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Crystal Palace were around 12 minutes away from winning their first-ever FA Cup in 2016, with Jason Puncheon scoring what could have been one of the most memorable goals in their history.
However, Juan Mata equalised just three minutes later for Manchester United and, despite going down to 10 men during extra-time at Wembley, the Red Devils sealed their comeback and won their 12th FA Cup title thanks to Jesse Lingard’s strike.
Palace were the clear underdogs in the fixture but were very close to producing another fine moment of FA Cup magic. Their best finish in the competition since then was the quarter-finals in 2019 when they lost to eventual finalists Watford.
However, as the historic cup celebrates its 150th anniversary this season, could the South London side go all the way in 2022?
Top-six sides struggling so far
Palace reached the Fifth Round of the competition on Saturday after their 2-0 victory at home to League Two side Hartlepool United. Marc Guehi and Michael Olise scored the goals that will now see them host Stoke City at Selhurst Park.
As the competition progresses, fans are used to seeing the top-end teams of the Premier League advance to the next stages with relative ease, but this has not necessarily been the case this season. Arsenal were knocked out by Nottingham Forest in the Third Round, with the Reds then thrashing current holders Leicester City 4-1 at the City Ground on Sunday, presenting them a tie against Huddersfield Town.
Manchester United were also victims of a ‘cupset’ as they were knocked out of the cup by promotion-chasing Middlesbrough on penalties at Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo missing a spot-kick in the first half of the match.
Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were the most comfortable progressing sides from the Premier League top-six with their 4-1 and 3-1 wins over Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively. Last season’s runners-up Chelsea had to go to extra-time against Plymouth Argyle to secure their spot in the next round and Liverpool were far from convincing in their victory against Cardiff City.
Patrick Vieira’s side have certainly not set the world alight with their performances so far, but they have been able to get the job done against sides in the divisions below them. Their tie against Stoke is favourable to them too as the Potters are currently sitting in 14th in the Championship, meaning an FA Cup quarter-final is certainly on the cards for the Eagles.
With the likes of City, Liverpool and Chelsea also competing at the top end of the Premier League and on the European stage, Palace could utilise their potential distractions and perhaps progress towards the final four of the competition.
Cup over league
Despite the average age of Palace’s squad being far from young, their youthful players have been some of their shining stars so far this season. The likes of Conor Gallagher, Guehi and Olise have fared well in the Premier League, with the South London outfit currently sitting in 13th in the league.
They are nine points above the relegation zone after 22 games, and although it was a possibility at the beginning of the season, it is very unlikely that they will drop down to the second tier of English football.
Although they will be keen to ensure that this remains the same, they could look to progress far in the FA Cup in the knowledge that their spot in the Premier League next season is somewhat safe. European football via a top-seven league spot is an unlikely prospect for them, but a domestic cup win would achieve that.
A mid-table finish would be a successful end to the season and anything further in the cup would be the icing on the cake for Vieira in his first campaign in charge.
Previous seasons have proven that anything can happen in the FA Cup. Wigan Athletic’s win in 2013 is probably the most notable in recent years, especially when you consider they were relegated from the top flight just a few days after their Wembley win.
If Palace were able to continue their current success in the cup, and the competition favourites struggle the further down the line they go, then Vieira and his men could see themselves emerge as potential winners.
Only time will tell if they can win their first-ever title in the competition come the end of the campaign but if they continue to produce their spirited and exciting performances then it may not be such a distant reality.
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