s side lifted the FA Cup with a crushing win over Watford.

    Sterling scored three, matching the feats of William Townley for Blackburn in 1890, Jimmy Logan for Notts County in 1894 and Stan Mortensen for Blackpool in 1953, with David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus also on the mark.

    The unfancied Hornets, in a cup final for the first time since they lost the 1984 showpiece to Everton, actually had the first opportunity, but Ederson blocked from the unmarked Roberto Pereyra.

    But City took the lead in the 26th minute when a Sterling header looped into the path of Silva to steer a left-footed finish, via a Kiko Femenia deflection, past Heurelho Gomes.

    They duly claimed a second when Bernardo Silva lofted a lovely pass behind Femenia for Jesus to guide past the advancing Gomes and Sterling made sure on the line.

    Jesus deserved a goal, but was thwarted by Gomes and then had a stooping header ruled out for offside.

    He then unselfishly teed up De Bruyne for the third goal in the 61st minute as the Belgian calmly sidestepped Gomes to finish.

    Sterling then fired twice more in the final nine minutes to seal the biggest cup final win since Bury beat Derby by the same margin in 1903.

    CITY’S TREBLE TOP BUT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IS NEXT TARGET

    This was six from the best. But for Manchester City to be the very best, they still need the Champions League.

    It is the trophy they need to complete the set, complete the transformation for a team that was beaten 8-1 at Middlesbrough on the final day of the Premier League season in 2008.

    It has been a dream decade since, under the City Football Group.

    And, as they completed the first-ever domestic treble by an English side, four if you include the Community Shield, it confirmed their recent dominance in the Premier League era.

    They are up there with Sir Alex Ferguson’s greatest Manchester United sides, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal Invincibles and Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

    Yet, to surpass them as the greatest, they need the Champions League to elevate them to the next level.

    That should be their target, their ultimate target – and Guardiola should ensure his side’s desire to achieve that does not diminish.

    It may be a month of miracles, but there was never any chance of Watford joining Liverpool and Tottenham in making a comeback after being two goals down.

    That was because City would not allow them.

    There is a professionalism and ruthlessness about City – and about Guardiola.

    Take the moment he took off Riyad Mahrez in the 55th minute and replaced him with De Bruyne. He saw Watford were pressing from midfield and the Belgian would assert some control. Six minutes later De Bruyne scored the decisive third goal and took City to another level. They have conquered England. Now for Europe.

    Pep Guardiola

    JESUS NEEDS CHANCE TO SUCCEED AGUERO

    There was talk that City had strong interest in Luka Jovic and would be making a move to take him ahead of Real Madrid.

    Perhaps that was speculation to push the Spaniards into a deal or hike up the price.

    Jovic looks a finisher, no doubt, and you could see him as a potential long-term successor to Sergio Aguero.

    But City have someone already on their books in Jesus who could yet be their main man up front.

    Having surprisingly started ahead of Aguero against Watford, there was pressure on the Brazilian to deliver.

    But he certainly did that with a display as dominant as Guardiola could have wished for.

    He should have had the second goal that Sterling pinched, set up De Bruyne for the third with great desire to initially win the ball ahead of two Watford defenders, and then confidently scored the fourth.

    What City have to do is balance the first-team opportunities for the frontman who was regarded as Brazil’s No9 for the future when he broke into the Selecao side.

    He is only 22, has all the attributes, and can develop and flourish in the way Sterling has done under Guardiola.

    WATFORD’S WOE BUT FINAL A STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION

    It is 10 stops from Watford to Wembley on the tube, but 35 years since they last contested an FA Cup final.

    That has hurt a club that gave us players such as English legends Luther Blissett and John Barnes.

    They may have been well, well beaten on their return on Saturday, but take nothing away from their efforts this season.

    It has been one where they have shown character and commitment in achieving their highest Premier League points tally in Javi Gracia’s first season in charge.

    For 25 minutes it was on display against City before their mistakes were punished and their defence opened up by a side that exploit spaces at will and were clinical.

    Yet, looking forward, this campaign offers hope and promise, especially with the owners, the Pozzo family, having had nine managers in seven seasons.

    It is a far cry from when Oscar Garcia was in charge for four games, Billy McKinlay for two and Quique Sanchez Flores, familiar to UAE football after spells at Al Ahli and Al Ain, had a run of 44 matches before being replaced in 2016.

    Gracia was another gamble when he took over last summer from Marco Silva with the Spaniard’s work in La Liga with Malaga largely unheralded.

    But he has proved an astute appointment and should the Hornets keep hold and let him build, the team could prosper.

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