-
Pep Guardiola reveals the tactical mistake that cost Man City in FA Cup final
Pep Guardiola took responsibility for Manchester City’s defeat to local rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday, admitting he got his tactics wrong at Wembley Stadium.
The Cityzens were favorites to claim the double after winning the Premier League title last weekend and had easily beaten United in their two previous domestic meetings in the 2023/24 season.
However, a costly mistake by Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega handed Alejandro Garnacho the opening goal. Fellow teenager Kobbie Mainoo doubled United’s lead, making it 2-0 by halftime.
Substitute Jeremy Doku managed to halve the deficit by beating Andre Onana at the near post in the 87th minute, but an equalizer never came. At full-time, Guardiola accepted the blame for the defeat, acknowledging his tactical errors.
He said: “For my decisions we were not in the right positions to attack them. My mistake, my gameplan was not good.
“The players know the reason why. Tactically, it was not good. I was not good today. You plan a game for different positions but it didn’t work. Even with that, we arrive two or three times in the final third and byline and made nothing from crosses.
“They made one goal from one shot and the goal from [Kobbie] Mainoo and no more than that. Always when we play against United, we have the control and we created in the second half but we were not able to do it.”
United created 1.59 xG as opposed to the previous holders’ 1.35, and while City had over 74% of the possession, United only managed four shots on goal.
Despite winning the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Supercup early in the season, City’s loss means they only won the Premier League title and no other domestic trophies in 2023–2024.