Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola delivered a pointed critique of two of his match-winners, even as his side comfortably secured their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Goals Secure Progress But Guardiola Demands More
First-half strikes from summer signing Rayan Cherki and Savinho proved enough to see off the Bees, setting up a tantalising two-legged semi-final clash with the holders, Newcastle United. Guardiola had rotated his squad heavily, resting key figures like Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter with West Ham.
Despite the comfortable scoreline, the Catalan coach was far from satisfied with aspects of his team's performance, particularly after the interval. He made four second-half substitutions, later explaining he wanted to protect players like Phil Foden and the young Nico González from excessive minutes.
"They Did Not Do Their Job" - Guardiola's Blunt Assessment
In his post-match comments, Guardiola singled out his two goalscorers for failing to contribute defensively. "I am very happy with the impact of the guys who came from the bench," Guardiola stated, "because in the second half Rayan Cherki did not do the defensive work he should have. He had no energy. Savinho didn't either."
He credited substitutes Josko Gvardiol, Matheus Nunes, and particularly Bernardo Silva with raising the team's tempo and shoring up the performance. The early withdrawal of Oscar Bobb through injury had forced Foden into earlier action than planned, but Guardiola praised all who entered the fray.
Praise for a "Sensational" Strike Amidst the Criticism
Guardiola's criticism of Cherki, a £31 million acquisition, was notably balanced by lavish praise for the Frenchman's opening goal. Cherki brought the ball down elegantly on the edge of the area before unleashing a majestic long-range strike past goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson.
"What a goal," enthused Guardiola. "After that, he didn't play a good game, but before and with the goal, he was fantastic." When asked to elaborate on the quality of the strike, the City boss added with typical flair: "Even a blind boy, a blind girl, can realise it was a special goal. You don't need to be a manager to understand how good it was."
The result ensures Manchester City remain on course in a competition they have won consistently under Guardiola, but the manager's post-match analysis made it clear that individual brilliance must be matched by collective discipline, even in victory.
