Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City seeks to close a complicated year at Wembley on Saturday. The FA Cup final against Crystal Palace represents an opportunity to change the course of a season that has been below expectations.
A year ago, in the same city, City suffered a defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup final, a result that Guardiola initially attributed to tactical errors. However, that defeat marked the beginning of a season with ups and downs for the team, which has experienced its worst performance in almost a decade.
Saturday’s match against Crystal Palace, which will be broadcast live, offers the possibility of a fresh start. The team hopes that winning the trophy will spur a comeback in English and European football.
We haven’t been fighting in the Premier League or the Champions League, and that’s not enough for a club like City.
Erling Haaland
Guardiola has acknowledged that winning against Palace will not save the season, but it could provide a boost for the 2025-26 campaign and the fight to regain the Premier League title.
The coach has changed his perspective on what went wrong against United. While he initially blamed a poor game plan, he now believes that the players’ motivation may not have been adequate after celebrating the treble in 2023.
Haaland himself has admitted that he has not performed at the expected level and that the team has not had the necessary hunger. Ilkay Gündogan has also pointed out that the team has sometimes prioritized tactics over determination and aggressiveness.
A number of factors have contributed to City’s poor performance, including significant injuries to key players like Rodri, who has been out for seven months. In addition, Guardiola has acknowledged that he may have overestimated the ability of veteran players to maintain their level of performance.
City’s run of results at the end of the season suggests they are finding a way to solve their problems, but winning the FA Cup on Saturday would also accelerate that feeling of recovery.
Guardiola has given more responsibility to young players and has modified his tactical plan, implementing a midfield with two defensive midfielders and two inside forwards. Gündogan has noticed an improvement in the team’s mentality since a hard-fought victory against Bournemouth.
Despite a 10-match unbeaten run, City will face a Palace side that has proven to be a difficult opponent. Oliver Glasner’s team drew 2-2 in December and were 2-0 up at the Etihad Stadium before losing 5-2.
Glasner, Eze and Palace will arrive at Wembley with confidence, seeking to inflict another defeat on City. For Guardiola and his players, this is an opportunity to advance on the road to recovery.
