Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he expected Erling Haaland to take the crucial penalty during their FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace, revealing the decision for Omar Marmoush to step up was \"decided on the pitch\" before his costly miss.
City were defeated 1-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday as Palace secured the first major trophy in their history. The Premier League champions had an opportunity to equalize after Eberechi Eze\'s opener when referee awarded a penalty following Tyrick Mitchell\'s challenge on Bernardo Silva.
\"They decided on the pitch,\" Guardiola explained after the match. \"I don\'t know. I didn\'t speak with them. I thought he [Haaland] would want to take it. These are things for them.\"
Haaland initially took possession of the ball before unexpectedly passing it to Marmoush, whose spot-kick was saved by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The missed opportunity proved decisive as City failed to find an equalizer.
Henderson was fortunate to remain on the pitch after an incident where he appeared to handle the ball outside his area while Haaland chased a long pass. VAR reviewed the play but determined it did not prevent a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
When questioned about the controversial decision, Guardiola declined to offer his opinion, simply stating: \"Ask the VAR and the referee.\"
The City manager was also involved in a post-match altercation with Henderson during Palace\'s celebrations, apparently confronting the goalkeeper about time-wasting tactics.
\"He defended his position, we defend our position,\" Guardiola said. \"Everyone can do whatever they want. We have to score goals. Congratulations to Henderson and Palace, because they defended really well and we were not able to score a goal.\"
Via Rob Dawson/ESPN