The FA Cup 2023-24 final between holders Manchester City and Manchester United will kick off at 3pm local time, the English FA said on Tuesday, in welcome news for travelling fans who often struggle with late kickoffs.

The May 25 final will see the two sides from Manchester – 200 miles north of the capital – face off at London’s Wembley Stadium for the second year in a row.

“This kickoff time was agreed with the clubs, local authority, members of the Safety Advisory Group and broadcasters,” the FA said in a statement.

City, who beat United 2-1 to win the trophy last year, defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the semi-finals while United gave up a 3-0 lead in the last 20 minutes before eventually beating Coventry City on penalties.

-Reuters

The width of a toenail cost Coventry City a place in the FA Cup final after a remarkable comeback against Manchester United on Sunday but manager Mark Robins said he was proud of his players after losing a penalty shootout.

Robins, who won the Cup as player with United in 1990, watched his side battle back from 3-0 down after 71 minutes with goals from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare and a Haji Wright penalty deep into stoppage time.

Second-tier Coventry were the better side in extra time and thought they had pulled off a remarkable win against the 12-time champions when Victor Torp scored from close range 20 seconds from the end of extra time.

The joy of the 36,000 travelling Coventry fans turned to tears though as Torp’s goal was disallowed by VAR with Wright adjudged to have been centimetres offside before playing the ball across the face of goal.

United then won 4-2 on penalties to deny Coventry a second FA Cup final, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in 1987, and prevent them from becoming the first team from outside the Premier League to reach the final since Cardiff City in 2008.

Despite the outcome it felt like a moral victory for Coventry who were magnificent after a poor first hour.

“Bitterly disappointed, but I’m proud as well,” said Robins whose goal in an FA Cup third round for United against Nottingham Forest in 1990 is said to have saved then manager Alex Ferguson’s job and paved the way for a glittering era.

“Someone said to me I don’t think any team have been as close to a final without getting there.

“We deserved to go through, we were 20 seconds away and a toenail offside, it’s ridiculous.”

Robins said Simms’ goal gave his side belief after struggling to make any impact before that.

“We thought it might be a consolation and then the second loops in and it gives us a lifeline. Your tails are up then. Haji sticks a penalty away and all to play for,” he said.

“They hit the bar, we hit the bar. Another goal with 20 seconds to go. It took an age. The fourth official said there was nothing wrong with it (initially). A toenail offside.”

-Reuters

Manchester United scraped into the FA Cup final on penalties despite throwing away a three-goal lead against Championship side Coventry in an epic semi-final at Wembley.

The final match in May will now be a repeat of last year’s.

Coventry, a Championship side, gave Premier League’s Manchester United what could be biggest scare they ever had.

It all looked like it was going to be an easy game for United after an half time two goal lead. A third goal was put in the third mid-way into the half time before a twist ensued.

Manchester United only took the game into penaty shoot-out because Coventry City’s Victor Torp’s effort in injury time in extra time was ruled out for offside by video assistant referee Peter Bankes.

But after Bradley Collins saved United’s first kick, from Casemiro, Andre Onana denied Callum O’Hare, then unsettled Ben Sheaf with some verbal jousting – and the Coventry captain missed – allowing Rasmus Hojlund to win it.

What the watching United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe made of it would be interesting to know. Thirty-four years ago, Mark Robins’ goalscoring heroics in the FA Cup kept Sir Alex Ferguson in a job. Who knows what damage Robins’ Coventry side have done to Erik ten Hag’s chances of keeping his?

United thought they were cruising to a repeat of last season’s final with neighbours Manchester City when they led 3-0 thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

But in front of Ratcliffe, who had completed the London Marathon earlier in the day, co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer and new technical director Jason Wilcox, United imploded and Coventry took full advantage.

After Ellis Simms and O’Hare reduced the deficit, Haji Wright kept his nerve in stoppage time to score from the spot and send the game into extra time.

For a brief moment, Torp allowed delirious Coventry fans believe their team were coming back next month to try to emulate the Sky Blue heroes of their 1987 triumph over Tottenham.

It was not to be. But when it was all over, it was the Championship players who were taking the acclaim of their fans as Ten Hag and his players rather sheepishly made their way to the dressing rooms.