Crystal Palace set up 1990 FA Cup rematch against Man Utd

Alan Pardew was on the losing side 26 years ago and will be out for revenge in David vs Goliath final

Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew gestures to fans during the game against Watford
(Image credit: Ian Kington/Getty)

Crystal Palace will play Manchester United in the FA Cup final next month, in a rematch of the 1990 final – and Palace manager Alan Pardew, who played for the London side then, will be hoping for revenge.

Palace have only reached the final once before and have never won a major trophy. For United fans, however, a trip to Wembley will be nothing out of the ordinary. This year's final will be a record-equalling 19th and supporters hope it will mark a return to winning ways after two trophyless seasons.

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Although the teams have very different records in the cup, both made the final in remarkably similar ways - injury time winners. United's came from French prodigy Anthony Martial, who finished off Everton on Saturday, while Palace had Conor Wickham to thank for their narrow win over Watford on Sunday.

"From the moment that the full-time whistle blew on Palace's 2-1 semi-final win over Watford – with United having beaten Everton by the same scoreline 24 hours earlier – all thoughts went back to the 1990 classic," says The Guardian. "It was the trophy that ignited (and possibly saved) Sir Alex Ferguson's Old Trafford tenure and there will be the parallel drawn with how badly Louis Van Gaal needs to win it."

On the other hand, Pardew will be desperate to get one over on United and claim Palace's first ever major trophy.

But it will not be all about 1990. "This year's FA Cup final will also give the chance for Wilfried Zaha to prove a point against his former club at Wembley," reports the Daily Telegraph. "Zaha did not start a single Premier League game for United after joining the Old Trafford club in 2013, but has regained some of his best form since returning to Palace and was excellent in the semi-final."