Pep Guardiola Crystal Palace FA Cup
(Credit: Imago)

‘Pep Guardiola to quit Man City’ after bust-up – fans stunned

Jonathan Burnett
Jonathan Burnett

Pep Guardiola has been urged to leave Manchester City at the end of the season after their FA Cup Final defeat to Crystal Palace and his post-match bust-up with Dean Henderson.

Oliver Glasner got one over on Guardiola’s side at Wembley on Saturday as Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute goal proved enough to win 1-0 and collect the first piece of major silverware in Palace’s 119-year history.

Palace defended doggedly throughout well over 100 minutes which Man City dominated for the most part, with 23 shots to Palace’s seven as well as Dean Henderson’s save from Omar Marmoush’s penalty.

Guardiola’s game-management came under the microscope even before kick-off after Rico Lewis and James McAtee were left out of City’s squad altogether, and his post-match actions drew further criticsm.

Keith Hackett told Football Insider that Henderson could have been lucky to even be on the pitch after handling outside the box, and Guardiola let his emotions get the better of him in his reaction to the Palace goalkeeper at full-time.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner
Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media

Man City debacle could leave Guardiola close to exit door

City’s missed penalty proved to be their best chance of an equaliser at Wembley, but Henderson’s save was less surprising than the fact that Erling Haaland deferred the responsibility of taking it to Marmoush.

Crystal PalaceStatisticsManchester City
1Goals0
0.74xG2.23
2 / 7Shots on Target6 / 23
22%Possession78%
1Corners7
Manchester City couldn’t break Crystal Palace down in the FA Cup Final [Credit: FotMob]

Guardiola’s top scorer rejecting the chance to score in an FA Cup Final set the alarm bells ringing for City, and it’s unclear whether the Spaniard told Haaland to give the ball to Marmoush in a lapse of judgement.

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Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told Football Insider last month that Guardiola could look to leave City despite only signing a contract extension in November, and a trophyless season may prove to be the beginning of the end.

Crystal Palace, Eberechi Eze
Credit: Imago

‘Guardiola leaving Man City is good for football’ – fans respond

Man City failing to win silverware for the first season since Guardiola‘s maiden campaign at the Etihad in 2016–17 has gone down well with other supporters, who are keen to see City’s dominant period end.

Guardiola’s post-match reaction and the in-game scuffle between some members of his and Palace’s coaching staff have resulted in criticism, as some fans told the 54-year-old to “stay classy in defeat”.

Calls for Guardiola to quit this summer grew louder and included City fans themselves in the wake of their defeat, as one argued that his “ideas and motivation” are no longer up to scratch after so much success with the Blues.

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