Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has called on his team to use their FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace as motivation to secure a top-five Premier League finish and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
City suffered a shock 1-0 loss at Wembley on Saturday, ending a difficult season with no major trophies for the first time in eight years. Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute strike sealed the win for Palace, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a crucial penalty save from Omar Marmoush and produced several big saves to keep Guardiola’s side at bay.
Despite City’s appeals for Henderson’s dismissal after handling outside the area, their misfiring attack failed to capitalize on possession. Guardiola’s frustration was evident, especially with his side’s inability to break down Palace’s compact defence. “We didn’t create much,” Guardiola admitted. “We need good crosses and good people in the box. The game-plan didn’t work because we didn’t win.”
The defeat comes just a year after City lost the 2024 FA Cup final to Manchester United. Now, the focus shifts to securing a top-five league finish, with matches remaining against Bournemouth at home and Fulham away.
Haaland’s Confidence in Question
Star striker Erling Haaland’s confidence appears to have taken a hit. The Norwegian surprisingly passed up penalty duties to Marmoush, a decision that raised eyebrows. Haaland has now failed to score in six consecutive appearances at Wembley, despite netting 30 goals in 42 matches across all competitions this season.
“He didn’t have many chances today,” Guardiola said. “But we must improve our supply to him. We need to find him more often.”
Farewell Looms for De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, struggled to make an impact in what may have been his final Wembley appearance for City. “We couldn’t find him in the position we wanted,” Guardiola reflected. “But he tried. He gave everything.”
Despite the disappointment, Guardiola insisted the performance was better than when City beat Palace 5-2 earlier this year and when they lost last season’s final to United. “We did everything we could,” he said. “Now we have two finals left — Bournemouth and Fulham — to make the top five.”
What’s Next for City
Manchester City sit sixth in the Premier League, just one point off fifth place, which is likely to be enough for Champions League qualification. Their final two fixtures offer a chance to salvage pride from an otherwise disappointing campaign.
Guardiola concluded: “We are sad because we didn’t win a beautiful competition. But now we must recover quickly. Our focus is clear — we have two more games, and everything to play for.”
