Arsenal managed to put their recent poor form behind them and win against Manchester City. Arsene Wenger’s team won the 2-1 and qualifies for the F.A. Cup final. The loss leaves Pep Guardiola to deal with first season as manager without winning a trophy.
Striker Alexis Sanchez scored the game’s winner 11 minutes into the extra time. Arsenal were certainly the luckier side on the day. Despite this, it’s to be noted how Wenger’s team reacted to recent criticism and managed an important victory. Arsene Wenger could be on his way to winning his seventh F.A. Cup in his time at the London club.
For Arsenal a triumph in the final against Chelsea would be vital. Arsene Wenger’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Recent lack of success has seen some fans ask for the manager to step down. Wenger has hinted towards wanting to continue at the club. Furthermore, important team players are yet to extend their contracts in light of recent results. With this uncertainty hanging over the club, it is important Arsenal send a signal of their intentions to remain a top Premier League club.
Manchester City may feel they deserved the victory, especially after being denied a goal by the game referee. The result leaves City in a strange position. Not only has the team not lived to the expectations from the beginning of the season when they dominated the EPL. This is also Pep Guardiola’s first season as a manager without winning a single trophy. If City fans believed bringing in one of Europe’s top managers was enough to help them secure silverware, it turns out it will be more complicated.
Guardiola seemed composed after the game. The manager says his team gave it their best to try to win. It is expected the manager will make important changes to the team in order to change the club’s fortunes next season. The manager’s job in Manchester will be to build a team. One suspects his previous two jobs offered the Spaniard a more developed squad. upon his arrival. “In games like this, you can’t expect to control all the situations but we did most of the time,” Guardiola said.
“We performed like we would want to in a final. We did absolutely everything. Congratulations to Arsenal. We’ll improve next season. We competed here, we had more chances but the finishing was like it has been throughout the season. We played like we wanted to and that’s all. We are sad but tomorrow we have to stand up to finish the games we still have to play. I don’t have regrets about the team. We just have to compete in these games. We are here for the results. Next season we will be stronger.”
Meanwhile Arsene Wenger says his team is capable of good results as long the players maintain their focus. “The team performance was there. When the players give their best and are completely focused you always stand up for them. We were close to scoring and on the break they are very good. We lost the ball and conceded the goal but we showed the right response.”
