It’s FA Cup finals time – give us some of that sweet, sweet magic, please

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The new Fantastic Four looks good.Composite: Getty Images/Shutterstock

ROADS TO WEMBLEY​

It’s been a while since we felt something. The Premier League has barely been about the Premier League of late, all the focus on who qualifies for Bigger Cup, Liverpool’s title secured in the Jurassic Period, relegation sorted when those three teams were promoted from the Championship a year ago. The Women’s Super League was also lacking in jeopardy when it wrapped up last week, the key question being whether Chelsea would remain invincible. This weekend of FA Cup finals arrives in a time of desperate need: give us some of that so-called magic, please.

Crystal Palace’s appearance in the men’s final on Saturday takes us back to an instinctive, almost balletic, bit of brilliance on the Wembley turf nine years ago, when they last made it this far. Not Jesse Lingard’s extra-time volley to win it for Manchester United but Alan Pardew’s breakout jig after Jason Puncheon had given Palace the lead, the manager briefly getting his Jagger on. “Me and my younger daughter had been messing about, dancing, and she was teaching me to do some moves and it must have been in my head,” Pardew confessed to the Telegraph last month. “Of course, what really hurt me afterwards was people saying I had pre-planned it. There were a couple of nasty things said. But it was nothing like that. It was just a spontaneous moment.”

Palace have never won the competition, ensuring they have the neutrals’ vote, while Manchester City have incorporated this contest into their routine. This is their third consecutive FA Cup final, a chance to win it for the fourth time in 14 years. But they face the consequences of their own success, a touch of apathy even if they take the trophy, visits to north London having lost a bit of lustre. Regardless of the result, Pep Guardiola, the ultimate tiger parent, has ruled out calling this a successful season for City. That seminal victory over Stoke City in 2011, ending their 35-year trophy drought, feels ancient.

The women’s final on Sunday will involve those plucky, lovable underdogs known as, um, Manchester United. Marc Skinner’s side are the defending champions and accustomed to this scene – this is their third consecutive final – but Chelsea don’t really do losing. Victory for Sonia Bompastor would complete a domestic treble in her debut season after replacing Emma Hayes, making the Slot-Klopp transition look rather ordinary. Nonetheless, the Cup’s charm comes from the success of the party-pooper. Here’s to Palace, United and a weekend of feeling something, anything, please.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE​

Join Yara El-Shaboury at 7.30pm (times BST) for red-hot updates from Aston Villa 0-0 Tottenham in the Premier League, while Rob Smyth will be on hand at 8.15pm for … Chelsea 0-0 Manchester United.

QUOTE OF THE DAY​

The annual congress is the single most important body to ensure good governance of international football [and] 210 member associations have traveled from all over the world to participate at this congress here in Paraguay, expecting professional leadership and dialogue at the highest level. I understand the frustration and disappointment from European Fifa members, and we feel sorry for the excellent hosts in Paraguay. We now expect Fifa to explain this situation to its members and ensure that the voices of the member associations are heard and respected going forward” – Norway Football Federation president Lise Klaveness explains why she was among eight European members of the Fifa Council to walk out of congress in protest at the late arrival of Gianni Infantino, who had been schmoozing with Donald Trump in the Middle East amid accusations from Uefa that he was pursuing “private political interests” ahead of responsibilities to football. Well aren’t we just shocked.

 FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS​

With regards to Ajax’s massive implosion and PSV’s hot streak at the end of the Dutch season (yesterday’s Football Daily), I am reminded of the phrase: ‘It’s better to be lucky than good.’ Nothing epitomises that more than the PSV captain, Mr De Jong. No, not Frenkie, Nigel or Siem but Luuk!” – Michael Glogower (and no other mean readers).

With reference to your comment that Edgeley Park is currently the closest league ground to the River Mersey (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition), I’ve always preferred the answer when you limit the question to Premier League grounds – the answer being Old Trafford. Obviously, also about to become an ex-fact once Everton move into their new gaff” – Andrew Payton.

While I realise this week marks the last men’s game at Goodison Park so we are newsworthy, I was surprised to see Everton FC mentioned in almost every section of yesterday’s missive! Davy Klaassen’s former employer in the main headline text, Quote of the Day from Colin Harvey, letters, on the edge (breakout section), on Bramley-Moore dock becoming the closest ground to the Mersey, and FA Cup final quiz with Joe Royle as last English manager to win. I respect the commemorative nature of the Toffees’ inclusions – but then in Memory Lane you showed an aerial view of Lens FC’s ground and not Goodison. An opportunity missed! Has anyone outside the top six featured in every section of Football Daily? I am sure The Knowledge knows!” – C Hawtrey.

Send letters to [email protected]. Today’s letter o’ the day winners are … C Hawtrey, who wins some Football Weekly merch. We’ll be in touch. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here. 

IN GODDEN WE TRUST​

Those who witnessed the final seconds of Charlton’s 1-0 aggregate playoff semi-final victory over Wycombe tick away were treated to some jaw-dropping visuals. As the ball went out of play, Addicks boss Nathan Jones flung his arms skyward before collapsing to the turf, reminding us of Willem Dafoe’s iconic final scene in Platoon. What a film that was, eh? But enough of that, the drama at The Valley clearly took a hold of Jones, who has had a bumpy ride in his career the past few years, so who could begrudge him throwing himself fully into this moment of success when Charlton booked their League One Wembley final spot? Perhaps having realised he’d lost the run of himself, Jones felt the need to explain his raw outpouring after the match. “It looks a bit dramatic there but I’m a Christian, I believe in God and God’s will and that’s what it was,” he sniffed. “Just thanking God for that moment because I knew it would be pandemonium after. The fourth official said it was done so that’s why it was at that [earlier] moment. It looked a bit dramatic so apologies for that because [God] has brought me through there.” The scorer of the winning goal? Matt Godden, of course.

 NEWS, BITS AND BOBS​

Emmanuel Kundé, a mainstay of the 1990 Cameroon side that became the first African team to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, has died aged 68.

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo says Taiwo Awoniyi’s outlook is “positive” after he was put in an induced coma following urgent surgery on an abdominal surgery. “It went well, thank God,” Nuno explained. “He is under observation now, but he is recovering.”

Barcelona are champions of Spain again, Lamine Yamal helping settle the derby with Espanyol. “I think in the second part of the season we have been amazing,” cheered boss Hansi Flick. “We haven’t lost a game and that’s just great.”

Fun and games in South America dept: a court in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the Brazilian Football Confederation board to be removed from their positions.

Hull City: a poor man’s version of Watford?

Coach wants his team to do their job.

And Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is getting fed up with his players being linked with Arsenal. “I think we’re going in the right direction, so yes, it’s a source of frustration,” he tooted, not letting it absorb him, really. “But I don’t let it absorb me, really.”

STILL WANT MORE?​

Geoff Thomas, Alan Smith (not that one, nor that one) and Pape Souaré look back on previous Palace heartaches at Wembley as Oliver Glasner’s side prepare to make it third time lucky.

Catarina Macario is excited for Sunday’s final, relieved to have overcome the knack woes that she arrived with at Chelsea. It would be “the cherry on top, for sure”, Suzanne Wrack hears.

Steel yourselves, Everton fans … Tom Jenkins has a photo essay on the end of a Goodison era that will Riverdance on your heartstrings.

Ten things to look out forfrom 7.30pm (BST) on Friday night to circa 10pm on Monday.

Celtic are looking forward to a rousing Trophy Day at home to St Mirren on Saturday, with a treble chance still to come next weekend. But their latest league win just adds to 40 years of title tedium, sighs Ewan Murray.

Paul MacInnes (third in Guardian Sport’s in-house fantasy footy league, unlucky to have captained Haaland last week) on a game that proves a compelling refuge of fatalism and black humour.

Aaron Timms details the knotty ever-evolving battle to exploit the international eligibility rules.

FA Cup, beach football and Lewis Ferguson feature in our quiz of the week.

And it hasn’t been a vintage campaign for Manchester City, but Rúben Dias is hopeful of Wembley redemption for his side, he tells Jamie Jackson.

MEMORY LANE​

18 April 1954: It’s Cup final weekend so let’s look back at these excited fans in London, heading to Wembley for the FA Amateur Cup final 71 years ago. Their beloved Crook Town FC, from County Durham, drew with Bishop Auckland and then won the replay at Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park 1-0.

TOO OLD FOR THE 3AM NIGHT BUS GAME​

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