Pep Guardiola credits half-time meeting for Manchester City’s EFL Cup final victory over Arsenal

The Premier League leaders were leading 1-0 at the break thanks to Sergio Aguero’s 19th-minute goal, but it had been a flat display up to that point

Pep Guardiola praised his captain Vincent Kompany (Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola said a half-time meeting fired Manchester City to “show who we are”, as he said the team had felt the pressure of last season’s trophyless campaign, before going on to beat Arsenal 3-0 in the League Cup final for the first silverware of the Catalan’s regime.

The Premier League leaders were leading 1-0 at the break thanks to Sergio Aguero’s 19th-minute goal, but it had been a flat display, and they only really asserted their superiority in the second half. Guardiola also expressed gratitude to the club for fully backing him despite personally suffering a first ever campaign without silverware in his managerial career.

“The first half wasn’t good we didn’t play like we can, we felt the pressure after what happened last season but we talked about it at half-time,” Guardiola said. “We showed who we are in the second half, we played really good from the first action, we saw who we were and who we have been. Big congratulations for everyone at City, Sheikh Masnour, Khaldoon, it’s going to help us to win the next games in the Premier League and win the Premier League.

“I am so happy but I am part of City so I have been part of the group. I’m so happy for Manchester City and I can’t forget how they took care of me last season when it wasn’t so good. I always remember how all the club, Khaldoon, supported me. That’s why it’s so important, and I’m so happy.

“To win titles helps to win more, that’s true. They have to know we will not go far way in the Champions League if we play like we did in the first half but in the second half then we can – [Thursday] we have another game against Arsenal again. We will learn from this and go through.”

It was noted how all the goals in delivering this first trophy for the new Guardiola regime were scored by old legends: Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva.

“The three goals, that’s true, they help these three guys, [and] Yaya [Toure], Zaba [Pablo Zabaleta], [Joe] Hart, names of all involved have helped to create what City is right now. Sergio, Vincent and David got the goals and they helped us to understand what it means for this club. They put pressure on us to win more titles, whoever comes here will have to know they have to win titles.

Guardiola had particular praise for Kompany’s “outstanding performance”. “In the second half, it was the way Vincent played. David came back in the second half to the way he normally is.”