Dalglish – Four Finals but none were memorable
CHELSEA 1 Hazard (pen, 22) MANCHESTER UNITED 0
Antonio Conte might be saying farewell to Chelsea in the coming days, but if he does, he’s leaving London with another trophy.
And that means no silverware for Jose Mourinho and the end of his 100% record of five English finals and five wins.
Conte was in defiant mood afterwards, virtually daring the Chelsea Board to sack him after his second trophy in two seasons.
“After two years, the club knows me very well and if they want to continue to work with me, they know I can’t change,” he said.
“My way is always the same. I work to bring a strong mentality.
“My past speaks very clearly as a player and manager and I showed that today by finding a way to lift this trophy.
“I have a contract, but the speculation started after the defeat against Burnley on the first day. “When you are used to winning every season like I am, this type of season can create some problems. “There are moments when you have a lot of questions for yourself but I still showed I’m a serial winner. “To win in this way has given me more satisfaction than my wins in the past.
“There has been speculation about me since the start of the season but I always said I’m committed to this club and I want to respect my contract.
“I understand Chelsea can make a positive or negative decision but I’m a coach of an important club and it’s right they demand a lot from me.” Conte had never won a knock-out competition as a manager but a 22nd minute penalty by Eden Hazard – another who could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge – decided a low quality FA Cup Final.
For Mourinho, second spot in the League is an improvement, but last season there were two trophies and this season there are none.
Mourinho still hasn’t discovered the wow factor, despite his heavy spending and it wasn’t in evidence here, either.
Chelsea’s half-hearted defence of their title was always likely to lead to Conte’s departure whatever today’s result but they just about edged a tense game, played in bright sunshine but dull and grey when compared to Manchester City’s vibrant colour.
Prince William obviously knew what he was doing when he dodged presentation duties for some wedding or other.
There wasn’t much between the sides. Chelsea were better in the first half when they scored, United better in the second.
As ever, Mourinho was begrudging in defeat.
“I am Manchester United manager and I have to be respectful, not just because they are my previous club but because they are the opponents today, but I think we deserved to win,” he said.
“I am quite curious to know what you say or what people write because if my team plays like Chelsea did I can imagine what people would say.
“Every defeat hurts but I go home with the feeling we gave everything. No regrets.
“I thought we wouldn’t concede any goal in this match, but Hazard is a very good player and he created a penalty.
“The image of the game is that David de Gea did not touch the ball. He touched the ball to grab it in the net.”
Not quite true because de Gea had to save with his foot from Hazard early on. Chelsea also had a reasonable shout for a penalty when Nemanja Matic planted his hands in Tiemoue Bakayoko’s back.
They did get a spot kick six minutes later. Cesc Fabregas sent Hazard clear and Phil Jones brought the Belgian down in the box.
Ref Michael Oliver might have given Jones a red card for the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity but elected instead to show yellow.
Hazard, on his 300th Chelsea appearance, coolly sent de Gea the wrong way from the spot.
United improved significantly after the break – it would have been hard not to – and Courtois had to save from Rashford twice.
Alexis Sanchez had the ball in the net in the 63rd minute after Courtois had done magnificently well to tip Jones’s header onto the post.
The Chilean, however, was flagged marginally offside but the decision was right.
Chelsea could have sewn it up in the 70th minute when N’golo Kante fed Marcos Alonso but de Gea saved at the foot of his post. The Blues then had another penalty shout when the ball struck Young’s arm but Oliver judged it to be non-deliberate.
Courtois made another excellent save from Rashford before Mourinho brought Lukaku and Anthony Martial to give it a real blast for the last 20 minutes.
Their best chance fell to Paul Pogba but he put a free header wide from Martial’s corner.