MANCHESTER, England : The FA Cup was not Manchester City’s top priority this season but now they are in a third straight final the club will go all out to win the trophy at Wembley this weekend, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
City have had a “horrific season” in the words of striker Erling Haaland, with Guardiola’s side falling by the wayside in the Premier League title race while they were also eliminated in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
City are fourth in the Premier League and yet to secure Champions League qualification for next season and winning the FA Cup when they face Crystal Palace on Saturday may not be enough to salvage their campaign.
“That is the problem right, the FA Cup now is not the first choice. Of course, we want it. Once we are here of course we want the trophy. It is massively important,” Guardiola told reporters.
“It was a disappointment last season (losing in the final to Manchester United). But I’m pretty sure we’ll perform well and we are going to compete against them.
“It’s the final of the FA Cup, it’s an honour and a privilege. Third time in a row being there and we have to perform well. We travel to London to win the title.”
Guardiola also praised Oliver Glasner’s Palace, who knocked out fellow Premier League sides Fulham and Aston Villa to reach the final.
Palace, who are 12th in the league table, are seeking their first major trophy having fallen in the final in 1990 and 2016, losing to Manchester United on both occasions.
“It is a fantastic team. They have had a really good second part of the season. They have had more than a year with Oliver working with the same players,” Guardiola said.
“They are a threat because they have quality. (Striker Jean-Philippe) Mateta is strong and the quality in (Eberechi) Eze is obvious and of course the pace from (fellow forward Ismaila) Sarr … (Adam) Wharton is a really good holding midfielder.
“They are well structured defensively and their set-pieces are one of the best in the Premier League.”
Guardiola said City’s Spain midfielder Rodri is “much, much better” but he will wait for the doctors to give the all-clear as the 28-year-old has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in September.
“When they tell me he is ready, he is going to start. We don’t want to take a risk and take a step back,” he added.
