FA Cup final: Manchester United's road to Wembley

Manchester United face local rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final for the second successive year with the Red Devils hoping to make up for a 2-1 defeat 12 months ago.

After just being crowned Premier League champions for an unprecedented fourth time, City are aiming to become the first team to complete the league and FA Cup double in back-to-back seasons. They are 1/3 favourites to win in normal time, with United 7/1 to triumph in 90 minutes at Wembley.

United to win and both teams to score is 11/1, while Erik Ten Hag's side to prevail in extra-time is 33/1 and they are 20/1 to win the cup on penalties.

United's path to the final has been far from straightforward and they have been involved in some thrilling ties with lots of late drama, especially in the latter stages.

They overcame arch-rivals Liverpool 4-3 in the last eight at Old Trafford and then beat Championship side Coventry City on penalties in the semi-finals after throwing away a 3-0 lead.

Third round

Wigan Athletic 0-2 Manchester United

United saw off League One Wigan in the third round with a comfortable victory at the DW Stadium.

Diogo Dalot curled in the opener after 22 minutes after Marcus Rashford's shot was blocked and the visitors should have extended their lead before the break but were guilty of wasting several clear-cut opportunities.

United hit the woodwork three times and had 33 attempts at goal in total but only made the game safe in the 74th minute from the penalty spot.

Bruno Fernandes won the spot-kick after being tripped by Liam Shaw and the Portuguese midfielder picked himself up to score to seal their place in the next round.

Fourth round

Newport County 2-4 Manchester United

League Two opponents Newport County were next up for United and the Welsh outfit caused a real scare when they came from 2-0 down to level the tie at 2-2 early in the second half.

Ten Hag's side had raced into what looked like a commanding two-goal lead thanks to early efforts from Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo, the youngster grabbing his first senior goal for the club.

The minnows hit back nine minutes before the break when Bryn Morris' long-range effort deflected off Lisandro Martinez's head and sailed past United's debutant keeper Altay Bayindir and Newport sensationally drew level two minutes into the second period through Will Evans.

However, United, despite being rattled, regained the lead through Antony when he fired home after Luke Shaw's shot came back off the post and Rasmus Hojlund's close-range finish in injury time finally sealed it, much to the relief of the Premier League giants.

Fifth round

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Manchester United

The fifth-round clash at the City Ground appeared to be heading for extra-time but midfielder Casemiro's goal in the 89th minute nudged United through.

Ten Hag's men had wasted plenty of chances with Antony, Scott McTominay and Rashford all going close before the Brazilian struck late on, turning home Fernandes' free-kick.

The goal was eventually given after a lengthy VAR check for a possible offside in the build-up as United kept their hopes of lifting the FA Cup for a 13th time alive.

Quarter-finals

Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool

The tie of the round saw United host old foes Liverpool and the quarter-final clash lived up to the hype as the Red Devils came from 2-1 and 3-2 down to edge an Old Trafford thriller.

Ten Hag's men started brightly and deservedly took the lead when McTominay scored from close range after just 10 minutes but Liverpool hit back before half-time and led at the break thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.

The Red Devils were on the verge of exiting the competition but Antony's brilliant turn and finish levelled it on 87 minutes to force extra-time.

Harvey Elliott's deflected strike put the visitors back in front in the first period of extra-time but United refused to be beaten and they equalised again when Rashford, who had missed a golden chance at the end of normal time, fired past Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher with 112 minutes on the clock.

Penalties were looming large but substitute Amad Diallo raced clear to win it for United right at the end, scoring in front of the Stretford End to spark wild celebrations.

Diallo was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for taking his shirt off but it mattered little as United advanced to the last four at the expense of their big rivals.

Semi-finals

Coventry City 3-3 Manchester United (United win 4-2 on penalties)

It was another thriller in the semi-final as United eventually made it past Championship outfit Coventry, winning on penalties at Wembley.

It was all going to plan for the Premier League side and Ten Hag's men looked to be smoothly booking their place in the final as goals from McTominay, Harry Maguire and Fernandes put them 3-0 up.

However, in the final 20 minutes, the Sky Blues fought back brilliantly with three goals of their own to force extra-time as a bewildered United spectacularly threw away their lead.

Ellis Simms got Coventry's first goal, then Callum O'Hare made it 3-2 with 11 minutes to go and Haji Wright scored an injury-time penalty to incredibly level it up.

The Sky Blues then thought they had won it when Victor Torp turned the ball home in injury time in extra-time, but it was ruled out for offside by VAR and United survived.

The drama continued in the penalty shoot-out as Casemiro's effort was saved by Coventry keeper Bradley Collins. Then, after Wright and Torp scored their spot-kicks and Dalot and Christian Eriksen theirs, O'Hare and Ben Sheaf missed for the Championship team to give Hojlund the chance to win it.

The Danish striker obliged and a much-relieved United squeezed through.