Gary Neville has expressed his belief that Pep Guardiola made a significant tactical error during the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United.
In the match, Manchester United emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, thereby thwarting City’s aspiration to secure a domestic double.
Despite their recent success in winning their fourth consecutive Premier League title, Manchester City couldn’t replicate this success in the FA Cup final held at Wembley Stadium.
By halftime, Manchester City was trailing 2-0. Although they managed to score in the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome United’s lead.
Following the conclusion of the Premier League season, Neville, a former Manchester United player and current commentator, pointed out a crucial tactical mistake made by Guardiola during the match.
In the latest issue of The Overlap’s newsletter, Neville examined the preparations and strategies employed by both managers ahead of the final.
He commended United’s midfield configuration, stating, “The midfield box featuring Kobbie Mainoo, Sofyan Amrabat, Scott McTominay, and Bruno Fernandes was formidable and difficult to penetrate.”
Neville added, “Having Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane back in defense also provided a significant boost. Recently, there have been signs that City struggles with densely populated midfields.
Real Madrid, Arsenal, and even Tottenham have frustrated them with such tactics, despite varying results.”
Analyzing the game, Neville asserted, “I believe Guardiola made a critical mistake with his starting lineup on Saturday. Choosing Mateo Kovacic over Jeremy Doku was a misjudgment that allowed United to establish control early in the game.
When Doku was introduced in the second half, City’s attacking pressure intensified significantly, especially during his duel with Aaron Wan-Bissaka.”
Doku, who played the entire match when City secured their Premier League title against West Ham United, was notably absent from the starting eleven for the FA Cup final.
In that decisive Premier League match, Doku had delivered an impressive performance with three key passes, two shots on target, and successfully completing five out of ten dribbles.
Despite coming on as a substitute in the second half of the FA Cup final, Doku still made a notable impact. He scored City’s only goal, made two key passes, and completed three of his five dribble attempts.
In contrast, Kovacic’s performance was underwhelming; he did not register any key passes or shots in the first half, underscoring Neville’s argument about Guardiola’s selection error.
Neville concluded that Doku’s influence on the game was significantly greater than that of Kovacic, reinforcing his belief that Guardiola’s decision not to start the Belgian winger was a miscalculation.
This analysis explains why Neville is convinced that Guardiola’s tactical choices, particularly regarding player selection, were pivotal in City’s defeat in the FA Cup final.
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