City win the FA Cup 42 years later!!

The Blue Moon has risen and the Old Trafford banner can come down. Manchester City’s 35-year wait for a major trophy ended at Wembley as Yaya Toure’s 74thh minute strike gave the noisy neighbours something to really shout about.

In a week that saw Roberto Mancini secure Champions League qualification for next season, the Italian also added the first piece of silverware of the Abu Dhabi regime.

The manager – for so long the subject of speculation about his future – has fulfilled every requirement of his first full season in charge at Eastlands. And as his name was sung in unison by the club’s long-suffering supporters at Wembley, any doubts previously held about him were blown away in the capital.

So it's bad news for the United fans who so rejoice in reminding City how long it has been since that 1976 League Cup win - a major shot in the arm for Mancini in his bid to shift the balance of power in Manchester.

His defining moments at the club have been achieved in two matches at this stadium and have come courtesy of two goals Toure.

His semi final strike secured victory over United in the semi final and he was again the match-winner in the final.

When Stoke failed to clear their lines following a teasing David Silva run, the ball eventually fell to former Barcelona star, Toure, who smashed past the brilliant Thomas Sorensen.

Stoke’s goalkeeper had for long periods looked being the Wembley hero – but he could do nothing to stop Toure’s drive.

Victory was no more than City deserved after save after save from Sorensen in a first half which should have seen them out of sight. 

Mancini, often accused of his cautious approach, opted to start with Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli.

But he will have wondered how his got to half without at least a goal after dominating the opening period.

Dictating the pace with a pressurised performance, it was only the brilliance of Sorensen and the wayward finishing of Silva that saw Stoke hold on until half time.

There were certainly no signs of Wembley jitters from the pre-match favourites, who started boldly with Tevez giving an early indication of his threat after just five minutes.

City chance 

Cutting onto his right foot on the edge of the area, he lashed a 20-yard shot that Sorenson could only push away.

Semi final hero, Toure, had another effort from distance – this time beating the Stoke goalkeeper, but flying narrowly wide of the top corner.

By this time Sorenson was quickly looking a match-winner for Stoke.

He produced a sublime finger tip save to flick the impressive Balotelli’s curling shot round the post on 24 minutes as City mounted one assault after another. 

And when the ball fell to Silva eight yards out, the Spaniard looked certain to open the scoring, but inexplicably fired into the ground, watching the ball rebound over the bar.

In between all of that, Robert Huth could consider himself fortunate to stay on the pitch after a forearm on Balotelli went unpunished, before a late challenge on Micah Richards finally earned him a yellow card.

Stoke emerged for the second half with the renewed vigour of a side that knew they had been handed a reprieve.

And after watching an early effort by Tevez deflected wide, Kenwyne Jones was presented with the best chance of the match on the hour.

The Trinidad and Tobago striker raced onto to a long ball after getting the better of Joleon Lescott, leaving him with just Joe Hart to beat. But the England goalkeeper was brave enough to throw himself in the way of Jones and clear the danger.

And how crucial that would prove to be when Toure burst through to smash home the winning goal after Pulis’ men failed to clear in the box.

Silva’s run set panic in the Stoke rearguard, who simply couldn’t get rid of the danger. And after a few moments of defensive pinball, it broke to Toure, who hammered a shot past Sorensen.

Stoke threw on John Carew in the hope of turning it around in the last 10 minutes, but it was City who looked more likely to add a second with Silva forcing another save from Sorensen with an angled shot from the left.

A lot has changed since City won the League Cup in 76. Ask anyone in blue at Wembley and they’ll tell you there’s a lot more change to come.