“Was Man City cheated by VAR?”- Pep Guardiola FURIOUSLY Slams Crystal Palace Tactics and Reveals Explosive VAR claim following Dean Henderson row after his City side suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Wembley
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola found himself in a tense exchange with Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson following his team’s 1-0 loss in the FA Cup final.
Guardiola expressed frustration over Henderson’s time-wasting tactics during the match but refrained from directly criticizing the goalkeeper when asked whether Henderson should have been sent off.
The heated confrontation between the two occurred after the final whistle, with Guardiola’s side suffering a bitter defeat at Wembley. The loss leaves City’s Champions League aspirations hanging in the balance and their trophy hopes for the season dashed.
Henderson was fortunate not to see red earlier in the game when he handled the ball outside his box to deny Erling Haaland a clear scoring opportunity. However, VAR upheld the referee’s decision, and no action was taken. Henderson later played a key role in Palace’s victory by saving Omar Mamoush’s penalty and making a series of crucial stops, with Eberechi Eze’s 16th-minute goal sealing the historic win.
Speaking about the post-match exchange, Guardiola explained, “He defended his position, and we defend our stance on time-wasting. In the last minute, he’s British, I’m sorry. Everyone can do what they want, but we need to score goals. We didn’t lose because of Henderson’s time-wasting, I get that.”
He added, “It’s true they gave us 10 minutes of injury time, but it’s all about rhythm, allowing the 22 players to just play. You look at Barcelona now—they attack, attack, attack, and the other team does the same. It’s a beautiful show. I get his position, but I don’t agree with it. My teams never do that because I want the game to give people the spectacle they deserve.”
Guardiola concluded by offering his congratulations to Henderson and Crystal Palace, acknowledging their solid defense and his team’s inability to find the back of the net.
When asked whether Henderson’s handball warranted a red card, Guardiola deflected, saying, “Don’t ask me. Ask the referee, ask VAR. It’s not my issue.”
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner also reflected on the pivotal moment, commenting, “I thought, ‘Why didn’t he just clear the ball?’ Then I crossed my fingers, hoping VAR wouldn’t intervene, and thankfully it worked out.”
