Pep Guardiola raves about ‘unbelievable’ Manchester City performance in Carabao Cup final over Arsenal | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was full of praise for his side’s display in their Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal on Sunday evening.

The Blues ended a two-year wait for silverware as a second-half brace of headers from Nico O’Reilly secured a commanding win over the Premier League leaders, who Guardiola ranks among the finest sides in European football.

The result will go some way towards lifting the mood around the Etihad Stadium following a turbulent few weeks that have witnessed a third consecutive elimination in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the hands of Real Madrid earlier this month.

City have also succumbed to successive Premier League draws against Nottingham Forest and West Ham that have seen them lose further ground in the title race and allowed Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

Guardiola hails Arsenal as the ‘best team in Europe’

In his post-match press conference, Guardiola was generous in his assessment of the opposition, placing Mikel Arteta‘s side in the very top tier of European football.

“Alongside Bayern Munich and maybe Barcelona as well, (Arsenal) are the best team in Europe,” he said.

“We made an incredible victory. In the end, the Carabao Cup is not the Champions League or Premier League – everybody knows that – but winning against that team makes this title special.”

Guardiola will be hoping that the Carabao Cup crown, on the cusp of the international break, can help shift momentum back in favour of City in the remainder of the title race run-in, with every game a final for the Blues between now and the end of the campaign.

We were unbelievable in the second-half, Guardiola admits

Despite acknowledging the trophy’s relative standing in the hierarchy of football honours, Guardiola was effusive about the quality his players produced – particularly after the interval at Wembley – describing City’s performance without the ball as something he could barely comprehend.

“The team is underneath and there is something that can flourish,” he said. “Winning helps to anticipate the process.

“The players proved again, old ones and especially the new ones, that when we’re required to do something that during the season we are not consistent to do, especially without the ball, against that team Arsenal (we can).

“You achieve that level or no chance – and today we achieved it – especially without the ball. With the ball, in the second-half, against that team was unbelievable. I could not believe how good we have done it.”

It was a particularly notable admission from a manager who has repeatedly stressed throughout the season that defensive solidity and out-of-possession structure have been among City’s most glaring areas of concern during what has been an inconsistent campaign.

Guardiola: Room for improvement despite cup glory

However, in keeping with his characteristically measured approach to success, the 55-year-old was quick to temper celebrations with a reality check over the Blues’ longer-term trajectory.

“We are much better than last season of course, but still we are not the team we should be,” he added. “That requires time and hopefully at the end of the season, next season, we can do it.”

Those comments will resonate with supporters who are acutely aware that City remain nine points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League, with a title charge appearing unlikely to materialise.

However, stranger things happen every day and with City having a game in hand over the Gunners – and yet to play them at home in the league – there could be more than a few twists pending in the title race.

Guardiola defends touchline celebrations vs Arsenal

The Catalan also addressed the yellow card he received for his animated celebrations during the match, refusing to apologise for showing his emotions in the moment.

“I am not artificial intelligence. I am a human being. I want to celebrate it,” he said passionately. “It was not disrespect to Arsenal or for the other fans, it’s just to celebrate with my people. I am a human being and when I have emotions, I shout to the referees or I celebrate, I express it.”

It was a moment that encapsulated much of what makes Guardiola such a compelling and divisive figure in football – raw, unfiltered emotion from a man who has dedicated the best years of his managerial career to making Manchester City the dominant force in English and European football.

Whether he continues in the dugout beyond this summer remains one of the most pressing questions in the sport, but on Sunday at Wembley, at least, Guardiola and City gave their supporters exactly what they had been craving.