'I agree' - Pep Guardiola expresses sympathy with major Erik ten Hag issue at Man Utd

Pep Guardiola has revealed he has sympathy with Erik ten Hag and the issues he has faced this season as Manchester United manager.

The Catalan will lead his Manchester City out at Wembley on Saturday in a second consecutive all-Manchester FA Cup final. For City, it offers the chance to win back-to-back doubles, something which has never been achieved before in English football.

But for United it’s a different story and they are hoping to end their worst-ever Premier League campaign with a piece of silverware that will provide a silver lining on a terrible season. Ten Hag is facing increasing pressure and Saturday’s cup final could well be his final game in charge of the club.

The United boss has had several issues to deal with this season, including a split dressing room and protracted takeover process. The Dutchman has bemoaned the club’s injury situation on several occasions and the inability to select a consistent team. It’s an issue, Guardiola has sympathy with.

“So, in big clubs like United, City, when you don’t win always you are in trouble. It’s not a secret,” he said. “When he have done what we have done, I would be in trouble if we don’t win. This is not a big issue.

“[Ten Hag] has done very good things I have huge respect for his jobs in the past and now in United. I completely agree when I listen to him and he says that they were not a full squad, they were not, the whole squad, ready all season. They had a lot of injuries.

“This the the reason why and I think it’s the most important thing they need to think about because even in my case I am focused on that. You have to be fit, fit, fit otherwise you cannot use the players.

“They have a lot of problems and then the manager suffers a lot, because the squad is really good. I think the problem is when they are injured you cannot use them. This is a big disadvantage.”

A week on from making history in the league, City have the opportunity to do the same in the cup. But Guardiola said winning the FA Cup alone is enough motivation for his side.

“In the FA Cup and the fact we can do back-to-back doubles of course is important. FA Cup for itself is FA Cup.

“Wembley, our fans going down to London. The players know it, it is the last game of the season, the last effort. I am impressed how good we trained the last few days after a few days off. People are so focused and everyone will be part of it and we will do our best, that’s for sure.”