The FA Cup final tradition that has been broken before Manchester derby at Wembley

The FA Cup is entrenched in tradition and for the very first time we'll see Manchester's two behemoths compete in the competition's showpiece event.

A Manchester derby will decide the 142nd FA Cup final on 3 June at Wembley in what is a hugely significant contest for a multitude of reasons, not just local rivalry.

The Red Devils of 1998/99 are the only side in English football history to win the treble, and Erik ten Hag's current iteration have the chance to end Man City's dream of replicating that historic feat a week before the Champions League final.

A mammoth contest beckons under the Wembley arch, and while this is a competition steeped in history, the first-ever all-Manchester FA Cup final means one of the final's traditions has already been broken.

What FA Cup final tradition has been broken ahead of Manchester derby?

Seeing as the winner of the 2022/23 FA Cup is destined to begin with 'Manchester', the trophy's engravers have already got to work.

This is the first time since the competition's inauguration in 1872 that the FA Cup trophy will be partially engraved before the final has kicked off.

Either 'City' or 'United' will be added following the full-time whistle before the winning skipper hoists the trophy aloft.

Has the partial engraving already taken place?

Thomas Lyte, the competition's official trophy and silverware provider, are well prepared and have already engraved 'Manchester' into the trophy ahead of Saturday's final.

The engraving, according to the FA, took place in one of the Wembley dressing rooms.

"The Emirates FA Cup team approached us, as the official makers and custodians of the trophy, with an extraordinary request. Recognising the rarity of the two clubs sharing such similar names, they asked us to engrave the word 'Manchester' on the trophy before the momentous showdown," Kevin Barker, Thomas Lyte's CEO, explained.

"This request is unprecedented and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Engraving the trophy with the name of the city that would eventually win the title, even before the final match, is a remarkable gesture. Each stroke of the hand engraving tools symbolised the historical significance and immense anticipation surrounding this fiercely contested Manchester derby."