Respect and tradition are the reasons Pep Guardiola offered up for loving the FA Cup, the challenges of going to lower league grounds and enduring all of what that entails. None of the banter with rival fans outside because City were at home. There was no fun to be had on a forgettable afternoon that saw Marc Guehi, Rodri and Nico O’Reilly sent for in order to make sure Salford City didn’t etch their names into history books. And they can point to the returning John Stones being felled in the box, although that was less clear-cut. Interestingly, Guardiola admitted that he genuinely didn’t know how to feel about a game without interference from Stockley Park.

Source: Daily Mail February 14, 2026 18:11 UTC