Manchester City slipped to a crushing 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on May 17, as Pep Guardiola missed out on his only chance of winning silverware this season.
Eberechi Eze netted the only goal in the Wembley showdown, as despite having multiple chances, City failed to find a way past Dean Henderson.
One of the major opportunities City missed came via a 33rd minute penalty after Tyrick Mitchell fouled Bernardo Silva.
Erling Haaland initially grabbed the ball, as VAR reviewed the referee’s decision, but after the call was confirmed, the Norwegian star handed responsibility to Omar Marmoush.
Marmoush was denied by a superb save from England star Henderson as City’s frustration grew from there on.
The missed spot kick became a major post-match talking point as Palace went on to lift the iconic trophy for the first time in their history.
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Questions also surfaced over why Marmoush took the penalty over regular taker Haaland. In his post-match press conference, Guardiola was asked about the decision on who took the penalty.
Why did Haaland not take FA Cup final penalty?
Since starting his career in 2015, Haaland has taken a total of 57 penalties, scoring 49, with eight missed. However, the 24-year-old has not been in his usual stride this season, missing three out of the seven spot-kicks he has attempted.
Some City fans believe his recent inconsistency in front of goal was the reason why Marmoush stepped up, despite the Egyptian never taking a spot-kick for City before.
Speaking after the final, Guardiola explained he was not involved in the decision. The Catalan coach stated he likes players ‘who take initiative and decide.’
“I didn’t speak with them [Haaland and Marmoush]. They take a decision, penalties are like that. I like guys who take initiative and they decide. In that moment, it’s how they feel. They decided Omar was ready to take it,” he said.
“Omar took a lot of time when the ball was stopped and after he kicked, so it put more pressure on himself, and Henderson made a good save,” concluded Guardiola.
While Man City’s hopes of trophies are over for the season, Guardiola & Co. are still fighting for a top-five finish in the Premier League to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next season.
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