Pep Guardiola slammed over concentration after Crystal Palace cup win
Harri Burton
Pep Guardiola’s actions after Man City lost to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium have been condemned.
The Citizens drew the short straw on a key decision, as the Eagles lifted their first-ever major trophy thanks to an Eberechi Eze goal, but the game was somewhat shrouded in controversy.
Dean Henderson avoided a sending-off for Palace, having handled the ball outside the penalty area, and did not even give away a dangerous free-kick, meaning he was in position to save Omar Marmoush’s spot-kick soon after.
Erling Haaland’s giving up of the penalty baffled during the clash, and the Norwegian star, joined by his teammates, was thwarted several times as the Palace goalkeeper continued to run down the clock.
While the 28-year-old was eventually shown a yellow card for time-wasting in added time, Guardiola made his feelings clear about his antics, but Richard Keys has disagreed entirely with the Catalan’s actions.
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Pep Guardiola clashes with Dean Henderson in FA Cup final
Writing on his personal blog (19 May), Keys said: “What was Guardiola doing? We’ve got to stop managers from going on the pitch at the end of games.
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“I thought Dean Henderson handled himself really well. He should’ve told him to [expletive] off. How dare he complain? What does he mean by ‘It’s not fair play. You should not – it’s not fair’?
“Of course, he was referring to Henderson’s time-wasting. And it is fair. It worked. It disturbed City and their rhythm. I know it can be infuriating, but it’s all part of the game. What does Guardiola expect – that teams should the way he wants them to?
“So City can beat the living daylights out of them? Get off. You play the way that you believe will get you a result. That’s exactly what Palace did. That it irritated Guardiola was a bonus.”
Premier League standings Points
3. Newcastle United 66
4. Chelsea 66
5. Aston Villa 66
6. Man City 65
7. Nottingham Forest 65
Man City boss under pressure ahead of Bournemouth clash
Football Insider verdict
While any chance of lifting silverware this season has now vanished for the Citizens, there is still Champions League qualification to fight for after a disappointing campaign across all competitions.
Newcastle United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest are all fighting for a top-five spot this season, but with a game in hand, City have the advantage heading into the final two matches.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is under pressure at Man City. (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Keys already believes that Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola could be in line to replace Guardiola at Man City, and the Cherries will be doing absolutely everything to secure three points at the Etihad.
Iraola’s side have already claimed victory once this season, thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson, and the same could happen with City currently facing a two-game winless streak.
Missing out on Champions League football would be disastrous and would almost certainly put Guardiola under more pressure from frustrated Man City fans heading into the summer.
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Jack Grealish and Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai reacts to Erling Haaland news
Jack Grealish and Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai were among the players to react to Manchester City’s announcement regarding Erling Haaland.
Haaland has enjoyed an impressive season in terms of output, despite City’s underwhelming domestic campaign.
Pep Guardiola’s side are now preparing to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final, where they have the opportunity to secure silverware for the seventh consecutive year.
Ahead of the final, Haaland shared a message of determination with Man City fans after returning to the starting XI in their final league match against Southampton.
While Haaland struggled to make an impact in that fixture, there’s renewed optimism that he is finally regaining full fitness following the injury that sidelined him since March.
Even with injury setbacks, he has still managed to find the net 30 times this season, which is form that has now been recognised with a well-deserved reward for his performances over the past year.
Erling Haaland Man City
Haaland returned to Man City’s starting XI against Southampton. (Credit Imago)
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Erling Haaland named in FIFPRO Team of the Year for fourth time
Man City’s official Instagram account confirmed that Haaland has been named in the FIFPRO World XI, earning his spot in a side voted for by over 21,000 professional players across the globe.
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Haaland reshared the announcement, which drew plenty of reactions from fellow players with Grealish, Josko Gvardiol, and Liverpool’s Szoboszlai were among those to like the post.
While this season has been below City’s typically high standards, the Norwegian striker has continued to deliver, scoring 21 goals in the Premier League and currently sitting third in the Golden Boot race.
Despite the poor form, he is set to play a central role in the club’s future, as Haaland signed a new nine-year contract earlier in the campaign, positioning him at the heart of the new era at the Etihad.
Season statistics Erling Haaland
Appearances 41
Goals 30
Assists 4
Erling Haaland in 2024/25
Man City to hold talks with Jack Grealish amid uncertainty over future
Despite Grealish appearing upbeat on social media, his future at Manchester City is far from guaranteed.
Football Insider revealed the Grealish is expected to hold talks with Guardiola this summer as he looks for assurances over his role, having struggled for regular minutes this season.
He has missed the last four Premier League matches and has started just seven games in all competitions, scoring three goals.
Clubs across the Saudi Pro League have shown interest in Grealish, with several other high-profile players also linked with exits, including Ederson and Bernardo Silva.
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