- Man City beat Chelsea to land FA Cup
- Mental boost gained after triumph
- Players still likely to be tired for Bournemouth match
Manchester City are back in action on Tuesday and while there will be tiredness throughout the squad, Pep Guardiola has decided to look at the positives.
After all, the Citizens had a fantastic weekend which saw them lift a second piece of silverware this season.
Winning the FA Cup seemed in doubt during the semi-final tie against Southampton, but Man City battled to secure a narrow victory.
Chelsea proved to be another tricky opponent, but Antoine Semenyo delivered a special moment which ensured the trophy was coming back to Manchester.
Man City will have extra energy against Bournemouth
Pep Guardiola and his players have plenty to celebrate, but they do not have the time to truly enjoy their successes, at least for now.
City played Bournemouth on Tuesday night as they look to keep up with Arsenal in the Premier League.
Guardiola has acknowledged that his team will be tired, but Saturday’s triumph should give them a new burst of life.
During his press conference, the manager said: “The fatigue will be the same [vs Bournemouth], but the energy will be different [after winning the FA Cup], absolutely. Going to Bournemouth [after] losing would’ve been more difficult.
“I said, ‘guys, take a shower quick, go to the airport, and quick because tomorrow recovery, Monday you travel to Bournemouth’.”
Bournemouth will be another tough side for Man City to overcome
Man City and the Cherries both have something in common. Impressively, neither team have lost a domestic match since January.
Like City, Bournemouth have won their two most recent Premier League matches without conceding a goal.
However, Andoni Iraola’s side have only won one of their past six home fixtures. Then again, a draw is all that would be required to destroy City’s title hopes, unless Arsenal drop points.
“They’re playing for European competition, and I don’t know the last time they lost,” Guardiola continued.
“It’s an incredible team, the most energetic, rhythm, and pressing in the Premier League.”
Guardiola will make changes on Tuesday
Man City may well be feeling motivated after lifting another trophy at Wembley, but physical fatigue will still be an issue. Therefore, there is likely to be notable rotations in his team selection again.
Phil Foden will surely start after missing out in the FA Cup final, and Rayan Cherki will surely not be benched for a third successive game.
These are top players, so Guardiola will still have quality at his disposal. However, not all his strongest performers will be on from the start.
He added: “We have to decide how we feel in terms of players and the way we have to play, to try to extend the only chance we have by winning the game and trying to arrive against Aston Villa with a chance.”
Man City’s match against Bournemouth kicks off at 19:30 BST, while Arsenal host Burnley on Monday night.
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