Manchester City could secure Champions League football and continue their run of silverware with a win at Wembley, in what has been described as a poor season
The fact that an FA Cup final appearance and a top-five finish feels more like damage control than anything else shows standards that Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have set, says Erling Haaland.
City’s Norwegian talisman has had an injury-riddled season while his usually untouchable side stumbled far more often than expected. At a point, every team playing against City were almost assured of three points before the game even began.
“This season has been tough,” Haaland admitted in an interview with BBC Sport. “It is not nice to lose so many games, it is boring and not fun. That’s why we need to finish well and get a trophy.
“It is a good habit to reach Wembley and always important to win trophies. We have the FA Cup final to play for and in a horrific season we still managed to do this, that says it all.”
City enter Saturday’s FA Cup final against Crystal Palace knowing it represents their last chance for silverware this season, an unusual position for a squad that have collected 14 major trophies under Guardiola, and at least one in each of the last seven, including a historic treble in 2023.
So things have unravelled by City’s lofty standards. Once ruling the English top flight with an iron fist, they now sit fourth in the league, a full 18 points behind champions Liverpool, and having suffered nine losses across all competitions. Their title defence fizzled out months ago, a Champions League exit to Real Madrid in the knockout playoff round left them reeling, and a meek Carabao Cup departure to Tottenham added to the frustrations.
“When you have won four league titles in a row, if you don’t win five it’s not going to be a successful season,” said Haaland. “Those are the standards we have set.”
And those standards are part of what makes the final at Wembley feel so important for the Sky Blues – the final and Champions League qualification.
City’s form may be wobbly, but they remain firmly in control of their Champions League destiny. With two league games left, they have a two-point lead over Chelsea in fifth and Aston Villa in sixth. A couple of steady performances and they will be able to lock in qualification.
But while the road is clear, City still have to get there. For the final in Wembley, Crystal Palace are not to be underestimated. The Eagles have displayed some really good form under manager Oliver Glasner this season, as well as being a thorn in City’s side. They fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Selhurst Park and then made Guardiola’s men work for a 5-2 win at the Etihad in the reverse fixture last month.
Plus, there has already been a giant-killing in a domestic cup final this season, with Liverpool going down for Newcastle to claim their first trophy in 70 years.
“Crystal Palace are a really difficult club to play against,” Haaland acknowledged. “At Selhurst Park we drew and they started really well at the Etihad. They are an amazing team with quality players.”
