Man City 6-0 Watford: Raheem Sterling hits hat-trick as City complete domestic trebleCity become the first men's team to complete the English domestic treble after Premier League and Carabao Cup success
Last Updated: 18/05/19 7:09pm
A merciless Manchester City demolished Watford 6-0 at Wembley with the help of a Raheem Sterling hat-trick to win the FA Cup and become the first men's team to complete the English domestic treble. After Watford went close through Roberto Pereyra and saw strong appeals for a penalty waved away, City took the lead through David Silva's smart finish from 12 yards (26), on their way to equalling the biggest FA Cup final winning margin (Bury beat Derby 6-0 in 1903). They doubled their advantage through Sterling, who hammered home on the goal-line after Gabriel Jesus had steered the ball towards goal (38), before substitute Kevin De Bruyne got City's third with a close-range finish having rounded Heurelho Gomes (61). Jesus, who started ahead of top scorer Sergio Aguero, got his goal (68), finishing coolly under Gomes after De Bruyne had slipped him through on goal, and Sterling got his second late on (81) at the far post from Bernardo Silva's fine centre.
Sterling rounded off a stellar season with his third and City's sixth (87), as City claimed their sixth FA Cup victory to go alongside their Premier League and Carabao Cup success this season. Watford, meanwhile, are still searching for a first major trophy in their history.
Watford then had a strong call for a penalty turned down by Kevin Friend as Abdoulaye Doucoure's shot hit the arm of Vincent Kompany. Though the hand was by his side, we have recently seen penalties given by VAR for similar incidents, particularly in Europe, though the VAR controversially opted against a spot kick this time.
City took advantage and were ahead shortly after; both David Silva and Sterling did well to win headers, before Silva span Kiko Femenia and finished left-footed into the bottom right corner.
It was 2-0 before the break as Bernardo Silva's sublime ball over the defence was met by Jesus at a tight angle at the far post, and though his touch was heading over the line, Sterling rushed in to make sure by a matter of millimetres on the line.
Riyad Mahrez, who had been impressive, looked aggrieved to be subbed off just 10 minutes into the second half, but his replacement De Bruyne killed the game, finishing off into an empty net having taken on Gomes from Jesus' square ball as City broke.
De Bruyne was in the mood, setting up the fourth, as the Belgian's superb through ball was finished off low by Jesus from 15 yards, his fourth goal in the FA Cup this campaign.
City broke the record for biggest winning margin in a Wembley cup final as Sterling capped off a superb season with his 24th goal, striking from close range at the far post after some superb work from Bernardo Silva.
Sterling, who grew up in the shadow of Wembley, made it six late on, rebounding home after Gomes had kept out his initial effort. Sterling is the fourth player to score a hat-trick in an FA Cup final, after William Townley for Blackburn in 1890, Jimmy Logan for Notts County in 1894 and Stan Mortensen for Blackpool in 1953.
https://www.skysports.com/football/man-city-vs-watford/report/406801
