Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola has attributed Dean Henderson’s “time-wasting” within the 2025 FA Cup last partly to the goalkeeper being British – and stated the choice for Omar Marmoush to be given the Cityzens’ penalty of their 1-0 defeat was made between the newcomer and common taker Erling Haaland.
Henderson, who turned away Marmoush’s first-half spot kick shortly after being lucky to keep away from a pink card for dealing with the ball outdoors his penalty space, made a string of effective saves earlier than showing to interact in a verbal disagreement with Guardiola after the full-time whistle in Palace’s first main trophy triumph.
“Hear, he defends his place and we defend our place,” stated Guardiola, who will end a season with out a main trophy for the primary time since his first marketing campaign on the membership in 2016/17. “He’s British. I’m sorry – everybody can do what they need.
“[Players] resolve [who will take penalties] on the pitch. I didn’t communicate with them. That second is [about] how they’re feeling. They noticed Omar was able to take it. I believe Omar took quite a lot of time with the ball… the goalkeeper made an excellent save.”
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FA Cup last 2025: Guardiola congratulates Palace
Haaland, who has missed three of his seven penalties in all competitions in 2024/25 together with one at Bournemouth within the quarter-finals, appeared to resolve towards taking the chance, kissing the ball and Marmoush’s head whereas handing the chance to the Egypt striker.
Whereas it was unclear whether or not Metropolis had organized earlier than the sport for Haaland to step apart from duties, there seemed to be much less confusion over Henderson’s indiscretion when he had pawed the ball outdoors the field to cease the two-time Premier League golden boot winner from breaking by way of, however a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) evaluate led to no motion being taken.
“Don’t ask me concerning the VAR or the referee [Stuart Attwell],” stated Guardiola. “We didn’t lose as a result of Henderson was time-wasting.
“It’s a query of rhythm. All of the followers are there to see the 22 gamers play. Whenever you see Barcelona now, they’re ‘assault, assault, assault, assault’, and the opposite workforce are [too]. It’s stunning.
This alternate between Pep Guardiola and Dean Henderson 👀#FACup pic.twitter.com/JaXxmyGNpR
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 17, 2025
“However I perceive Henderson’s place – it’s a query for the referee. I perceive when it’s [late]. however I don’t really feel it. My workforce play the sport just like the folks deserve to look at.
“Saying that, congratulations to Henderson and Crystal Palace, as a result of they defended actually, rather well on the finish and have been in a position to rating a objective.”
Crystal Palace vs Man Metropolis
In an action-packed last, Metropolis – the dominant workforce in English soccer between 2017 and 2024, getting into their third straight FA Cup last – started with an abundance of possession and photographs on objective, Haaland among the many gamers denied by glorious Henderson saves.
Palace spent a lot of the sport below stress however scored with their first significant assault when Eberechi Eze fired in first time from contained in the field within the sixteenth minute, assembly Daniel Munoz’s cross with a fierce right-footed end past Ederson for his sixth objective in 5 appearances.
Guardiola used Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva as his holding midfielders as a result of Mateo Kovacic “didn’t really feel good” and stated Metropolis had “performed a lot, a lot better” than they did of their 5-2 house win over Palace within the Premier League final month and their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in final yr’s last.
SAVED BY HENDERSON 🚫
Omar Marmoush misses from the spot ❌#FACup pic.twitter.com/PfvBowkW6V
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) May 17, 2025
“We didn’t undergo proper defensively,” he added. “We couldn’t discover [De Bruyne] within the positions we wished. The sport plan didn’t work as a result of we didn’t win.
“Towards Southampton [in a 0-0 draw last Saturday], I had a nasty, dangerous feeling, however at the moment I didn’t.
“After all we’re unhappy… with the anthem, stadium and crowds, it’s a good looking, beautiful day.”
2025 FA Cup last: Man Metropolis ‘had the possibilities’
Metropolis completed with greater than 78% of possession, six of the eight makes an attempt on the right track between the groups and 23 of the 30 efforts in all, though Palace might need scored a second when Munoz’s second-half objective was dominated out as a result of Ismaila Sarr was offside.
There was a way of desperation to the introduction of 19-year-old debutant Claudio Echeverri rather than Marmoush 14 minutes from time, though the Argentina youth worldwide was one among a number of gamers to have photographs blocked contained in the field in the course of the closing levels.
“My inspiration,” Guardiola smiled when he was requested concerning the shock introduction of Echeveri. “I’m a proficient supervisor.
“I need to be trustworthy, it was not a nasty determination with the way in which he performed and the possibilities he had. He had three possibilities in small areas.
“I noticed him in coaching periods. He’s shifting actually, rather well in small areas and is absolutely artistic in that. It’s a must to discover one thing in these kinds of video games, dribbling and discovering one-twos.
“Crystal Palace love [defending] crosses. He’s usually so intelligent and exact. We had the possibilities, however sadly we couldn’t rating.”
