Guardiola urges Man City to use FA Cup glory to fuel Premier League title push

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Guardiola[/a]'s side won the FA Cup for the first time since 2023 thanks to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semenyo-antoine/r1Gz1yPk/"]Antoine Semenyo[/a]'s audacious back-flicked goal in the second half at Wembley on Saturday.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/chelsea-4fGZN2oK/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=6uTuOILk"]1-0 win made it a domestic double for City[/a], who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] in the League Cup final in March.[/p][p]Now [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] can focus on their last two games of the league season as they look to catch leaders Arsenal.[/p][p]The Gunners are firm favourites to be crowned champions and will wrap up the title if they beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a] on Monday and win at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a] on May 24.[/p][p]But second-placed City, just two points behind Arsenal, are lying in wait if [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Mikel Arteta[/a]'s team slip up.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bournemouth-OtpNdwrc/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=rkXMW40U"]If City win at Bournemouth[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=zLXUefTr"]beat Aston Villa at home on the final day[/a], they could take the title if Arsenal drop points their matches.[/p][p]With that in mind, Guardiola was quick to put the celebrations on ice after the 20th trophy of his glittering 10-year reign was wrapped up at Wembley.[/p][embed guid="aa002f73-2b31-4a3e-9422-9a71089a9018" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2055780654269309426" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"Home - not even one beer,"[/b] he said of halting the party in City's dressing room.[/p][p][b]"Next Monday, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a], we're going to celebrate with the women's team with a parade in Manchester, but no, we do not have time now.[/b][/p][p][b]"We have only three days (before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a]). [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] had seven days to prepare for the final. We had three days and yesterday was a nightmare.[/b][/p][p][b]"We spent literally six hours getting from Manchester to here. The trains are a little bit of a problem in this country. Six hours!"[/b][/p][p]Having guided City to the title six times in the last eight years, Guardiola knows it will take a remarkable turnaround to snatch the trophy from Arsenal's grasp.[/p][p]But regardless of the conclusion of the title race, Guardiola is confident City are in better shape than 12 months ago when they finished the 2024-25 season without silverware.[/p][p]Guardiola believes the key contributions of Semenyo and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guehi-marc/KEeklutO/"]Marc Guehi[/a], signed from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace during the January transfer window - along with the development of Matheus Nunes, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/khusanov-abdukodir/00ElbXx5/"]Abdukodir Khusanov[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/o-reilly-nico/xOrYaNWc/"]Nico O'Reilly[/a] - shows City can return to the top next term.[/p][embed guid="d74682b4-7ecc-443e-b06e-020b186b8e94" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2055785385138008253" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"I took time to click something. I missed something during the process. We had the feeling in the last few months that we had some stability with the team that we maybe didn't have in the past,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"There were a lot of new players, injured players. Sometimes you need a little more time. But the highest competition doesn't wait.[/b][/p][p][b]"In the Champions League, we lost to a really, really good opponent in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a]. But in the rest of the competitions we behaved extraordinarily. The future is bright.[/b][/p][p][b]"I know the guys. I know how they feel, the commitment for the club. I'm pretty sure we will be there for the next years."[/b][/p]