A dramatic FA Cup final ended in heartbreak for Manchester City, with Crystal Palace pulling off a stunning upset. The spectacle may have tapered off in the second half, but it still delivered a wealth of storylines from Jean-Philippe Mateta’s triumphant return after injury, to a missed penalty, a debutant substitute, and a goalkeeper seemingly inspired by personal loss.
Yet, at the core of the result lay a series of puzzling decisions by Pep Guardiola. Despite his side dismantling Palace 5-2 only weeks ago, he fielded a radically altered team. Only three players Nico O’Reilly, Rúben Dias, and Josko Gvardiol retained their positions from that earlier victory. Palace, by contrast, made just one change, reinstating Marc Guéhi after suspension.
The most eyebrow-raising choice was Guardiola’s deployment of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva at the base of midfield. Memories quickly resurfaced of the 2021 Champions League final when he omitted a holding midfielder and paid the price. While Palace’s attacking threat has troubled City before, regardless of midfield composition, this reshuffle left the backline exposed to swift counters. The winner stemmed from just such a break.
Attacking decisions also confused. Savinho, without a domestic goal all year, started. So did Jérémy Doku, whose only goals had come against lower-league sides. When City lost their rhythm after the break, it hardly came as a shock. Guardiola’s side may have improved defensively since their chaotic run late last year, but the trade-off has been a loss of attacking spontaneity.
City could point to unfortunate moments Dean Henderson might well have seen red in the first half before making crucial saves, including from Omar Marmoush’s penalty but ultimately played in a way that allowed such setbacks to have maximum impact. Why not stick closer to the blueprint that had worked so recently and effectively?
Perhaps most startling was the introduction of 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri with 14 minutes to play. Making a debut in a Cup final is a move that straddles genius and recklessness; in this case, it felt like the latter. Echeverri wasted two promising chances, and the question naturally followed what does this say about Jack Grealish’s future? Once a marquee signing, the 29-year-old now seems poised to leave.
Guardiola’s post-match confrontation with Henderson added another layer of intrigue. Whether provoked or not, the exchange painted a picture of a manager under pressure. His spiky demeanour continued in the press conference, contrasting starkly with his usual composed self.
This marks Guardiola’s first trophyless season since his debut campaign with City in 2016–17. For the first time, genuine questions arise about whether he has the stamina or vision to construct another title-winning team. His genius has always rested on continual reinvention, but even the greatest reach a point of decline. That process, if it has begun, may be slow but it raises doubts nonetheless.
There are certainly broader issues at City, from Rodri’s absence to questionable recruitment. But responsibility for rebuilding and rekindling the spark inevitably falls on Guardiola. Whether he can summon the energy to do it all over again remains to be seen.
