Pep Guardiola pinpoints 2023 Manchester United moment as ‘one of the greatest days’ in his entire career

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has looked back on last season’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United with great fondness ahead of this season’s repeat.

The reigning holders of the FA Cup trophy will return to the iconic national stadium in the final game of domestic football at the end of next month, when they face their bitter city rivals on Saturday 25 May.

A single goal from Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva sealed the all-important victory at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening after 80 minutes of frustration for many onlookers, as Manchester City battled tiredness to a determined performance against Chelsea.

As for Manchester United, it was far from routine, after Erik ten Hag’s side threw away a 0-3 lead to Coventry City, with the Championship side taking the contest all the way to a penalty shoot-out only to fall at the final hurdle.

Speaking prior to Manchester City’s meeting with Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday evening, Pep Guardiola reminisced on the final stage of last season’s edition of the tournament.

“Last June, when we beat Manchester United here to win the FA Cup, it was one of the greatest days of my career,” said Guardiola. “It was hard to take in everything after the game because the emotion was so high, but looking back it means so much to me.”

“The players loved it, too, and that is why we are so determined to win again because we want to be back here to defend our trophy at the end of the season.”

Manchester City and Manchester United will meet in a repeat of last season’s FA Cup final, as Pep Guardiola’s side dismissed of their cross-town rivals with a 2-1 victory en route to a historic Treble achievement.

Ilkay Gundogan opened the scoring in the penultimate game of Manchester City’s 2022/23 campaign after just 12 seconds, before putting his side back in front following an equalising goal later in the second-half.