Pep Guardiola described Manchester City’s straightforward FA Cup win over Salford City on Saturday as “boring.”
City triumphed 2-0 against their League Two rivals at the Etihad Stadium, advancing to the fifth round.
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After capitalizing on an early own goal by Alfie Dorrington, City largely coasted through the match until Marc Guéhi secured the win with his first goal for the club late in the game.
When asked about his team’s performance, Guardiola replied: “No. We didn’t identify the spaces effectively. The attacking spaces depend on their defensive setup, and we failed to read that.”
He further added, “That’s why the game felt boring. The only positive is that we progressed. That’s all.”
Guardiola made nine changes to his lineup, taking advantage of the opportunity to rotate his players.
With a rare full week for recovery before they continue their Premier League title chase, Guardiola plans to grant his players a few days off.
However, he declined to blame fatigue for the lackluster display.
“It would be convenient to say we’re mentally exhausted and tired after a tough couple of weeks,” Guardiola acknowledged.
“But that’s part of our job. The schedule demands we play regularly.”
“We simply didn’t recognize where the spaces were, resulting in a flat and slow performance that wasn’t up to par.”
A bright spot for City was the return of England defender John Stones, who made his first appearance in over two months following a thigh injury.
“He’s back. He still requires time to rediscover his form, but his body language was promising in terms of pressing and aggression,” Guardiola stated. “It’s crucial that he played 65 minutes.”
Salford, who endured an 8-0 defeat to Man City in the competition last season, could take pride in their tenacious performance this time.
Their focus now shifts back to their pursuit of promotion in League Two.
Manager Karl Robinson commented, “I mentioned before the match that this football club has progressed each year. We’ve worked incredibly hard behind the scenes, and we approached this game with a much stronger squad and as a better club.”
“I believe the players demonstrated that, and we need to use this experience as a benchmark moving forward. While I dislike losing, you must accept it. The manner in which we lost today is a testament to the players’ efforts.”