FA Cup trophy was engraved before historic first-ever all-Manchester final

The FA Cup trophy was already engraved with a 2023 winner before the game kicked off at Wembley.

For the first time ever the two giants from Manchester will contest the cup final, which has allowed the trophy's engraver to get a head start on proceedings. Manchester City go into the game as heavy favourites as they look to complete the second part of a potential treble.

Manchester United will attempt to upset the odds and protect their status at the only English side to ever complete the iconic treble. Whatever happens in London though, the winner will begin with the word Manchester in their name, leaving just the ending to complete the look.

The engraver will only have to etch in a four-word or a six-word ending depending on who takes the trophy. City are looking to win the competition for the second time under Pep Guardiola, with their other recent success coming in 2011 when Roberto Mancini was in charge.

United meanwhile are looking to claim silverware at Wembley for the second time in a matter of months having already won the Carabao Cup. Erik ten Hag's team go in as firm underdogs as they look to win just a second FA Cup in 19 years.

City are expected to dominate the game, but Guardiola is wise to the threat posed by United on the counter. He said: "Since I played against United when Sir Alex Ferguson was the manager, their biggest threat every time with Mourinho and the next managers was there always was counter-attack and transitions. It's in their DNA.

"Now I think Erik added some patterns and movements but the threat in behind is always there. Same time they have quality to play in the spaces. Always has been like that. We need to control it. Home or away. The way we played in Manchester we reviewed yesterday. We played a good game considering the opponent."

Ten Hag meanwhile is hopeful that the test posed by the champions will bring the best from his United side: "We have had a good season, so far. Because there's one big game to play and we are really looking forward, and we have made really good progress.

"We won a lot of games this season. Yeah, so we have had a good season and the progress from the team and individuals is very good. But, yeah, we have a big test and so, when you go into a big test, that always brings you the best performance because you get challenged."