Palace prevail over City to lift historic FA Cup crown

Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City on Saturday to win the FA Cup for the first time as Eberechi Eze sealed a 1-O victory that piled on the misery for Pep Guardiola’s troubled side.

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Eze’s early strike rocked City before Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson saved Omar Marmoush’s penalty late in the first half of a dramatic final at Wembley.

While Eze’s clinical finish was the culmination of his remarkable rise from rejection by Arsenal, Fulham and Millwall as a youngster, it was Henderson who emerged as Palace's hero with a series of superb saves.

City will protest that Henderson should have been sent off for a first-half handball outside his penalty area.

But Henderson made the most of that con-troversial moment to ensure Palace clinched the first major trophy in their 120-year history and a place in next season’s Europa League.

Beaten by Manchester United in their pre-vious FA Cup final appearances in 1990 and 2016, Palace's shock win was no more than they deserved as City once again imploded in a dismal season that will be their first without major silverware since 2016-17.

After winning the Premier League in the previous four seasons, City have endured a turbulent campaign that ranks among the worst in Guardiola’s storied managerial career.