Unstoppable Man City equal 116-year FA Cup record in Watford thrashing

Not since 1903 has the famous old competition seen such a one-sided showpiece, while Raheem Sterling also celebrated joining an exclusive club

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The goals flowed at Wembley on Saturday as Manchester City strolled to FA Cup glory with the most convincing margin of victory for more than a century. 

Pep Guardiola’s men were overwhelming favourites to take down Watford and complete the first-ever domestic treble in England, having previously got their hands on the Carabao Cup and Premier League crowns in 2018-19. 

But while most onlookers expected the Hornets to give City little trouble over the 90 minutes, the final scoreline was nevertheless an eye-opener. 

Inspired by a hat-trick from Raheem Sterling, the Premier League champions ran riot in a 6-0 thrashing. 

David Silva set his side in motion by opening the scoring after 26 minutes, before Sterling netted to send City into half-time 2-0 up. 

From there it was all downhill for Watford, with substitute Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus adding their own goals before Sterling hit two more in the final minutes to round off City’s dominant display.

Indeed, the game could even have finished more adversely for the Hornets had goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes not saved from John Stones at point-blank range after the defender was played in by the dazzling Sterling.

The FA Cup marks City’s fourth piece of silverware this season, which began with victory in the Community Shield, as well as equalling a record that has stood for 116 years. 

Bury were the last team to win an FA Cup final 6-0, a feat they managed against Derby County at the end of the 1902-3 season. 

Sterling too has reason to celebrate after matching a true great of the English game with his triple. 

Stanley Mortenson was the last man to score three goals in the final back in 1953, as his Blackpool team prevailed over Bolton Wanderers 4-3 in perhaps the most famous FA Cup decider of all time, the ‘Stanley Matthews Cup Final’. 

Matthews, who was 38 at the time, set up one of Mortenson’s goals as Blackpool fought back from 3-1 down to level before crossing for Bill Perry to score a last-minute winner, sealing the Cup which had eluded him on two occasions previously in the final.