Goals from Teddy Sheringham and Paul Scholes gave Manchester United a 2–0 win to claim their 10th FA Cup title.

[1][2] They had also qualified for the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, due to be played four days later on 26 May, and were unbeaten in their previous 31 matches in all competitions.

[8] Manchester United also came out on top in their two league meetings in the 1998–99 season, winning 2–1 at St James' Park on 13 March after playing out a goalless draw at Old Trafford on 8 November.

[10] Despite the team's goalkeeper, Shay Given, being sent off within the first 15 minutes and then going 1–0 down, Newcastle came from behind to beat Crystal Palace in their tie,[11] while Manchester United also overturned Middlesbrough's 1–0 lead to win 3–1.

[12] Manchester United's victory set up a fourth round tie at home to arch-rivals Liverpool, and Newcastle were paired with First Division Bradford City.

A goal from Andy Cole saw Manchester United win 1–0 to progress to the sixth round,[16] but Newcastle were held to a goalless draw by Blackburn, forcing a replay.

This time it was Newcastle who only needed one match to progress to the semi-finals, beating Everton 4–1 with goals from Temur Ketsbaia (2), Georgios Georgiadis and Alan Shearer.

[19] The match finished goalless and a replay followed three days later; Dwight Yorke scored in each half to give Manchester United a 2–0 win.

Both semi-finals went to extra-time, but only Newcastle were able to produce a result on the day; after referee Paul Durkin missed a handball by Nikos Dabizas that would have resulted in a Tottenham penalty in normal time, Shearer scored twice in the second half of extra time to send Newcastle to Wembley for the second year in a row.

Roy Keane then received a second booking and was sent off for a cynical foul on Marc Overmars, leaving Manchester United to play out the match with 10 men.

[27] Manchester United decided to rest several star players for the match so that they could be fit for the Champions League final against Bayern Munich four days later.

Top scorer Dwight Yorke was dropped to the bench for a similar reason, while first-choice centre-back Jaap Stam was named among the substitutes to give him a chance to prove his fitness after an Achilles tendon injury.

Denis Irwin missed the match due to suspension after being sent off against Liverpool in the Premier League on 5 May and was replaced in the starting line-up by Phil Neville.

Goalkeeper Steve Harper recalled being unsure of whether it would be himself or Shay Given who would start in goal, midfielder Rob Lee said he had "resigned [himself] to not playing in the final", and right-back Warren Barton said he thought he was "in the team until the Wednesday";[33] Harper was ultimately selected in goal,[33] while the right-back position was given to 20-year-old Andy Griffin, who had the job of marking Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs, having performed a similar role against Tottenham's David Ginola in the semi-final.

[3] According to the BBC, the biggest selection dilemma for Gullit was whom to pick to play up front alongside captain Alan Shearer: Georgian Ketsbaia or Scottish forward Duncan Ferguson, who was due for an operation on a herniated groin two days later.

[35] Since the usual central midfield stand-in, Nicky Butt, was being rested for the Champions League final, Alex Ferguson chose to bring on forward Teddy Sheringham; he would play in attack alongside Cole, while Beckham would move into central midfield and Ole Gunnar Solskjær was moved from up front to the right wing.

Similar incidents had been reported after Newcastle's cup final defeat the year before, but Inspector Jerry Barker of Northumbria Police said the situation had been brought under control quicker this time.

[51] Manchester United decided not to defend their FA Cup title the following season, having instead been invited to compete in the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil.

The Football Association (FA) encouraged the club to take part in the new tournament as they believed it would help their bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

"[53] The club ultimately accepted The FA's offer on 30 June,[54] but they were given until the date of the draw for the second round on 28 October to finalise that decision.