Manchester City: "We are the champions" 0:37

(CNN) -- Perfection can come in many forms and be interpreted in different ways. Manchester City have produced more polished performances under Pep Guardiola this season. There have been games where the team scored more and created more, but City's ability to dominate their opponent, to do enough to win when it matters, is as perfect as on a football pitch. That's why this team continues to chase history this season.

As the 2-1 score suggests, this FA Cup match between bitter rivals City and Manchester United was a tense affair. A win for the blue side of Manchester was never a foregone conclusion. United had chances, but City had the composure, the knowledge, the class.

Two goals from captain İlkay Gündoğan (the first 12 seconds after kick-off, the fastest in FA Cup history) secured a victory that gave City their second trophy of the season and kept the team on track to win the "shamrock" of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

Next Saturday will be in Istanbul where City could become the second English club to win all three major trophies in a season if they beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final. The other club that has achieved that feat? Manchester United in 1999, which helps explain why this was no ordinary FA Cup final.

Manchester City players celebrate the conquest of the FA Cup. Adam Davy/AP

For a competition that has arguably lost its luster over the years, the plots woven into this match saw this ancient cup return to the forefront of English football: a first FA Cup final between these two city rivals, one looking to defend its legacy, the other knowing that victory would be decisive during an era in which it has dominated English football.

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However, despite all that Pep Guardiola has achieved with City, the Premier League closed a few weeks ago with a fifth title in six seasons and this was his second FA Cup (eleventh trophy overall) in his seven-year tenure, City have never won the Champions League. It is the trophy that the club most desires.

Such is the caliber of the team that Guardiola arms, that he is the favorite to win in Istanbul. After the defeat, United manager Erik ten Hag described Guardiola's team as the best in the world and few would dispute that claim.

Only Inter Milan can now prevent City from achieving sporting immortality, which makes this defeat for United and its fans especially bitter.

"Now we can talk about the treble," Guardiola told reporters after the game.

Guardiola had said before the game that United were a dangerous opponent because the club's legacy was at stake, the achievements of the past had to be protected. However, although United were once English football's most ruthless trophy builder, dominating during those golden years under Alex Ferguson, this is the era of Guardiola's City.

United still have global appeal, one that City have yet to match, and under Ten Hag, the team has improved: it is now more consistent, qualifying for next season's Champions League and winning the League Cup earlier in the season.

Although United had only three shots on target during the match, the Dutchman told reporters afterwards that he was happy with his team's performance and that "on another day we could have won this game".

"I only have one plan and that is to improve this club and improve this team," he added. "I will fight for it. I have my ideas, but also, as I said, I have to work with my coaching staff, my players, I have to be better next season."

But the truth is that United have a lot to do to be rivals to a City side that has finished top of the league for the past 10 years. Arguably, Ten Hag has too much to do to turn United into a team that could compete with City for the title next season.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes scores from the penalty spot. Images by Adam Davy/PA/Getty Images

It looked like the chasm would become apparent on the final score of this match as City took a surprising lead, silencing the red half of the stadium on a sunny afternoon in London.

The sounds of the national anthem had not yet completely sunk into the ether when City captain Gündoğan produced a moment of skill that will last in the memory, putting City ahead with a sublime volley from outside the box with less than a minute played.

The play began with goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, whose long shot was shot towards Kevin de Bruyne by Erling Haaland. The Belgian found Gündoğan and before the United defence could calibrate the ball was in the back of the net.

City threatened to let go from then on: Haaland went close twice, while De Bruyne also targeted an overworked David de Gea, but in the 33rd minute fortune favoured United.

David de Gea (left) tries to save Gündoğan's second goal. Nick Potts/Press Association/AP

VAR found that Jack Grealish had touched the ball with his hand in the penalty area, allowing Bruno Fernandes to finish calmly to level a match that threatened to deflect.

But as in the first half, City came into action after the break: Gündoğan put Guardiola's team ahead again. It was another volley albeit less showy than the first, but its importance should not be underestimated because not only did it secure a league and FA Cup double for the second time in the club's history, but it kept City on course for greatness.

Twenty minutes later, Gündoğan thought he had scored a hat-trick but his goal was disallowed for offside but, in the end, it didn't matter.

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