City's final defeat snuffs out silver lining of horrible season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was magnanimous in defeat after Saturday's FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace meant City's horrible season ended without a major trophy for only the second time of his otherwise glittering reign.

But Guardiola's irritation at his side's inability to convert their remarkable 78% possession against a spirited Palace rearguard was not far from the surface, even as he was effusive in his praise for their opponents.

His frustration was writ large in the closing stages, gesticulating furiously as attacks fizzled out before exchanging words with Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson after the final whistle condemned City to a second straight FA Cup final loss.

Guardiola bristled slightly when asked if Henderson ought to have seen red in the first half for handling the ball outside his area and denying Erling Haaland a goalscoring opportunity, which VAR checked and ultimately cleared.

"Don't ask me," he told reporters, with a rueful smile.

"Ask the referee and the VAR."

Henderson subsequently saved a penalty from Omar Marmoush, who was handed the ball by City's usual taker Haaland.

"I didn't speak to them. They made a decision. They decide," Guardiola said, refusing to agree that fate was against his side. "I didn't study about destiny and about the universe and this kind of thing, so I don't know."

SERIAL WINNERS

Since City finished without a trophy in Guardiola's first season in 2016/17, they have collected major honours, including six Premier League titles, with astonishing regularity.

The wheels fell off earlier this term, though, as City lost nine out of 12 games in all competitions while conceding 27 goals between the end of October and Christmas, as their pursuit of a fourth straight league title collapsed in a heap.

City have recently shown glimpses of being back to their best, going unbeaten in 10 matches – two in the FA Cup en route to Saturday's final – as they close in on qualification for next season's Champions League.

One of those was a disappointing 0-0 draw at relegated Southampton last weekend, however, as City failed to break down a low block – foreshadowing Saturday's loss.

Guardiola saw improvement from that draw but suggested City may have over-corrected slightly from their poor form earlier in the season.

"I think we fixed in the last month the problem that we had all the season defensively ... in the last period we were so stable," he told reporters.

"We conceded five goals in nine games (before today), so we are stable (but) we didn't create much."