- United were surprise winners of the Cup last season, beating City 2-1 in the final
- Guardiola has suggested that their late-night partying after title win is to blame
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off!, available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that his side were ‘a little bit hungover’ during the FA Cup final against Manchester United.
United were surprise winners of the FA Cup last season, one of two trophies that the recently-sacked Erik ten Hag won during his two-and-a-half years in charge of the Red Devils.
United had raced into a 2-0 lead at Wembley by half-time, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo on the scoresheet, perhaps much to the shock of a number of fans watching on.
Jeremy Doku hit back a few minutes from time, but it was too little, too late for the Premier League champions, who had to settle for just the one trophy a year on from lifting the Treble.
And it was that one trophy that could have cost them the game in May, with Guardiola saying after his side’s defeat by Tottenham on Wednesday that his players were ‘hungover’ for the game.
After suffering their first defeat since Wembley, Guardiola said on Wednesday night: ‘This is the news, not that we lose, but how long it has been since we lose. Of course, with the FA Cup final we were a little bit hungover, but it is good news.’
The final was a week after the final day of the Premier League, which saw City lift their fourth title in a row – a competition record.
Jack Grealish, who started on the bench at Wembley, and Erling Haaland led the revelry as City’s stars celebrated until 5am at Greek restaurant Fenix, as players took along their wives and girlfriends for a boozy night.
Grealish and Haaland struck a pose early in the night as they showed off their watches, with a Premier League medal dripping from the striker’s neck.
The party started in the dressing room, where players danced and sung: ‘Campeones, campeones, ole, ole, ole!’
And it seems Guardiola has now acknowledged that the title celebrations perhaps went a little too far, maybe even as far as costing them another trophy.
At the time, Guardiola said of the result: ‘It’s my mistake – the game plan was not good.’
‘The players know it, the reason why. Tactically, it was not good. I had the feeling it was not good today. You plan a game for different positions, but didn’t work – it’s as simple as that.
‘The crosses came to nothing when we came to the byline; they had one shot where we gave the goal away, and then the goal for Mainoo – no more than that.
‘As always when we play against United, we more or less had control and normally we score from what we created in the second half, but we were not able to do it.’
City now face a fight in their bid to stay on track in their remaining competitions this season, with a number of injuries costing the defending Premier League champions.
Savinho is the latest man on the treatment table after being stretchered off against Tottenham, while Manuel Akanji hs also picked up an issue and Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker are out until after the international break.
‘We’re in trouble,’ Guardiola said of the situation. ‘I’ve never had this situation in nine years. We don’t have alternatives.
‘I went to the massage table but it was too busy. Tomorrow we have two keepers and Erling to train. It’s been getting more difficult game by game but maybe one day we will be altogether.’
