Guardiola Under Fire as Manchester City Lose FA Cup Final to Crystal Palace: Tactical Decisions Questioned

Guardiola’s Decisions Face Intense Scrutiny After Manchester City Stumble in FA Cup Final

Manchester City fans showed up at Wembley expecting a celebration but witnessed the unthinkable: Crystal Palace outfoxed the reigning English giants, snatching a 1-0 win and their first-ever major trophy. And all eyes are now on Pep Guardiola—not for his style, but for the tactical choices that left City without silverware for the first time since 2017.

It started early. Eberechi Eze pounced on a loose ball in the 16th minute, bursting past City’s midfield before calmly slotting the ball home. For Palace, it was a moment of pure ecstasy. For City, it was a nightmare that never fully faded for the rest of the match.

Guardiola raised eyebrows before kick-off by starting Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne in the heart of midfield, opting to leave out Ilkay Gundogan and Nico Gonzalez—players who had been central to City’s rhythm all season. The decision became a lightning rod for criticism, especially as City’s passing often looked slow and their midfield lacked its usual bite. Was Guardiola overthinking another final?

Even with 70% possession and a flurry of chances, City’s forwards misfired. The clearest opportunity came when Omar Marmoush stood over a penalty, only to see Dean Henderson, Palace’s in-form keeper, guess right and save spectacularly. That penalty miss felt huge at the time; by the end, it was all anyone could talk about. Henderson wasn’t done—his reflexes denied Erling Haaland twice during a spell when City looked ready to equalize.

Tempers Flare and Palace Make History

Tension boiled over on the touchline. Guardiola confronted Henderson after a series of time-wasting antics from the Palace keeper, who managed to frustrate City’s attackers and slow the game down. A dramatic moment saw Henderson wander outside his box to block Haaland—dangerously close to a red card, but the referee kept his nerve and let play continue with just a warning.

On the opposite bench, Palace manager Oliver Glasner could barely contain his excitement. His side absorbed wave after wave of Manchester City pressure, with captain Marc Guehi and veteran defender Joachim Andersen putting their bodies on the line. Palace fans, used to mid-table mediocrity, watched in disbelief as every tackle and every save brought them closer to history.

• This FA Cup is Crystal Palace's first major trophy, ending more than a century of waiting.
• For Guardiola, it marks back-to-back defeats in major finals—a rare blip in his storied career.
• Key questions now swirl around City's summer plans, from potential squad overhauls to whether Guardiola will rethink his tactical approach in big games.

After the final whistle, Guardiola kept his cool facing a barrage of questions. He stood by his decisions, praised Palace’s defensive discipline, but admitted the missed penalty and wasted chances were tough to swallow. The City bench, though, looked gutted—and for the first time in years, their trophy cabinet will gather dust.

Meanwhile, the red and blue half of London didn’t sleep. Palace’s underdog tale is what the FA Cup is all about—and this final will be talked about for years, especially for the way they outlasted the serial winners from Manchester.