Heskey gets Haaland treatment as Man City kids prove Pep Guardiola wrong to win FA Youth Cup

Manchester City players said they wanted to be remembered as they stepped out in the FA Youth Cup final. To do so, they proved manager Pep Guardiola wrong about his theory when it comes to priorities at academy level.

When he was asked about Manchester City's Youth Cup final against Leeds, Guardiola essentially told the academy that winning is not the most important thing at that level.

That is true to a degree, and losing can provide invaluable learning experiences, but once these youngsters are in a final, they only have eyes on the trophy.

The under-18s did the unthinkable later on Friday and totally ignored the senior manager, as their collective performance was one that prioritised winning at all costs. A ruthless second half display secured a second Youth Cup title in five years and a fourth in City's history.

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"At this age silverware is important but it is not much," said Guardiola. "They have to try to win it but anything can happen. It's a process to learn and when you play these finals you always learn, playing to pressure and having to perform well. For the academy, it's really important. The last years have been unbelievable in many senses."

It was hardly a rallying cry, but you don't need to tell this group of the importance of winning. The academy have won the U18 league three years in a row before this and only relinquished that title because Manchester United raised the game significantly – the Blues' points total consistent with last year's winning tally.

After losing that crown, the Youth Cup would serve as a reminder that this academy remains packed with talent and a desire to win. Captain Jahmai-Simpson Pusey said