Sadly, it was not to be: seven minutes from the end, Mark Hughes ran in behind and squeezed a finish between Gary O’Reilly and Nigel Martyn in goal, taking the game to a Replay which – five days later – went in United’s favour.
The story is one of Crystal Palace legend – and one we had to discuss, 35 years later, with the man himself…
Wrighty, thanks for speaking to us. Earlier this week, it was the 35th anniversary of the 1990 FA Cup Final, Crystal Palace against Manchester United at Wembley – how do you look back on the game now?
"Well, obviously, the FA Cup means the world to me – it still does. When I grew up, the FA Cup Final was the game that I watched religiously from 1970, all the way through.
"At the time, the match felt like one of those FA Cup fairytale stories out on the pitch.
"I’d broken my leg – my fibula – twice that season. You work hard to get back, then your team wins the semi-final against the same Liverpool side which beat them 9-0 earlier that season... and then when you get to the FA Cup Final, you’re playing a great Manchester United side…
"After getting injured for the second time that season, I had just enough time to get fit again, working with the physio, David West.
"Missing the semi-final win was devastating, but I knew that if we beat Liverpool to get to the Final, I would literally have just days with respect to the work that I had to put in.
"So you can imagine, being at Palace, thinking I was going to miss out on the biggest day in Palace's history… all those things are going through your mind while you’re trying to get fit – as well as nerves!