What’s the 151-year FA Cup tradition that will be broken with Manchester derby final

It will be the first-ever meeting between the Manchester clubs in the final of the FA Cup in the competition’s 151-year-long history.

Manchester United will take on Manchester City in the final of the FA Cup. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The FA Cup final will take place on Saturday at Wembley when treble-chasing Manchester City takes on rival Manchester United in the summit clash.

It will be the first-ever meeting between the Manchester clubs in the final of the FA Cup in the competition’s 151-year-long history.

Premier League champion City is on the brink of a historic treble with places in the final of the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League slated for next week. United is the only English club to achieve the continental treble back in 1998-99 and will be keen to deny its city rival the chance to do the same at the derby game.

Get set for a historic Battle of Manchester at @WembleyStadium.

For the first time in history, @ThomasLyte engraved on the #EmiratesFACup trophy before the final.

Will it be 'City' or 'United' that follows?

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) May 29, 2023

United has already won the EFL Cup in February and an FA Cup trophy will make it a strong start for manager Erik Ten Hag, who was appointed last summer.

With the unique nature of a first-ever all-Manchester final, the FA Cup has broken a tradition since its inauguration in 1872 by partially engraving the trophy before Saturday’s clash.

The FA has asked Thomas Lyte, the competition’s official trophy and silverware provider, to already inscribe the name ‘ ‘Manchester’ before the final with either ‘City’ or ‘United’ added at the end of the game.

The engraving took place in one of the Wembley dressing rooms earlier this week.