THE EMIRATES FA Cup’s famous trophy has already been partially engraved to recognise and celebrate the first ever final between Manchester City and Manchester United.

Thomas Lyte, the makers of the Emirates FA Cup trophy, and the competition’s official trophy and silverware supplier are responsible for engraving the winning club’s name into history each season, and either City or United will be added following the final whistle at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Saturday 3 June. But just who will lift the coveted trophy? Will it be City defender Kyle Walker or United’ ace marksman Marcus Rashford?

The detailed process undertaken by the trophy maker’s master engraver has been showcased within a time-lapse video, which can be viewed here, and attached imagery. 

The FA’s Director of Professional Game Relations, Andy Ambler, said: “It’s remarkable that these giants of English football have won the competition on 18 out of a possible 141 occasions between them but not met in the final until now.

“This unique engraving underlines the historic nature of the game in prospect, and we can’t wait to see whether it will be City or United added to the trophy.”

Thomas Lyte’s founder and chief executive, Kevin Baker, added: “Our partners at the Emirates FA Cup approached us, as the makers and custodians of the trophy, with an extraordinary request, to hand engrave the city of the winners onto the trophy, before the game had been played.

“To create yet another first with the world’s oldest and most famous national football competition is difficult, but 2023 has delivered yet another record.

“Engraving metal dates back over 500 years, yet this truly is an unprecedented and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that symbolises the historical significance and immense anticipation surrounding this fiercely contested Manchester derby.”