Pep Guardiola felt his “legendary” Manchester City players rediscovered their “heart” after they came from behind to sink Bournemouth 2-1 and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
Second-half goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush kept City in with a chance of salvaging a trophy from this season after they trailed to Evanilson’s tap-in at the break.
The midfield of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic may be past their prime, but Guardiola leant on their experience to extend their record of consecutive semi-final appearances to seven.
“We talked a lot and we saw a lot of images that were not in our standard, nowhere near where we had been to have won six Premier Leagues in seven years and seven FA Cup semi-finals in a row,” the City boss said.
“And we just focused. It doesn’t matter if we play without wingers today or sometimes we play with wingers, there are minimum requirements that we have to show; respect for your mate, you have to make the effort. And today we did it.
“I spoke with the team at half-time so we are good. We are in your hands. We conceded just one shot on target.
“That means how Bernardo, Kova, the senior players, the legendary players that give the most incredible things in the club, they make a step up again and made an excellent performance.
“I’m really pleased to be back at Wembley for a seventh time in a row. An incredible achievement.”
Asked why the heart had been missing from his side this season, Guardiola added: “It was many things, many things. I will write it in my memoirs. A lot. Not just one.
“And put Pep first on the list. I should have taken decisions I didn’t take in the right moment. In my memoirs, If it was just one reason it would be easy.”
Haaland was guilty of an extraordinary six-minute hat-trick of misses; a close-range header, a penalty and a one-on-one, before Evanilson poked Bournemouth in front from Justin Kluivert’s pull-back.
Half-time substitute Nico O’Reilly helped turn the game with assists for both Haaland and Marmoush, with Guardiola joking the 20-year-old is definitely going to play at Wembley.
“Against Plymouth scored two goals, today two assists, so in the semi-finals he is going to play,” he said.
Guardiola was unable to give an update on Haaland, who limped off after colliding with Lewis Cook and an advertising hoarding.
Bournemouth looked spent, a long season of punching above their weight perhaps finally catching up with them.
That their last shot on target came in the 38th minute told its own story.
“I think we played the game we wanted to play in the first half but we couldn’t maintain the intensity in the second half,” Cherries boss Andoni Iraola said.
“We were not as aggressive as in the first half and if we don’t press we don’t win those duels. Very happy with the first half but we didn’t win so it is not enough.”
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