FA Cup Magic Returns: Can Underdogs Create a Historic Fairytale Ending Against Manchester City?

The Resurgent FA Cup Magic

The world's oldest football competition has rediscovered its sparkle with an unprecedented semifinal lineup. Only Manchester City remains from England's traditional 'big six', setting the stage for potential history-making underdog triumphs.

Semifinal Showdown at Wembley

Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest (April 26-27):
- City chasing a record 7th consecutive semifinal appearance
- Forest seeking first final since 1991
- Historical FA Cup meetings favor Forest 4-1
Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa:
- Palace aiming for first-ever FA Cup final
- Villa pursuing first trophy since 1957
- Villa eliminated Palace in all 3 previous FA Cup meetings

Breaking the Big Six Stranglehold

Since 1988, only 4 non-'big six' clubs have lifted the trophy:

Everton (1995)
Portsmouth (2008)
Wigan (2013)
Leicester City (2021)

This year could see the streak continue with:

Nottingham Forest (last won in 1959)
Crystal Palace (never won)
Aston Villa (last won in 1957)

Key Quotes from Football Figures

"The FA Cup seems to have its sparkle back and might even have the first magical fairytale ending since Wigan in 2013." - Pat Nevin, BBC pundit

"This is what the FA Cup is about - being able to dream. Clubs can now rewrite history." - Mark Schwarzer, former Premier League goalkeeper

Tactical Analysis

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's domestic cup specialists have won 5 of last 6 FA Cups
Nottingham Forest: Strong counter-attacking threat with historical cup pedigree
Crystal Palace: Best form outside Liverpool in last 10 PL matches
Aston Villa: Balancing European ambitions with domestic cup push

Road to Wembley

Each semifinalist's path:	Team	Notable Results
Man City	6-2 vs Luton, 2-1 vs Bournemouth	Haaland (4 goals)
Nott'm Forest	Penalty wins vs Bristol City/Blackpool	Awoniyi (3 goals)
Crystal Palace	1-0 vs Everton, 3-0 vs Preston	Eze (2 goals)
Aston Villa	4-0 vs Sheffield Utd, 3-2 vs Brentford	Watkins (5 goals)

Historical Context

The last time none of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd or Tottenham reached the semifinals was 1991 - when Nottingham Forest last appeared in the final.

What's at Stake

European qualification for winners
Ending trophy droughts: Forest (65 years), Villa (67 years)
First major trophy for Crystal Palace
Potential domestic double for Manchester City

As Wembley prepares to host these matchups, the FA Cup proves why it remains football's most magical domestic competition, where dreams can become reality against all odds.