Pep Guardiola was spotted giving advice to Crystal Palace players after Manchester City's 3-0 win, but Jamie Redknapp has warned the City boss he was talking to the wrong individuals. The victory at the Etihad Stadium, secured by goals from Antoine Semenyo, Omar Marmoush, and Savinho, moved City to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games remaining.
Guardiola's Post-Match Instructions
After the final whistle, Guardiola was seen engaging in deep conversations with Palace players Adam Wharton, Maxence Lacroix, and Jefferson Lerma. Redknapp believes the Spaniard was offering tactical advice ahead of Palace's final-day clash with title rivals Arsenal.
“City just have to keep going and hope there’s a little bit of pressure on Arsenal, a few doubts across their minds and they struggle,” Redknapp said. “I think Burnley will be straightforward [for Arsenal] but Crystal Palace. I was watching Pep at the end of the game and he was certainly giving them a team talk and a half, trying to get them going for that game. He was very, very animated. We always see him maybe going up to one or two players.
“But he’s like, ‘Jefferson [Lerma], listen, in midfield, you’ve got to make sure you get close to Declan Rice’ … ‘You, [Maxence] Lacroix, you’ve been brilliant this season, keep going! If you keep doing good I’ll sign you!’ … ‘Adam [Wharton], you control that midfield!’”
Redknapp's Warning
Despite Guardiola's efforts, Redknapp suggested those instructions might fall on deaf ears. Palace are expected to rotate their squad in the coming weeks due to an upcoming Conference League final. “The thing is, most of these players won’t be playing I would have thought because they’ll be rested. That’s my feeling anyway, they’ve earned that right,” Redknapp added.
Glasner's Response
Palace boss Oliver Glasner has already responded to suggestions he could shuffle his pack for the final two games. Before the trip to the Etihad, he joked that he was paid by neither Arsenal nor City, so he did not owe either side anything. After the defeat, he hinted at rotation, saying: “Manchester City have a huge final in three days, so maybe it is the legitimation to make a huge rotation against Arsenal [before the Conference League final].”
