- Pep Guardiola has called on Manchester City to learn the lessons of a 1-0 home derby defeat on Wednesday night despite progressing to a third successive League Cup final 3-2 on aggregate.
Pep Guardiola has called on Manchester City to learn the lessons of a 1-0 home derby defeat on Wednesday night despite progressing to a third successive League Cup final 3-2 on aggregate.
The holders enjoyed the vast majority of the chances in the semi-final second leg, with 61 per cent of the ball, but could not find a way past Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.
They went behind to United’s first attempt on goal 10 minutes before half-time, when Nemanja Matic fired home. United’s hopes of completing a comeback were extinguished when their scorer was then sent off for a second bookable offence 14 minutes from time.
The hosts held on to book their place in the final against Aston Villa at Wembley on March 1, but Guardiola admitted that his players “need to learn to be more clinical”.
“In 180 minutes, we were better than United,” said the City manager. “We created chances to score a lot of goals and didn’t convert.”
Kevin de Bruyne agreed they were wasteful in possession, telling Sky Sports: “We got sloppy today, we have to learn from this, but it’s good we are going to the final.”
With Kyle Walker, Nicolas Otamendi and Joao Cancelo forming an unfamiliar back three and City not at their best, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt his side were always in the game but suffered “an absolute joke” with the red card.
“It’s hard to come here and score a goal with 11 men, never mind 10,” he said. “So it was never a sending off. How many times did they (City) foul us?
“I’m so proud of these players. They’ve beaten City now twice in six weeks (they won 2-1 in the league last month) at their place. We’ve come so far with these boys.”
Both teams were adjudged to have committed 11 fouls.
Although the Red Devils failed to reach their first major Cup final since 2017, which was the last time they lifted silverware, they did salvage some pride following the criticism that followed the 3-1 home loss to City in the first leg.
The signing of Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon for an initial fee of €55 million (S$82.57 million) should also quieten fan fury.
Dissatisfaction came to a head on Tuesday night as a group of hooded fans attacked executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward’s home with flares while issuing threats.
The club executive has become a figure of hate owing to a bunch of missteps in the transfer market.
But in Fernandes, Woodward has brought in a big name that supporters have been desperate for.
The 25-year-old will complete his move ahead of today’s transfer deadline and former Sporting manager Carlos Carvalhal feels United are getting “a complete player”.
On the Portugal midfielder, who has 63 goals in 137 appearances for Sporting, he told talkSport: “If you ask me to compare Bruno with a player, I say (Chelsea great) Frank Lampard.”
