Pep Guardiola Critiques Manchester City’s Lackluster FA Cup Victory Over Salford City

omidbasir- On February 14, 2026, Manchester City advanced to the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-0 victory over Salford City, but manager Pep Guardiola was far from satisfied with the performance at the Etihad Stadium. He described his team’s display as “flat and slow and not good,” indicating that while the result was favorable, the execution left much to be desired for the reigning Premier League champions.

City took an early lead in the match, but it was not due to their own offensive creativity. Instead, they benefited from an own goal by Alfie Dorrington in the sixth minute. Rather than capitalizing on this advantage to dominate the match, City settled into a lackluster rhythm that frustrated fans and visibly irritated Guardiola. For significant portions of the game, Salford, a League Two side, appeared to match the treble winners.

In the lead-up to the match, Guardiola had highlighted the grueling nature of the football calendar, noting that City had been competing twice a week and facing intense pressure in the Premier League title race against Arsenal and Liverpool. However, after the game, Guardiola dismissed fatigue as an excuse for the subpar performance. He offered a straightforward critique, stating, “We didn’t read the spaces where we were. The spaces in attack depend on how they defend and we didn’t read it. We spent a lot of time trying to make the process quicker. The only good news is that we go through. It would be nice for me to say we’re mentally exhausted, but it’s our job. We have to do what we have to do. We just didn’t read the spaces properly, leading to a flat and slow performance.”

With the match precariously poised at 1-0 and Salford gaining confidence, Guardiola turned to his bench for reinforcements, emphasizing the importance of January signings. It was not until the 81st minute that Marc Guehi secured the victory with a second goal, effectively extinguishing Salford’s hopes for an upset. Although City dominated possession, their lack of incisiveness was concerning, and Guardiola only found satisfaction in the final moments of the match when the second goal finally eased the tension.

Despite the unremarkable nature of the win, Manchester City remains in contention for multiple trophies. The draw for the FA Cup fifth round is scheduled for Monday evening, just before the match between Macclesfield and Brentford. City must ensure they improve their performance to navigate a successful path back to Wembley and defend their title. Additionally, the team’s European commitments are looming, with the Champions League last-16 draw approaching. Guardiola’s focus will be on regaining tactical sharpness and consistency as the season progresses.