Pep Guardiola takes blame for FA Cup final defeat

Pep Guardiola admitted he got his tactics wrong as Manchester City's reign as FA Cup holders was ended by a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

Six days after securing a record fourth consecutive Premier League title, City were hit with two goals in nine first-half minutes by United to dash their hopes of becoming the first team in English football history to win back-to-back league and cup doubles.

Despite dominating the ball and putting United under sustained pressure for much of the game, Guardiola’s side lacked the attacking edge they have demonstrated during the season and looked out of sorts in the final third, ultimately coming unstuck at the hands of clinical finishing from Erik ten Hag’s team.

"Tactically, it was not good," said Guardiola. "I was not good today. You plan a game for different positions but it didn’t work.

"Even with that, we arrive two or three times in the final third and byline and made nothing from crosses. They made one goal from one shot and the goal from (Kobbie) Mainoo and no more than that.

"Always when we play against United we have the control, and we created in the second half but we were not able to do it."

The first goal came from a City mistake. A pass played long over the top should have been a simple mop-up job for Josko Gvardiol running towards his own goal, but as Stefan Ortega raced out the defender nodded it straight over the advancing goalkeeper allowing Alejandro Garnacho, who had gambled on a mistake, to nip in and knock the ball into an empty net.

It had come against the run of play and the goal was a gift, but United’s second was expertly worked and worthy of settling a cup final.

Marcus Rashford pumped a raking cross-field ball into the path of Garnacho, who