Every Word: Pep Guardiola’s pre-Manchester United press conference

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has addressed the media ahead of his side’s first cup final of the season, in a huge two-week period for the club.

Manchester United are the opponents on Saturday afternoon, as the bitter city rivals go head-to-head at Wembley Stadium for the Emirates FA Cup trophy – a prize that would be the second piece of silverware for either club this season.

Pep Guardiola and his City players were crowned Premier League champions for the third time in the last three seasons, beating Arsenal to the English top-flight crown – an honour that is also their fifth in the last six seasons.

As for Saturday’s opponents Manchester United, Erik ten Hag and his players have also claimed a title of their own this season, winning the Carabao Cup trophy earlier in the campaign at Wembley.

Last time out, City saw their 25-game unbeaten run ended at the hands of Brentford, as a significantly weakened starting line-up were defeated by a buoyant west London outfit on the final day of the Premier League season.

Casemiro, the possibility of Bernardo Silva playing his last FA Cup game for Manchester City, and tactical surprises from Erik ten Hag were among the talking points raised during Pep Guardiola’s address to the media on Friday afternoon.

Here is every word from the boss at the City Football Academy!

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On the FA Cup Final

“It’s the final of the FA Cup and it’s a pleasure to be here. It’s a final so nothing else. It should be good for us if we have to think about what we have to do to win one game – nothing changes to analyse the strength of our opponents and the weaknesses they have. It’s a football game, we can’t control what happens outside.

“A final is special for itself but United from the last four, five six months are a completely different team. Now I have the feeling from the beginning of the season that it is different and they have improved. It’s United so the qualities of players have always been here.” 

On Anthony Taylor suffering abuse in the airport after the UEFA Europa League final

“’I’m so sorry for the images I saw and for Anthony Taylor. Hopefully it does not happen again. There is nothing else I can say.” 

On Casemiro

“I don’t know him personally but when he was in Madrid I had info on how professional he is. I was convinced he would not come here for holidays in the last years of his career.”

On squad fitness

“They trained well the last two training sessions. They are more or less fine.” 

On Saturday being Bernardo Silva’s last FA Cup game

“We have one more game in the Champions League Final. I hope not, but I don’t know.” 

On Erik ten Hag making tactical surprises

“I don’t know. If he does then we will have to read it as best as possible in the first five or 10 minutes.”

On penalties

“I always think with penalties it’s an important skill with the mentality.”

On Stefan Ortega

“Yeah he’s going to play. It’s always been the same in the cups, even with Barcelona and Munich, so he’s going to play in the FA Cup.”