Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, offered insights into why his team ended up losing 2-1 to Manchester United in the FA Cup final last Saturday.
Guardiola observed the goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo that secured the win for Erik ten Hag’s side at Wembley Stadium, with Jeremy Doku scoring a late consolation goal for the Premier League champions.
Reflecting on the match, Guardiola explained to BBC Sport that City’s performance in the first half against the Red Devils was below par.
He emphasized that the focus was on their own game rather than solely aiming to defeat United:
“Our approach is not just about beating United, but about playing our best game,” Guardiola stated.
He also highlighted United’s strengths as a team that excels in transitional play:
“United are known for being quick on transitions, a characteristic they have displayed over several decades. While we struggled in the first half, we improved in the second. Overall, it was a commendable effort from our side in a final,” Guardiola remarked.
Summing up the match, he acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football:
“Football is full of uncertainties – they scored two goals, and unfortunately, we couldn’t find a way to score more,” he concluded.