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While the rest of the known world is humming along to videos of former Bilbo near-hitmaker Colin Chisholm belting out the Hearts song, down south there\u2019s an FA Cup final to be played. The romance of the Cup? About that: private equity Chelsea underdogs versus nation-state owned Manchester City? Be still our beating heart. Sure, there\u2019s narrative to be found. Calum McFarlane getting measured for his Wembley suit when less than 12 months ago he was on Southampton\u2019s coaching staff is one. Though, considering recent ongoing events at Saints, any romance there has probably been squeezed dry. That Chelsea\u2019s players put in such a fine performance in the semi-final against Leeds mere days after not running a leg for Liam Rosenior at Brighton casts long shadows over a squad not exactly beloved by fans.<\/p>\n
Remember Enzo Maresca? There\u2019s a chance that we will be hearing a lot more from him since Pep Guardiola\u2019s future remains opaque, perhaps most of all to Guardiola himself. The search for signals goes down all sorts of alleys. Just what was he doing at Stockport County? Why are fitness coaches marching through the door marked Do One? Why does he keep talking about holidays and cocktails? What, precisely, is that centre-circle display that resembles Michael Jackson at the 1996 Brits that a candid camera caught being rehearsed?<\/p>\n
Will Saturday reveal any truth in the rumours? Almost certainly not, City are still fighting for the Premier League title, and have got to go to Bournemouth and get something. Perhaps only after that\u2019s decided will Guardiola decide. Maresca sits by the phone. In the meantime, City have been getting on with the real business at hand, snotting the nose of their city rivals in Thursday\u2019s Youth Cup final, one that ended in bad blood. It started that way, too, after an almighty row over the game being staged at City\u2019s Joie Stadium, rather than the Etihad. Only 6,000 could attend, as opposed to the 67,000 who watched United win 2022\u2019s final at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
There were accusations of empty seats, too, even in that bijoux venue. The Manchester rivalry long ago descended to acute levels of pettiness, United fans taking great glee in the availability of tickets across town when, even in doldrum times, Old Trafford is usually still full to the gunwales. What of the actual football? City\u2019s academy players triumphed 2-1, the winner scored by Reigan Heskey, son of Emile, to claim a fifth Youth Cup, a trophy bound tightly into the United backstory to heap further misery on the first team finishing behind City for the last 13 years. Darren Fletcher, United\u2019s coach, was not very happy. \u201cI\u2019m disappointed in the FA for everything that\u2019s gone around this game, for the location, for everything,\u201d he wailed, especially annoyed at an extended trophy presentation that put Chelsea\u2019s Trump-assisted Copa Gianni lift to shame. More glory for Manchester City, more harrumphing from rivals. Just as they like it.<\/p>\n
Join Rob Smyth from 8pm (BST) for red-hot updates on Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
\u201cSing as loud as you can. It\u2019ll be hard to hear them, but we know they\u2019re there. We know who we\u2019re representing. We know how many people will be watching. It\u2019s not just about who\u2019s there but actually getting into that lion\u2019s den still being an underdog. Even though we\u2019ve been top of the league since September, we\u2019re still the underdog. For us to be competing with Celtic, with the money they\u2019ve got and everything they\u2019ve got at their disposal, it\u2019s a huge effort for our team. We look forward to it\u201d \u2013 Derek McInnes wants the 752 Hearts fans who will be at Celtic Park for the title finale to give their vocal cords a workout for the ages as his side aim to break the Old Firm\u2019s 40-year title duopoly.<\/p>\n