Pep Guardiola hails ‘grumpy’ Man City star after FA Cup win over Sheffield United

Pep Guardiola described Riyad Mahrez as ‘exceptional’ after the Manchester City winger’s hat-trick saw the team progress to the final of the FA Cup on Saturday.

A 3-0 win over Sheffield United at Wembley keeps alive City’s treble hopes and means their season will stretch into June. The Blues will find out on Sunday who they’ll face in the final, with a potential Manchester derby still on the cards, or a meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.

But Mahrez was the star of the show on Saturday as he netted a first-half penalty to give City the advantage at the break. He then scored a superb solo goal on the hour mark before grabbing a third via a first-time finish from Jack Grealish’s pass inside.

Speaking after the game, Guardiola praised the ex-Leicester City man, who he added doesn’t always react well when left out of big games.

“He is always grumpy with me when he doesn’t play,” joked Guardiola. “He makes me notice how grumpy he feels. Today, no. He is an exceptional player on the big stage, the mentality to score a goal, compsore for the penalty was important.

“It finished the first half at 1-0. The second and third [goals] were brilliant. It’s really great to be in the final. Really good and I am so satisfied with Riyad because he loves to play football. He has given many things in these years and more in the future.

“Riyad plays good in every game, also in decisive games,” Guardiola added. “He loves to play football. He’s a big fan, an amateur spirit. Not a guy who has a contract, has to do his job, thinks how many hours I have to train, do my job and go home. Completely the opposite.

“He loves to be in contact with the ball. That’s why when he’s upset [not] to play is because he wants to play. Sometimes Bernardo [Silva] gives something in the sides he cannot give us with the skills, not because he cannot do it. Or Phil [Foden], sometimes you need special things.

“We know each other for many years. I know I lost the battle to make him understand how important he is to the group. Important is when he plays, play in that level.”