It certainly doesn’t feel like the end of an era at Manchester City, since they keep on winning. Rather than as yet confirming any departure, Pep Guardiola instead just secured another trophy. His third personal FA Cup makes this a domestic cup double, that may yet become a second domestic treble.
City obviously need a lot to change in the title race but, as this 1-0 win over Chelsea showed, they keep on putting on the squeeze.
And if this was far from a final for the ages – there’s an argument it was overshadowed by Mohammed Salah’s commentary on Liverpool – it was at least won by a goal for ages. Antoine Semenyo’s backheel was up there with any in the competition’s history.
“Brilliant skill,” as Guardiola said.
Semenyo continues to show the value of that £62.5m January purchase. There’s also a different type of value to the goal, since the forward made his debut in this competition for Newport County against Metropolitan Police FC all the way back in November 2018. He knows what it’s all about.
From one side of the cup to another. Such expenditure and the way this was the 10th consecutive final involving one of these teams – if the first involving both – played into a flat build-up, to go with the backdrop of investigations into both clubs. While Chelsea admitted guilt, and still await the outcome of the FA case, City insist on their innocence.
It did evolve into a genuinely good final, though, that Chelsea might feel a little aggrieved about. Even Guardiola said he felt his team had been better in 2024 and 2025, two consecutive finals they lost. Chelsea arguably had the better of play, and had a few penalty shouts. Of those, Abdukodir Khusanov’s collision with Jorrel Hato looked the likeliest penalty, which Calum McFarlane certainly argued after the game.
“Anywhere else on the pitch, it’s a penalty.”
The interim coach actually sought to play down a special personal moment of taking a team out at Wembley for the FA Cup final, insisting he was just concentrating on the task of “Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City”.
It’s hard not to link that to the reality that McFarlane’s very presence there was the product of a strange turn of events, and the curious leadership of the club, so maybe didn’t feel as much of a personal achievement.
As to how to feel about this Chelsea season? Well, it indicates a lot that McFarlane was asked about the potential consequences of not qualifying for Europe, but just responded “you’re asking the interim coach”.
Would the FA Cup have even “saved” the season? It would have offered some badly needed good feeling of course, but probably would have also opened debate about what it signified given this squad’s difficulties under Liam Rosenior.
On the whole, this has been a dismal season, that should continue to raise bigger questions about the strategy of the football leadership.
One change of direction is imminent, to finally bring hope. It emerged in the immediate aftermath of the game that Xabi Alonso’s appointment is imminent.
That’s a great hiring in any circumstances, but especially given the issues around Chelsea… and Liverpool.
Salah’s comment – which came in the middle of this game – would usually have only fired questions about whether Alonso’s old club would approach him amid the escalating negativity around Arne Slot. Except, Chelsea were already there, with Liverpool having allowed them a free run. They had no interest in Alonso.
There was a time when Alonso had been considered a potential candidate to replace Guardiola, but now?
Well, aside from the fact the Basque is set to sign for Chelsea, there’s a feeling that Guardiola is going nowhere. A lot of talk has turned. The mood music is that he will stay for another season. Guardiola of course evaded such talk after the game, but was keen to acknowledge the departing Bernardo Silva and John Stones.
They did have a special moment at the end, as they lifted the FA Cup – their 15th major trophy together with Guardiola – in front of the City fans.
If that would usually prompt discussion over the challenge of replacing them, the way City work is that they’re already well on the way down that road. The team is visibly in good shape, and looks set for the medium-term future, leaving aside whatever the outcome of the Premier League case is.
You can see why Guardiola would want to stick around. There is clearly another title in this team, maybe one this season, and maybe a Champions League too.
Bernardo himself spoke about how they now have a “taste for trophies”.
That was summed up by this cup final. City weren’t at their best. They didn’t play the more dominant football of late. And yet they found a way to win.
Let’s see what yet happens in the title race. They follow this with a very difficult game away to Bournemouth as soon as Tuesday. It’s almost the last thing you’d want.
This does not, however, currently look like Guardiola’s last stand in England.
