Manchester City's FA Cup Final Defeat: Guardiola's Time-Wasting Furor with Henderson

Tension flares between Pep Guardiola and Dean Henderson after Manchester City's FA Cup final defeat, with Guardiola citing time-wasting as the reason.

Pep Guardiola attributed his confrontation with Dean Henderson to frustration over the goalkeeper's time-wasting tactics during the FA Cup final. Manchester City's 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace added to Guardiola's disappointment, marking one of the rare times in his managerial career without a major trophy.

The defeat capped off a challenging season for City, with controversy surrounding the match adding to their frustration. Guardiola's clash with Henderson reflected the tension and frustration that built up throughout the game.

However, Guardiola's most intense frustration stemmed from Henderson's persistent time-wasting, which contributed to 10 minutes of stoppage time in the second half. The City manager's emotions boiled over as he confronted Henderson over this issue.

Dean Henderson narrowly avoided a red card for handling the ball outside the penalty area in the first half, before going on to save a penalty from Omar Marmoush at Wembley. Guardiola was questioned about the decision not to send Henderson off for a handball that denied Erling Haaland a goal-scoring opportunity, to which he responded, “don't ask me, ask the VAR and the referee.”

The City manager's frustration boiled over, however, due to Henderson's persistent time-wasting, which contributed to 10 minutes of stoppage time in the second half. Guardiola's clash with Henderson stemmed from these tactics, showcasing the intense emotions that flared in the aftermath of the FA Cup final loss.

“I'm sorry, everyone can do whatever they want. We have to score goals. We didn't lose because Henderson was time-wasting. But it's a question of rhythm for the players.

“It's a game for all the fans. So, when you see Barcelona now, they're losing and it's attack, attack. And the other team, attack, attack. The show is beautiful.

Pep Guardiola exchanged words with Dean Henderson after Crystal Palace's FA Cup victory 👀 pic.twitter.com/zZhXg9BLhl

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) May 17, 2025

“I understand Henderson's position. I don't feel it. So, my teams have never tried because I try to play the game like the people deserve to watch. That's all.”

Henderson Downplays Clash with Guardiola

On the heated discussion with Guardiola, England goalkeeper Dean Henderson said: “I just went to shake his hand but obviously I think he was disappointed with the time-wasting. I said, 'You got your 10 minutes you were wanting'. No hard feelings.”

City dominated possession with nearly 80% and had 23 shots but failed to capitalize. Guardiola acknowledged Palace's strong defensive display, saying, “We didn't score, so congratulations Crystal Palace for the victory. They played a good defensive game.” This marked City's second consecutive FA Cup final loss, following last season's defeat to Manchester United.

🚨🗣️ - Dean Henderson: "I just wanted to shake Pep Guardiola's hand and I think he was disappointed with my time wasting. I said to him that he got his 10 minutes of extra time, so no hard feelings?" pic.twitter.com/Rdhdj8XXJe

— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) May 17, 2025

“We controlled the transitions apart from the goal. With 11 players in the penalty box for them, we created a lot.

“Every action Palace took time, the goal-kicks, the rhythm, it is difficult to come back. The chances were there but it was difficult to score.

“We were really good in many things. But we didn't score and that's why we didn't win."