Pep Guardiola did not hide his frustration after Manchester City’s 2-0 FA Cup fourth round win over Salford City, labelling the performance boring despite progression.
City advanced without conceding, but the manner of the victory left their manager dissatisfied.
Speaking after the 2-0 result, Guardiola made it clear that qualifying for the next round was the only positive to take from the evening.
Pep Guardiola criticises Manchester City’s FA Cup display
Pep Guardiola was brutally honest when assessing Manchester City’s performance against Salford City in the FA Cup fourth round.
“No. We didn’t read the spaces where they were. With the spaces in attack, it depends on how they defend it, and we didn’t read it,” Guardiola said, per GOAL. “That is the reason why the game was boring. The only good news is we go through. That’s all.”
The manager’s focus centred on movement and decision-making in the final third. City dominated possession but struggled to break the lines with their usual precision, resulting in a flat contest that lacked tempo and creativity.
For a side known for structured build-up and intelligent positioning, Guardiola’s criticism highlighted a rare disconnect between intention and execution.
Pep Guardiola rejects excuses after Manchester City win
Guardiola also dismissed the idea that fatigue could excuse Manchester City’s performance. He admitted the schedule has been demanding but insisted that standards cannot slip.
“It would be nice for me to say mentally we’re exhausted, we’re tired. It has been a tough two or three weeks for many reasons but it’s our job. We have to do what we have to do,” Guardiola continued.
He concluded, stating: “The calendar says to play every few days. We just didn’t read where the spaces were and that’s why everything was flat and slow and not good.”
The message was direct. City’s calendar may be relentless, but Guardiola expects sharper recognition of space and quicker circulation of the ball. Simply advancing in the FA Cup is not enough for a team chasing domestic and European success.
While the result keeps their campaign alive, Guardiola’s comments suggest improvements are required quickly. For City, performance levels matter as much as scorelines.
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