Manchester City
April 2026
Manchester City came from behind to beat Southampton 2-1 and secure a place in the FA Cup final for a fourth consecutive season after a late turnaround against the Championship side. Finn Azaz stunned City with a long-range opener before Jeremy Doku equalised via a deflection. Gonzalez then scored a late winner, completing the comeback after sustained pressure.
Pep Guardiola
January 2026
Guardiola implied some City players are not fully committed to playing through minor issues, citing Cruyff’s view that players who do not want to be injured generally are not, while listing multiple absences for the Galatasaray game. He referenced the club’s medical staff, then suggested mindset matters beyond bad luck. He confirmed several injured players will miss the Champions League tie, with January signings also ineligible.
Pep Guardiola
November 2025
Manchester City supporters were stunned to see Guardiola make ten changes for the Champions League meeting with Leverkusen, leaving Haaland on the bench and retaining only Nico Gonzalez from the weekend defeat at Newcastle, prompting jokes that the XI looked like a Carabao Cup lineup. James Trafford was recalled for his first start in a month and Omar Marmoush tasked with leading the line, turning the tie into a major audition for fringe players. After the 2-1 loss at Newcastle, the heavy rotation raised questions about rhythm, risk and Guardiola’s priorities.
